Takako’s first glimpse of Jesus came through her hallway friendship with Dee, an InterVarsity international student from a closed country in Central Asia. Her first conversations with the young girl from Japan centered around the horrors of cafeteria food. Continued hallway dorm talks led to a decision to move off campus together and find a place where they could do their own cooking.
Shortly after moving in together, Dee invited Takako to church. Undaunted by her “No thank you,” Dee pounded on her roommate’s door Sunday morning announcing it was time for church. Eventually, off to church Takako went, explaining, “I like people very much.”
A few days later, Dee invited Takako to a women’s Bible study on campus. “Why I want read 1,000 page English book?” she responded. But Dee could not be stopped by an obstacle as small as English language proficiency. With Takako’s consent, Dee began hosting the Bible study in their apartment.
Now Takako found herself in a real predicament.
She could join the study of the 1,000 page book or go to her room, close the door and do homework. That, however, would be rude—particularly for a young Japanese woman taught to value hospitality. Takako joined the Bible study and discovered, “I like Bible very much!”
At the end of the school year, Dee transferred to another college. But Lotti, Dee’s sister came to study in the United States, and she became Takako’s new roommate. Lotti invited Takako to church and also hosted a women’s Bible study in their apartment.
The following spring semester, Takako faced a difficult situation in one of her classes. She spent a day alone in her apartment trying to come up with a solution. She decided to pray and see if God could help her. “I know you love me. But I don’t feel you love me. I need you to show me,” Takako prayed.
The moment Takako finished, the phone rang. A friend was calling to see how she was doing, and before hanging up said, “I don’t know why, but I feel like I should tell you ‘I love you.” Takako didn’t hear her friend’s voice. Takako heard the Lord’s voice telling her, “I love you.”
And so began Takako’s love relationship with Jesus. Takako now serves as Large Group Meeting Coordinator for the chapter on campus. She also attended Urbana 06, InterVarsity’s 21st Student Missions Convention, held last December 27-31 in St. Louis, MO.
InterVarsity students across the nation want to invite their non-Christian friends into a love relationship with Jesus through friendship, and encourage them to actively participate in Bible studies and fellowship activities on campus.
