How a Childhood Hymn Sparked a Lifelong Search for God

Her father, a devoted Buddhist, wasn’t opposed to Linda’s interest in Christianity.   

“One thing that he said, you know, when you grow up, um, you can follow whatever your heart tells you to follow.” Linda started. 

One year, Linda decided to pray to the Christian God and ask him for Christmas gifts for her and her siblings – it was not a tradition practiced by Buddhists.  

“And I said, Jesus, please give me some toys. And do you know what he did? It was amazing. But only that Christmas of all the Christmases that we had in our childhood, we woke up in the morning, and each one of us, my siblings and I, had a small toy underneath our pillow. “

She didn’t pray again until decades later, married with two young children and living in Hawaii, when Linda learned of her husband’s death. In response, she turned once more to the Christian God. 

 “I got news that, uh, my husband jumped from the 17th Lanai at the, the balcony of his parents', uh, apartment. And that night, I knelt and prayed. I don't know why I didn't pray to Buddha, but I prayed to God. I say, Lord, please help me to bring up my two kids.” 

In the following months, paralyzed by grief, Linda was unable to do her job in nursing. She would lose four jobs in the course of a year. 

“I was really depressed. And, uh, I, I didn't know that I was grieving at that time, but I couldn't do anything.” 

“I thought to myself, you know, what did I do wrong to bring my husband to the point where he had to, uh, commit suicide? What was my part in it? Um, what was his part in it?” She continued. 

Linda was haunted by these thoughts and needed help. In 1990, she met her next-door neighbor, a Christian, and began spending time with her.

“It seems like every time I was so depressed, I was crying. She was at my doorstep, or she called me, and gradually she talked to me about Jesus. And then she brought me a Bible. And when I started reading the Bible, it was amazing. I have never read such a book.”

Also, she read history books about the Roman Empire. 

“And that was my confirmation that Jesus was real. He lived in those times, and He did die on the cross.”

“Another thing that made me believe in Jesus. I cannot imagine that there would be a person in this world who would be, you know, love me enough to die such a horrible death. And I compared him to Buddha. And to me, Buddha is a prince, you know, higher up. And he's teaching me all these things. He's telling me to be good, but nobody died for me the way Jesus did. And that's what brought me to Christianity.”

At 44 years old, Linda and her children started going to church and growing in faith. Now, she was able to hold down a job in nursing.
 
“I think my mind was more rested after that year. Plus, reading the Bible changed me, too. Gave me the hope that I would have help.”

Over the years, Linda moved up in her profession and, at 72, retired. Today, she is active at church and continues to be drawn to the beauty of god - marveling at his creation she enjoys from the lanai in Honolulu, Hawaii.

“I think what drew me to Christianity is the beauty of it.”

“The most beautiful thing that God gave me is to make me into a better person. Because of the love that Jesus has for me. And so, uh, I thank him still for bringing hope into me.”