I am Michiko from Japan. I grew up in a Buddhist family but I did not believe in any God.

I came to NZ in 2004 to enjoy a new life. But after I’d been here two years, I got very sick and could not work. So I lost my job. I spent all my money on medicine and felt worthless.

All my Japanese friends had returned to Japan. That meant I had no friends, no job and no money. I felt that I am nothing; I hadn’t changed anything even though I started new life in the new country.

During my sickness, I picked up a Bible in both Japanese and English that my ex-flat mate had given me to improve my English. I began to read it, but only to sarcastically challenge the existence of God; I thought to Him: “Show me what you can do for me!” then I felt that my sickness went away and I felt clean inside after I read the Bible. I wondered if this was just a co-incidence.

I could not stop reading the New Testament because I wanted to feel the clean feeling again and I wanted to know if the Bible had such power to heal me.  “If the Bible is God’s words and if I believe in this book, can God heal me?” So I prayed in my heart, “Can you hear me, God? Please heal me. I want to believe what you say in this book.” A week later when I finish the New Testament, I was completely healed!

I still had questions, but I was sure that God had healed me. So I started coming to this church to know about God and I was amazed to find answers that I was looking for as I spoke to those around me, or heard the preachers speak.

Then my father back in Japan lost all feeling in his legs. I was very worried but I prayed for him and encouraged my mother to do the same. A week later he was completely well again! So now my mother began to believe in God too.

When I decided to follow Jesus as the Son of the Living God, I was scared. But what happened was that my loneliness completely left me and a peace came into my heart. I do not need alcohol to make me happy anymore and also God answered my prayers and helped me to give up smoking.