About Me

 

Who am I?

My name is Amanda Griffin, and I will be teaching junior high and high school students at Be One Academy in Ishinomaki. Ishinomaki is a suburb of Sendai in the Miyagi prefecture in Japan.

Japan? How did that happen?

I was called by the Lord to Japan when I was in college at Dallas Baptist University. This came after hearing how lost the Japanese are, how little they care about what they believe, and how hopeless their lives are because of their lack of belief in anything but self. 

During the summer following my sophomore year, I was hired as a student worker and tutor in the Intensive English Program in the International Department at DBU. Through this job, I was able to meet and become friends with students from around the world, including from Japan. This gave me the opportunity to learn from them about what they believe and why. My questions were mostly met with answers of "I don't know" and "nothing." As I taught them about English and the Bible, they taught me some Japanese and about their culture.

Trip to Japan for school? Yes, please! 

In the fall of 2017, I took a class to learn about the society, history, and culture of Japan, which culminated in a 12-day trip to Japan with the professor and eight peers. Through the trip, I had the privilege to experience Japanese culture firsthand, and to participate in the everyday lives of the Japanese, even visiting an elementary school and a college class! 

On the Sunday of our trip, we attended church with a very small congregation in the village where we were visiting for a few days. Though it was small, and all the songs and preaching were in Japanese (which I did not understand as much of at the time), I could tell that they were worshiping the same God that I do, and teaching from the same Bible as I read. It was a beautiful picture of how, around the world, we all serve the same God. That Sunday continues to have an impact on me.

There were high school students who were part of an English club at the local high school, who had been with us the previous day, who attended church with us. For most of them, it was their very first time in a church, or their first opportunity to hear about Jesus. After the service, even though we Americans had not understood much of the sermon, we were able to ask the high school students questions about it. They, in turn, had their own questions. It was a wonderful opportunity to share our faith and what knowledge we had of the Bible, and to answer their questions about the sermon they heard. 

Whether they ever went back to church after that day, only God knows. This was, however, one of the many moments in Japan that I felt God's nearness and assurance. Throughout my trip to Japan, I felt that God was confirming in me His call that this country was where I should be. Despite my physical and cultural differences, I felt just as at-home there as in my home in Texas. 

I graduated! Now what? How do I get to Japan?!

I finished my degree in Music Education, and started looking for a way to move to Japan. The most likely option seemed teaching. While still looking and trying to discover different routes to find a job in Japan, I had heard that many schools would prefer a year or two of teaching experience state-side. So, I looked for a job locally, praying for God's wisdom, guidance, and timing. His timing is perfect, if not faith-strengthening, as I interviewed and was hired for an elementary music teaching position near my home only three weeks before school started. 

Though God had put me at this school, I knew it was for a season and not where He wanted me long-term. Thus, the Japan job search continued. During my last semester at DBU, while student teaching, there was a day where many school districts set up booths where graduating seniors could interview for a teaching job, speed-dating-style. One of those locations was an international school organization with locations in China. The lady at that booth recommended searching NICS for job openings in Japan. I had been monitoring NICS, but there had not been any openings in Japan, and I did my best to not let it dishearten me toward Japan. 

Around Christmas, I got a notice about an elementary fine arts position at the International Christian Academy of Nagoya (ICAN). I applied, and heard back from the Network of International Christian Schools (NICS) a few weeks after Christmas break. I interviewed, and was offered, and accepted the position of Elementary music teacher, and later they added 4th grade math and K-1 English reading and writing. I proceeded to prepare to move to that school as soon as the school year ended.

Cue Covid-19 quickly getting worse and closing government offices, delaying the processing of the paperwork necessary to get a working visa. I kept preparing and was all packed and ready to go from sometime in June, to be ready for my purchased flight on July 15. As that got closer, it was clear that I would not have my visa in time, so I moved my flight to the beginning of August. Things kept getting delayed, I kept pushing my flight back (without charge thanks to American Airline remove all cancelation and change fees for the foreseeable future!) and finally got the Certificate of Eligibility, which is what I needed to be able to apply for my visa. I needed a question answered by the consulate about the visa application, and they answered my question, but said not to send anything yet because they could not process any new visas yet. More waiting, yay!

I finally received word that they are allowing visas to be processed for teachers at international schools because keeping them out deprives students of their access to education. So, off I send passport, Certificate of Eligibility, and visa application to the consulate. They said it would take somewhere between 1-2 weeks. Three weeks, later, still nothing, but nothing to do but wait, since this was when there was the threat of a hurricane so offices were closed, and when they were open, it was limited hours.

September 22, two days before my birthday, I wake up to a call from my director with some hard news. NICS had decided that, due to decreasingly low enrollment, especially due to the pandemic, this would be ICAN's last year to be open, closing the next June. I was told at first I could still come, but after my director discussed this with NICS, they realized that it would be too complicated to bring in a new teacher as they try to close, and they could not afford to bring an additional teacher, anyway. So, On October 6, 8 months after being hired, 8 months of preparation and waiting, I had to end my contract. That day, the consulate let me know my visa had been approved and had been mailed back to me.

Having this position ripped away from me at the last minute, and getting the much prayed for 3-year work visa right after that was devastating. I fell into what most would probably call depression for much of the next couple of months, grieving the loss of all that I had prepared, all that I thought I was going to do, all that I had hoped for, the people I would never be able to meet in person. But God was there with me through the grieving, through the loss of purpose, through the questioning if I had really heard Him say go to Japan, through the wondering if I was supposed to stay here forever or keep looking for a way to go. He gave me rest and replenished my soul, and though in some ways, I still grieve that school and those people, I have the assurance that whatever God has next for me will be even better than the previous, seemingly perfect position at ICAN.

I decided to keep seeking a way to go to Japan, while also looking into local opportunities, should God close all doors to Japan. A family I met right before they moved to Japan as missionaries a couple years ago sent me a few listings of places with openings for the next school year, and I also applied to some new openings listed through different organizations. One of the school listings the family had sent me was for Be One Academy, a one-room schoolhouse for junior high and high school students whose parents did not want to send them to Japanese school or international school, but to homeschool them. As most parents are in ministry and do not have time every day to teach their children, they combined with other parents to form this academy, and hired me as a full-time teacher/tutor.

I was in Ishinomaki for just over one year, and what an amazing year it was! I learned firsthand about Japanese culture, began formal language lessons to become conversational quickly, and grew both spiritually and as a person. I cherish the time I had there, and still regularly keep in touch with my friends there! It was really the perfect place to be for the first year living in Japan. As the year-long contract drew toward its end, I could sense God saying this was not where He wanted me long-term, so I began the process of seeking the next team and location. I went home for the summer to attend my church's missions conference and to take time to investigate several opportunities to continue serving in Japan. Through a connection at church, I was introduced to the Bangs. After much discussion, I visited them in November of 2023, and by the end of the year we knew we wanted to serve together!

Now I am located in the south part of Kanagawa prefecture, just a 1-2 hour ride from anywhere in Tokyo! I serve at two churches and help with events at a Christian community center. I play piano for worship, attend Bible studies and prayer meetings, and teach English to a variety of age groups at both churches. I have plenty of time to improve my Japanese both with textbooks and with real-world experiences! I enjoy exploring my area as well as getting to know local shop and cafe owners in order to share the Light and Love of Christ in every interaction.

Now What?

Since I will be in Japan for the foreseeable future, I will be writing this blog to give people a way to keep up with all that God is doing in my life and in Japan. I hope you will join me in praying for the people of Japan, that their hearts would be open to His truth and that they would recognize their need for Him, "to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Me. (Acts 26:18)"