God loves Japan

Becca Abbott spent five months in Japan on the YWAM Discipleship Training School (DTS). Here’s what she made of this experience of a lifetime and how it’s led her to dream bigger dreams with God.

Ready for the tea ceremony

One day in 2023, God spoke very clearly to me, ‘I need you to quit your job, and be in a place where when I say go, you can go.’ Although I was terrified, I chose by faith to leave my full-time job and trust in God to provide. For about seven months, I was in a season of waiting, and God never failed to provide for me. When DTS came up, sure enough God said, ‘Go’. He revealed to me that even before I knew him, he was with me. My love for Japan and desire to go there was a dream I’d had since I was seven years old. I realised that it was something he had put in me, even before I believed in him. Over the years I had begun to doubt my dream would ever happen, but God brought it back to life in a way that was more vivid than I could ever have imagined.

First impressions

When I think back on my first week in Osaka, I feel overwhelmed with emotions. It was like a combination of overflowing love, compassion, awe, heartbreak and many more feelings I can’t seem to name. Being in Japan is something I’d anticipated almost my whole life, and though I worked to rid myself of any specific expectations, it was the most humbling and fulfilling experience of my life so far.

The way of life introduced to me in the training school – the morning walks and stretches, the devotional times, the practical service – felt so intentional and spirit led. I really love how at the heart of everything students do is serving others with the love of Jesus.

The YWAM gang

Being trained

The first few months were focused on teaching, discipleship, and learning how to live in close community. We had amazing speakers come in each week to teach on topics like hearing God’s voice, the character of God, the Father heart of God, spiritual warfare, missions, and much more.

But it wasn’t just about head knowledge – it was deeply personal. I was being challenged and shaped in ways I didn’t expect. God started peeling back the layers of my heart, healing past hurts, and drawing me closer to him than ever before. There were moments of breakthrough, of surrender, and of incredible joy. Living with others who were also hungry for God made such a difference. We encouraged each other, worshipped together, laughed, cried – we became a true kingdom family.

Food shopping

Putting faith into action

After all the teaching and preparation, we were sent out to demonstrate what we’d learned. My outreach was in Korea and Japan, and it confirmed so much of what God had already been speaking to me about these nations. It was hands-on, faith-stretching, and full of opportunities to serve, share Jesus, and love people practically.

At first, I felt heartbroken about the heavy spiritual chains that are wrapped around Japan. Then, I realised that perhaps the reason why the enemy made it so hard to evangelise there is because he knows how easily people might run to God if they ever found him. God restored my hope, telling me that all the chains, all the fear, and all the shrines of wood and rock are insignificant compared to his strength. God is so much bigger, and his love and mercy for Japan is immeasurable.

Even though Christians represent only 1.1% of the population, the quality of faith and devotion to Christ I’ve seen in Japanese believers is more than enough to overcome any opposition and has been so inspiring to me. Trust in God alone is more than enough to sustain them.

Osaka Castle

What God has done in me

God has taught me what it really means to sacrifice and to surrender. He’s helped me become more considerate in my words, actions and choices. He’s humbled me and he’s pruned me. He’s teaching me how to let go of many things. He’s teaching me how to trust him with things that are precious to me. I loved Jesus before DTS, but during the course I truly fell in love with him, and that is how I want to stay for the rest of my life.

What’s next for me?

If I had to summarise my DTS experience, it would be that it was a time of intense preparation and hopeful beginnings. I believe God is leading me into a next season to go deeper into study to equip me further. I been accepted on to YWAM Dunham’s School of Biblical Studies in Canada to do a nine-month course which will give me a deeper understanding of God’s Word and theology. I hope this will equip me to do the kind of work to which God is calling me, which will involve teaching as well as using my creative skills to build something that can be used as a tool for evangelism in the modern world.

Many people at New Life Church were kind enough to donate towards my training in Japan, and I’m so grateful to each of you. If you would be prepared to contribute anything towards my further studies, please visit my gofundme page. Even if you can’t donate, your prayers are equally appreciated.

Please pray for Japan

My take on blossom

• For Christians there to be strengthened and for there to be much salvation growth.

• For more workers for the harvest – Japan needs more Christians to go and reap the harvest.

• For the people’s eyes, ears and hearts to be opened to things outside of what is familiar and culturally ‘acceptable’, and for the good news of Jesus to be so attractive to them.

• For Jesus to become the hope for the lonely and suicidal (suicide is a huge issue in Japan).
  

Listen to a Conversation with Becca and Phil Andrews.