What Can I Say?

In 2014, Seita Sakaguchi relocated with his family from Fairfax, VA to Tokyo, Japan with a vision for church planting in this unreached nation. Covenant Life has been honored to partner with him and Grace Harbor Church, where he serves on staff. Though a homecoming for Seita, moving to Japan has meant a massive cross-cultural adjustment for his wife and four children. In this brief report, Emma shares her surprise at how God is helping her connect deeply with her new neighbors despite the language barrier.

Today, my Japanese teacher was asking me what it was like growing up in South Africa with so many languages in one country. I told her about the compulsory ones I had to take at school, and how I never once enjoyed language learning. Two years ago, before moving to Japan, I knew that I was signing up to be a life-long student of the Japanese language. No joke. It takes a lifetime. Knowing that long-term staying power was somewhat related to my language ability made me nauseous.

Before moving, I remember thinking that without knowing how to speak Japanese, I wouldn’t be able to say a word. Would that strip me of my personality? My sacrifices for the Lord would include giving up English-based friendships and lacking the ability to communicate with ease, much less do something as simple as ordering food. God was leading me, so I thought that these sacrifices were part of walking by faith. But I only guessed the worst.

A month after moving to Japan, I started language school. I’m still taking classes, and it has been the first time I have actually wanted to learn a language. It has been slow, but despite my surprise at wanting to learn it, I have been even more surprised at how God has given me friendships with my limited communication.

God has provided friendships where we share our hearts, our stories, our troubles, and our lives. I have friends show up and stay forever. We drink coffee and chat and laugh. We discuss parenting, marriage, Japanese ways of life, the gospel, and our thoughts. They ask questions about Christ and Christians. Our kids play together, and then they often stay for dinner. I see them the next morning at school, or Bible Study, or English Time. I never dreamed that God would provide these friendships. Who knew that what I thought I was sacrificing – communication – would be one of the biggest blessings here in Japan!

Very clearly, God is at work. He is able to do far more than I can dream or imagine. He can use me as I am and He can use my Japanese as it is – all for building friendships to His glory.