YouTuber shares God’s love with those considering suicide
“When I found out that many people die by suicide in Japan, I wanted to do something about it. So when I was 17, I uploaded a YouTube video aimed at those contemplating suicide titled ‘To those considering death.’1 That is how I started a YouTube channel,” said musician Sami Okada (her YouTube name is miura sammy), a member of Sapporo Christian Group, a local church.
“I’m sure there are various reasons why a person would want to end their own life. But God has a wonderful plan and purpose for your life. So please don’t die.” This is Sami’s heartfelt message to those who watch her video. In the five-minute video, she shares the gospel of Jesus bearing all of our sins by dying on the cross, and says that if we believe in him our sins will be forgiven.
Uploaded five years ago, the video has gathered over 234,000 views and has received almost 7,000 comments. Some viewers have said that they have changed their minds about taking their own life and some even accepted Jesus. One person said they “dropped the knife they were holding in their hand when they saw the video.” Another said they had visited a church and later got baptized.
Sami also shares her music on YouTube along with her messages. The kanji for her name, 賛美 (sambi), means singing praise. “I love to sing,” she says.
Her first album, Reply, consists of six of her original songs and was released in December 2020. “As I read the many comments on my video and replied to them, and as I learned of my viewers’ deep suffering, I felt that words were not enough for those who didn’t know God. This album is my ‘reply’ to those people. I hope it can convey the love and truth of God.”
Sami’s CD can be bought here: https://miusam.thebase.in
From Christian Shimbun, March 14, 2021
Translated by Grace Koshino
1. miura sammy, YouTube, “For all those who want to commit suicide,” (English subtitles) 5:36, Feb. 17 2016, https://youtu.be/DQe1A94tx1M (accessed July 22, 2021).