When I look back, I am convinced that I am here thanks to Jesus who called me:
“Come and see. Then you will know”.
I received the sacrament of confirmation when I was in my 6th grade of the elementary school. A life as postulant in a mission school was recommended to me. But I wanted to wait until I was more grown up to make such a decision.
My youthful years were those during and after the second world war, and everyone worked at the service of the country. At home, we prayed daily for the world peace and so that the war would come to an end.
August 9, 1945, many people were killed by the atomic bomb. People who were so hurt by losing everything, got together with relatives at the end of the war.
When people were complaining saying “ why couldn’t they do something before ?”
My grand-mother and my mother were consoling others saying “ This was the will of God” “ to accumulate treasure in Heaven” Both my mother and grand-mother had lost their own sister by the atomic bomb.
In life after the war, despite of goods supply shortage, we had the joy of making things.
When we could afford a little more, I started to learn to make clothes, and bought a sewing machine.
Around that time, priests of the Society of St. Paul came to Iojima where I lived and to talk about their congregation, also about the Daughters of St. Paul.
One year later, a convent of the Daughters of St. Paul was built in Fukuoka. I attended their retreat and listening to an Italian priest, I remembered what my grand-parents used to tell us about missionaries. This Father had lived in the Iojima island for almost 20 years through Meiji and Taisho era, and gave the people of the island faith and wisdom.
In order to proclaim the faith that my ancestors received from missionary Fathers, and to keep this faith among the people, Lord Jesus invited me to the Daughters of St. Paul , saying “ I chose you first”. Thanks be to God.