When I was in my junior high, we moved near a beautiful gothic style church. I was looking at the church daily, and started to wish I could go there.
One day at school, we saw the movie called " Bell of Nagasaki". I was moved by the mass in Urakami Tenshudo (Urakami church), people who had been wounded by the atomic bomb, and the attitude of Professor Nagai.
I seriously started to wish that I also had faith and be able to go to church.
With all my courage, I knocked the door of the church, and started studying the Christian religion. Then on Christmas eve, when I was 17, I received the baptism. It was around that time that I read many books about lives of saints, and wanted to offer myself to God, and to other people. I was beginning to wish the life as a nun.
One day Sisters from the Daughters of St. Paul came to our church for their mission. I attended mass with them every day. Then, they introduced me to their convent in Tokyo. Many Sisters were working there, joyfully, for the mission through social communication. My wish to become a nun got stronger, and I made my decision. By then I already had a job and have been working every day.
When I was 20 years old, I told my parents about my decision. As they were not Catholic, they were of course, against the idea. They said that since I was their only daughter, they simply could not let me go to such a place.
Despite their opposition, my decision was firm, and I was waiting for the right moment, wishing that the Holy Will of God will be done.
To celebrate my 20th birthday, my mother made a beautiful kimono for me.
Wearing the kimono, I was asking forgiveness to my mother in my heart, thinking that it is the only time I wear this.
2 years from that time, in January when I was 23, I finally entered in the congregation of Daughters of St. Paul. That was the day before the feast of conversion of St. Paul.
Now that 40 years have passed, I cannot help thanking God and be so grateful, for supporting and guiding me until today.
I do wish to be faithful to this holy grace, until the end, and continue my missionary work through social communication every day.