Our First Step: Why We’re Going to Sendai

Konnichwa! We’ve been waiting and praying for this moment for over five years. This October, our family of three will board a plane for Sendai, for our very first mission trip to Japan. For one week, we’ll be serving alongside the Christian and Missionary Alliance’s Envision team and Freedom Life Church, investing in youth, families, and students through practical outreach and relational ministry. This isn’t just a short-term trip—it’s a first step into the calling God placed on our hearts years ago.

It’s hard to even find the words for how excited we are. To some, this might look like a one-week trip. But to us, it’s a long-awaited beginning—the unfolding of a vision we’ve carried and nurtured in our hearts, with countless “God Glimmers” lighting the way.

How It All Began

Our calling to Japan didn’t start with a big revelation. It started with a whisper—God planting something in both of our hearts during the Missions segment of a two-year ministerial class we were taking. One morning, while driving to church, we started talking about Japan. We weren’t sure why, but we both felt drawn to the people, the culture, and the need for hope there. Later that same day, we attended a Missions brunch where a C&MA Missions Mobilizer began sharing about the district’s focus… and you can imagine our surprise when he said that the new focus was Asia—specifically, Japan.

That was our first confirmation. Since then, we’ve received many more. Some people might call them coincidences. We call them God Glimmers—little signs that He’s leading us. One of the most powerful moments came through a dream David had years ago. In the dream, we were riding a bullet train across the ocean and arriving in a coastal city with a line of trees in front of it. At the time, the dream made no sense. But as we began exploring where God might be calling us in Japan, we began looking into the C&MA's Japan Envision site, which is located in Sendai—a coastal city commonly reached by bullet train, known as the City of Trees. God knew all along.

Why Sendai?

Sendai is the location of a growing Envision site and a C&MA church plant called Freedom Life Church. We’ve been in prayer about this for a long time, and all signs have pointed here. During our week in Sendai, we’ll be serving with the local team and church, helping with community events, youth outreach, and university ministry. Some of our activities will include:

• Hosting English language games and activities in local parks to connect with youth and families.
• Assisting with the church’s Fall Festival, a meaningful time of outreach for the local community.
• Participating in English conversation events and outreach efforts at a local university to help build bridges with students.

We’ve also just enrolled in Japanese Language learning—practicing basic phrases, memorizing Hiragana, Katakana & Kanji, and doing our best to prepare culturally and spiritually. There is much to be done and we’re not going to pretend we have it all figured out. But we’re walking in obedience, step by step.

A Family on Mission

This trip isn’t just about David and me—it’s about our whole family. Jack will be 21 months old when we go, and we believe there’s something incredibly powerful about stepping into our calling together. We know there will be challenges (hello toddler jet lag!), but we also know that God calls families, not just individuals. We’re raising Jack to love Jesus and to live a life of purpose and mission, and this trip is part of that legacy.

We’re looking forward to meeting the local church members, learning from the international workers already on the ground, and soaking in the atmosphere of the city. We want to listen, learn, serve, and come home with a clearer sense of what long-term missions in Japan might look like for our family. This isn’t just a trip—it’s a vision trip. It’s preparation for the years to come.

How You Can Help

To make this trip possible, we’re trusting God for $5,000. This will cover:

• Round-trip airfare for all three of us
• Lodging and meals while we’re in Sendai
• Ministry costs and supplies for outreach events

We know it’s a big ask. But we also know we’re not doing this alone. If you feel led to partner with us—either through a financial gift or by covering us in prayer—we would be so grateful. Every dollar brings us closer to the calling God has placed on our lives. Every prayer helps pave the way for God to move not just in our hearts, but in the hearts of those we’ll meet in Japan.

Join the Journey

We’ve dreamed of this for years. And now, by God’s grace, it’s finally happening. This trip is the beginning of something so much bigger than us—a story God has been writing long before we knew it. We’re honored to step into that story and invite you to be part of it with us.

If you’d like to give, pray, or simply follow along on our journey, you can do so right here. We’ll be sharing updates as we prepare, travel, and serve. Thank you for being part of the story God is writing through our little family. We’re just getting started.

With love and gratitude,

The Sumayas

(David, Bethany & Jack)