History

After the war Japan has been in ruins. It is not possible to talk about Japan mission without the presence of the missionaries who came to Japan with passion and calling. Because of their courage and sacrificial love, the Gospel began to take root int he soil of Japan.

Irene Webster Smith is one shining gem out of many missionaries in Japan. She was one of the first missionaries to come to Japan after the war. As a staff worker for student ministry in Inter varsity, she had a passion to share the Gospel with the Japanese students. She was the founder of what is now known as Ochanomizu Christian Center.

She was born in 1888 April 11 in Wales. one day in her teens, she attended a bible study at the home of a Christian lawyer. For the first time, she was asked “Do you know Jesus as your savior and friend?” She was puzzled by this question. She then accepted Christ, went home and prayed the prayer of confession. Her dream at the time was to become a lawyer. She was studying law, and was sharing the Gospel in the slums. Yet, she felt a calling for world Evangelism. Although her sense of calling became stronger and stronger, she tried to ignore that calling by avoiding Evangelistic gatherings and reading articles about other countries. She even got engaged with a seminary student. She was not able to accept her calling as a missionary.

“Lord, I cannot go to the mission field. I am studying to be a lawyer and I have promised to be with Al. (her fiancee)” Amidst that spiritual struggle, she realized that she was no longer able to lead anyone to faith in Christ for the past two months. Her passion for Christ became cold, and she stopped praying, and she lost interest in the Bible. Yet, finally on the Easter worship service in 1915, she repented and prayed “Lord I will go to the ends of the earth if you wish me to”.

After returning to ministry, she met to missionaries from Japan Evangelistic Band and was lead to Japn on December 1916. She promised to stay in Japan for 2 years. She was working in a charity hall and was devoting her self to save the lives of young women. When she was praying what to do, a Christian US Officer asked her to continue the Bible Study that he has started. She was already 60 at the time. Although she felt difficulty in Student ministry at her age, she took it as God’s new challenged. Her work that started in Tokyo even lead to war criminals in Sugamo prison. She was ready to do anything for the sake of the Gospel, and many people were saved through her efforts. Through her attitude, God has provided land and building for her work in student ministry in where it is now known as Ochanomizu Christian Center.

In 1971, she suddenly passed away on a journey back home from Japan. This was a big shock to many. She is teaching us even today, that full devotion to God will be used by God for unlimited possibilities through the many ministries of Ochanomizu Christian Center.