Why

Did you know that in Japan every year, 30,000 people commit suicide? That's approximately 82 people every day. Did you know that in Japan, you are 50 times more likely to kill yourself than to kill another person?

In fact, on the trains, there are notices everywhere to be careful to hold on in case of an emergency stop to prevent an "accident".

Depression is a major issue in Japan. With so much pressure to work as hard as possible and to do as much as you can, to the sacrifice of other values and priorities in your life, it's no wonder that people suffer from depression. With broken relationships and loneliness reigning in this crowded country, it's no wonder that hopelessness is prevalent.

Recently, there was a young man here in Japan, about 25 or 26, who was really living the life. He was popular-- had loads of friends. He was talented- an incredible musician. He always had a smile on his face. But, he took his life. And in his final words that he left for this world, he wrote about not being the kind of person he wanted to be and starting to regret who he was becoming. He felt like a burden to other people. He wanted to change, but he didn't know how. He wrote about hopelessness, about not liking himself.

And this is not an uncommon story. It was unexpected, because on the outside, you really couldn't tell how he was feeling. But, this story could easily be told be any number of people. And on this guy's page, people wrote about respecting the way he took his life, because he couldn't find any other way to live it.

These stories, along with the various other stories I hear from other people I meet, reminds me of why I'm here. There doesn't need to be this hopelessness in Japan, when we have the Hope of the world! There doesn't need to be this disliking of self, when they are dearly loved by God, and made in His image. There doesn't need to be this brokenness.

This is why I'm here. For an amazing, yet hurt and lost nation that needs to know about the love of God. Jesus is the hope of Japan! They need to hear, and for so long, they haven't heard.