I can't complain

I don't think I can complain, nor should I.

Not only I was mentored by the most famous figure in Japan on Occupational Mental Health in the past three years, I earned my PhD on time in March, expanding my research area into Internet addiction, which probably going to be the future of youth mental health research.

I also got a second mentor which is also one of the most famous figure in Japan on Suicide Prevention with Community Approach that led me to my fieldwork in Akita, expanding my outreach to the locals in outskirts, and shaped me to the love and desire in working with the young adults for an extended period.

I have also earned close and sincere friendships with my colleagues which there were valuable times that we cried together, we laughed, we ate, we shared about all kinds in our lives.

I have learned so much about hikikomori from the friendship that I have with the people who are in social withdrawal and isolation. Most of the time, they are warm and open to me, which I believe that this will never happen without God's help. They travel miles to visit me when I am not able to do that for them. They try to join me in things that I do, and they are really my best cheerer.

I also made buddies with people in similar fields and shared my vision about having hikikomori to be relieved from their social isolation while joining different conferences on mental health, public health, social and medical science. That results in possible collaborations in future research.

I joined various work force for the tsunami relief, and got to see and learned how different organizations work with the people, and how effective it would be with different approaches. And now I am working as an Intern with the World Top-Ten think-tank on healthcare policy for the reconstruction of healthcare service in a rural town of Iwate prefecture.


While I achieved all these in three years, I should remember I had suffered the course. I had struggles to understand my professor, and trying to strike a balance with my thesis and field work. I had difficult financial situation where I need to earn my own living and fund for the field work. I had also a serious sickness that caused me almost immobile with the complications pre and post operation. Yet, in the grace of the Lord, I trod on.


In the journey of Heart4Japan, the Lord rewarded me with a master degree in public health, PhD degree in mental health, a certificate for acupressure, a diploma for counseling and art therapy, translation jobs that took me to different parts of the world, what else could I ask?


Could I complain?
NO, I couldn't.




Moving to Akita without a specific job, a certain income is scary. Yet, why should I scare? Haven't I always been doing the same? I don't know what I am afraid of. Maybe the snow? the cold?

I might not be practical.

Yet, just as what Mag and others had prayed for me, and I have same peace as well....
The Lord's banner is over me, peace, love and joy.
That's how I feel too...
It may not sound practical...
Yet, that's how I have always been.
I had never been practical when I let go my job in Malaysia in 2006 to follow His heart in starting Heart4Japan.
It had never been practical when I did my public health courses in HK, where I had to live day by day.
It had never been practical when I had my three months ministry work in Japan in 2009.
It had never been practical ....... in so many other things that I had done, yet
the Lord has a way for it.
And why am I afraid?
when there is peace love and joy that govern me?



May the Lord has it way on me.