Divine Word Missionaries

Nathaniel Minh Nguyen ( Divine Word College Seminarian)

My Year in Japan

I was born in Vietnam, but what happened there is only a preamble to my story. Life began anew for me when I first stepped off the plane, at age seven, into the cold snowy atmosphere of Lincoln, Nebraska. I remember going to school for the first time in America, meeting my first friends in ESL, and meeting my favorite teacher of all time. I had most of the freedoms American kids had. Though my family held onto Vietnamese culture and traditions, we easily adapted our lives to fit into the new mold of American urban living.

In high school, I was a good student. My parents did not push me to study in any specific field and said that I should do what would make me happy. I wanted to become a teacher or doctor, to make them proud. Then one day, I happened to see a calendar, hanging on my parents’ bedroom wall, with Sisters dressed in pink and blue – and detailed information on how to contact them, and the SVD. I decided to email Divine Word College’s Vocation office.

Today, it makes me wonder what actually pushed me to contact DWC, attend the Come and See Weekend, and finally fill out the application. And what has kept me with Divine Word College to this day? I must conclude that it was God who called me, and it was I who answered, and it is through God’s grace that I am still answering that call and discovering the path of religious life.

And through God’s grace, I am now in Japan, learning a new language and culture, with the opportunity to use what I have learned at Divine Word College on this missionary training experience. My being in Japan is a learning opportunity, a student exchange program. But I see it as my chance to further understand my own vocation and to come to closer to what God wants me to do.

Seminary life in Japan is a lot different than at Epworth. I have a lot of support from home. My family and people at the seminary send cards and care packages. One special person, Fr. Bill Shea, writes daily emails, keeping me posted on the happenings on the home front. Eventually, I have made many good friends, people from all over the world. These friendships make life in Japan more enjoyable and have made a big impact on my understanding of the world around me.

My first and current impression of Japan is that it is a rich country, but sometimes seems poor in spirit. Japanese are very busy people. After the war, and during the reconstruction of their country, the Japanese people’s goal was to build a better country, a nation to be proud of, and to plant seeds of hope for prosperity. Now, the younger generation is enjoying the fruits of their parents’ labor, but they seem to lack a greater goal – a goal for the betterment of other people. Rather, they work hard now, for future self-enjoyment. Older Japanese people have expressed this same concern, as they begin to see young people losing faith in one another and in religion – with themselves as the main focus of life.

The number of Christians among the Japanese population is less than one percent! I asked myself, is it worth it to be here? Should I come back to Japan for future missionary work? What good can I do in Japan? These thoughts gave me a negative impression of missionary work and life in Japan.

Then, while I was in Tokyo, I had dinner with a priest who has been working in Japan for the last 18 years. I asked him, “Do you feel like you’ve made a difference in all the years of working in Japan?”

He answered: “Missionary work is not about seeing the result, but about doing what God wants us to do. I might not be able to personally see the result of my work, but I am sure I have made a difference for people by being there for them. Though Japan is a rich nation, its people have yet to hear the Good News. And in the spirit of missionary work, I think that Japan is a great place to be, to engage in Prophetic Dialogue. But more importantly, let the Spirit guide you to where you need to be and what you need to do.”

After reflecting on his words, I too, want to have the opportunity to return to Japan for future work. Life in Japan will be a challenge, and will help me to fully experience what it really means to be a missionary.

Through living in the seminary at Epworth and in Japan, I have learned many valuable lessons and have seen growth in my own spiritual development. Coming to Japan, I truly learned what it means to accept people for who they are, with – like me – weaknesses and strengths. I learned to be more reflective and to learn from my mistakes and never give up, especially when the waves get tough. I want to fully share myself with people around me – what I know, who I am, and what I believe in – and they with me. And this is part of the missionary experience, to engage in dialogue and give of ourselves in order to receive others.

I am beginning to hear my call more clearly, and becoming more confident in answering that call – the beginning of a beautiful path that I am about to take. I will continue to go wherever the Spirit may take me, and allow the Spirit to work through me, in me, and with me.

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