Imagine one man stepping off a ship in 1861 into a hostile, closed nation — leaving behind comfort, security, and everything familiar to carry the light of Christ to Japan.

Against persecution, isolation, and impossible odds, St. Nicholas of Japan learned their language, loved their people, translated the Scriptures, and planted a living Orthodox witness that still burns more than 160 years later.

His story is not just Orthodox history. It is Christian history — the kind of bold, sacrificial mission that stirs the heart of every believer who longs to see the Gospel advance to the ends of the earth.

Now, in September, my family and I are answering the same call.

We are traveling to Japan on a pilgrimage and research mission to stand where he stood, connect with the faithful of the Orthodox Church of Japan who carry his legacy today, and recover something extraordinary: the original church magazines that St. Nicholas himself founded and published.

These nearly-lost documents contain treasures that have been hidden for over a century — writings, reflections, and eyewitness accounts of early mission work that have never been fully translated into English.

Bringing these to light will bless both Orthodox and Protestant believers alike: fresh insights into faithful cross-cultural witness, perseverance under trial, and the power of the Gospel to transform a nation.

This is more than a trip. It is a bridge — recovering the past to strengthen the Church’s missionary future for every tradition that loves Christ and His Great Commission.

Travel, archival access, preservation, and translation work all carry real costs.

With your help, we can make this happen.

Whether you are Orthodox and cherish the saints, or Protestant and fired by missionary zeal — if stories of courage, faithfulness, and preserving Christian heritage move you, please stand with us.

Your gift and your prayers will help recover forgotten voices of the faith and carry that same light across cultures and generations.

This is a rare opportunity to be part of something that could echo for the next 160 years.

🙏 Will you join us?

Fundraiser link: https://www.givesendgo.com/shores-to-japan