A Letter from Japan: A Decade of Writing, Painting, and Joyful Walks

號角月報加拿大版 二零二五年五月

I never imagined that I, someone who once juggled typesetting and newspaper distribution (essentially doing "a bit of everything") for the Herald Monthly family in Canada, would one day move to Japan. There, I’ve joyfully focused on writing and painting, even having the opportunity to publish and gift thousands of illustrated quote calendars to the Japanese people. God’s guidance is always full of surprises, filling my body, mind, and spirit with abundance.

I vividly recall the first night I arrived in Japan from Toronto. Tokyo Tower illuminated the window of my new home, making me feel as if I had stepped into a scene from a Japanese drama. I was too excited to sleep—or perhaps it was jet lag. Approaching this new chapter with the mindset of a short-term stay, and with zero knowledge of Japanese, I surprised myself by embracing every moment with enthusiasm instead of hesitation. I devoted myself to passionately learning Japanese, making new friends, exploring Japanese culture, and even joining a Cantonese Bible study group. Each morning, I armed myself with a notebook, watched subtitles on women’s TV programs, and jotted down completely unfamiliar Japanese cooking methods in Chinese, English, Japanese, and quick sketches. In the evenings, I absorbed knowledge like a sponge from various informational programs. My life was interesting and fulfilling, to the point that my friends remarked I seemed more Japanese than they were!

During that challenging period, I prayed fervently to God, asking Him to remember the Japanese people, who had endured countless hardships, and to give them a share in eternity. Inspired by my prayers, I painted an artwork and entrusted it to volunteers to deliver to the disaster victims. After the earthquake, nearly 80% of the international friends I knew in Japan returned to their home countries. However, my husband and I chose to stay, unwavering in our support for our Japanese friends. This experience also deepened my resolve to pray for Japan—a country where the majority are familiar primarily with Santa Claus, and only about 1%, according to NHK in 2018 (earlier statistics suggested 5%), believe in Jesus, born on Christmas Day.

Despite these efforts, I often felt my work wasn’t enough. However, thanks to God and the encouragement and financial support of overseas friends, I compiled my watercolor paintings and Bible verse creations into 700 Japanese-language calendars for 2018. With the help of churches and missionaries, these calendars were freely distributed to Japanese people. Their charming illustrations softened the stern image of Christianity, making the calendars well-received as ice-breaking tools for sharing the Good News. A missionary recounted how a Japanese person who had never been exposed to Christianity received the calendar on the street and, surprisingly, read aloud the verse “For God so loved the world” right before her eyes, moving her to tears. A disaster survivor expressed gratitude for the calendar, saying it brought color to their humble home. Another non-believer shared that upon seeing the May scripture, “The Lord is a shield for all who take refuge in Him,” they felt an extraordinary sense of inner peace. These positive responses greatly inspired me. “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). With the strength and encouragement provided by Jesus and my supporters, I have continued to accomplish seemingly impossible tasks year after year.

While writing this letter, I learned of news reports about a massive earthquake on New Year’s Day at the Noto Peninsula, followed by devastating rainstorms that left seven dead and seven missing. Even temporary housing was destroyed by heavy rain. Missionaries serving in the area issued urgent prayer requests. I plan to create several hundred 2025 Chion’s Love Story illustrated scripture calendars to give to disaster survivors. Tragic and painful events constantly remind us to seize every opportunity to spread hope and peace wherever we are. For 2025, I am working on a calendar themed “Healing,” with plans to print 3,600 copies—though the final quantity depends on donations and requests. Please pray for Japan, so we may unite our efforts to cultivate, sow, tend, and spread the Good News in this barren land. As the night deepens, let us labor while it is still day for the Lord’s work.

Chion Mok