Nick:
~was born in Oklahoma but moved to Arizona at a very young age. He was raised in a small town where he was home-schooled for much of his life. Most of his free time was spent enjoying anything from Japan: manga, games, anime, culture, and even history. His family joined a church that eventually led Nick to Christ at the age of 13, and it was there that he built a spiritual foundation. However, after getting a GED and dropping out of school, he started studying computer science at college while working in the corporate world. He was very successful, but it wasn’t until his life course drastically changed that God once again got a hold on his heart and led him into His service. Nick didn’t know what to do with his interest in Japanese culture when he was a child, but as his relationship in Christ matured, he began to look at Japan the way God sees Japan. The Japanese society is strong in many ways: health, industry, technology, education, and prestige. They pursue these things because that is what life is all about – success, right? Nick used to think this way too. However, the greatest lie is that we need the things of this world. Japan has bought into this lie, and it shows every 15 minutes when a Japanese person takes his own life. However, the truth is that all we need is faith in Christ, and everything else is just a substitute. So Nick left his career behind and enrolled in a Bible college where he changed his major to therapy. It’s also where he met his wife, Erin.
Erin:
~was born and raised in the south bay of California. Aside from also being home schooled, she was brought up in a Christian home and in a Chinese church that her father pastored. She grew up going on mission trips with the church youth group to help impoverished people in various places, but she couldn’t stop thinking about passages such as “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul,” and “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of heaven.” Her heart was clearly burdened to reach the lost in 1st world countries, but the question was where to go. While Chinese and Japanese cultures aren’t the same, God placing her in an Asian-American environment didn’t seem inconsequential. Putting those things together, an unreached 1st world country and an Asian background, Japan fit the bill. This calling was made even more clear upon meeting Nick who already had a heart for the country.
Together and onward:
Eventually we met each other at a Christian university in Arizona, and just a few short weeks after graduation we got married! Then we took our first trip to Japan in 2015 where we met TEAM, the mission organization we decided to join in 2016. After that we spent two years working and fundraising, during which Nick obtained his masters in therapy and technology. Finally in 2018 we landed in Japan! For the first two years we attended language school and got used to the culture and church life. Since graduating we have moved towards focusing on ministry full-time.
Miscellaneous:
Nick:
Computer Geek
Master of Useless Facts
Video Game Enthusiast
Considers Research Studies Quality Reading Material
Erin:
Photo Fanatic
Cat Lover
Game Addict
Disney Freak