A Missionary’s Story of Healing, Faith, and Serving in Japan
Tia Blassingame’s story is marked by deep trauma, miraculous healing, and an unwavering desire to follow Jesus, no matter the cost.
At 13 years old, she survived a car accident that took her mother’s life. She woke up with amnesia, unable to remember important aspects of her life. That season was the beginning of a long and painful road of depression, abuse, and loss of identity.
But it was there, in the midst of darkness, that Jesus met her. Over time, He restored what had been lost.
As the Lord helped Tia rebuild her life, she wrestled with the desire to serve Him overseas. One night, she had a dream—a vision of a boy speaking Japanese, telling her about the high suicide rate in Japan. Then a voice in the sky said, “I want you to go spread hope and love to the women of Japan.”
Tia woke up knowing God was leading her to be a missionary in Japan.
Sent by her church and supported by SIM USA, Tia now lives as a missionary, building relationships, learning the language, and sharing the gospel in Japan. Every day brings new challenges, but Tia knows why she’s here. Jesus saved her life, and now she’s sharing that same hope and healing with others.
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:20
Living as a Christian Missionary in Rural Japan
Tia’s adjustment to life in rural Japan proved to be challenging. Before becoming a global worker, Tia lived in the bustling cities of Philadelphia and Atlanta. When she arrived in her small Japanese town, she was overwhelmed.
“I’m dropped off in the middle of nowhere, and I’m like, ‘What is this?’ All I see are mountains, water, and grass,” Tia said. “I said, ‘Oh no, God, I’m not ready for this. I know nothing about country life. I am a city girl through and through.’”
Despite knowing God had led her to Japan, the unfamiliarity of her new environment triggered anxiety. Tia questioned her place there, listing her worries to God.
“God, I’m diabetic. I’m Black [in an area with a very small African American population]. I graduated from college, but I couldn’t pay it off, so I have no proof of my degree. I thought you were going to send me to a Spanish-speaking country, because that is what I speak. But now I’ve got to learn Japanese. I’ve got to learn a whole new culture, one where I will probably be the only Black person where I live,” Tia explained, voicing her insecurities and fears.
“And yet, even with all of that, you have joy because you have Me,” God responded. “These people in Japan strive for perfection, and they’re committing suicide because of the stress of everything they feel they have to be for acceptance. They have degrees and they have this, and they have that, but they don’t have Me, so they don’t have joy.”
Tia heard His response clearly, and she accepted that, despite her fears, this small town in Japan was truly where God wanted her to be. She decided to follow Him in obedience, listening to Him instead of her doubts.
“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6
In a Land of Strangers, God Made Her Feel at Home
Although the transition felt overwhelming, God met Tia with unexpected blessings and comfort during her very first week in Japan. Despite being different from those around her, she was embraced with open arms—literally.
“My team told me they don’t hug in Japan, and that I wouldn’t be invited to a local person’s house for a long time,” Tia said. “But my first week there, I had dinner at somebody’s house every night, and I hugged people. By the second time these people saw me, they ran to me with open arms.”
Then, on her first Sunday in Japan, two local women approached Tia and said something simple yet deeply meaningful:
“We want to be your Japanese mothers.”
This was a direct answer to prayer. In the months leading up to her move, Tia had asked God for a motherly figure in Japan—someone who would guide her through the culture and help her adjust to it. God gave Tia not just one motherly figure, but two, and both were the same age as her own mother would have been.
“He just surrounded me with family when I first got there,” Tia said.
“The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” Isaiah 58:11
God’s Power in Tia’s Weakness
Even as Tia walked forward in faith, the journey was not easy. Doubts and insecurities surfaced, causing her to question again why she was there.
“Why am I here? I don’t fit in,” Tia confessed to God.
“I made you different. I sent you here for a reason, and it is these things that are going to speak to the people,” God reminded her.
In God’s words, Tia found the courage to embrace and share her weaknesses. As she shared vulnerably, the people she was ministering to in Japan began to feel safe enough to do the same. Slowly, the walls came down. In her quiet village—home to many older residents—hearts began to open. They invited her into their struggles and brokenness.
One older woman named *Ema began visiting Tia every week at exercise classes. She would speak honestly about her fears and hardships, and Tia would listen with compassion, gently pointing her toward the hope found in Jesus. Ema wasn’t a Christian, but she always listened with care.
After many weeks of faithful friendship between Ema and Tia, something unexpected and beautiful happened. Ema came to class usual, but this time, her words took Tia’s breath away:
“I want to get baptized.”
In that moment, Tia understood: despite all the challenges she had faced on her journey to Japan, God had been at work the entire time. Her ministry has purpose, and through her willingness to be vulnerable, God has built a bridge. This bridge led Ema not just to friendship with Tia, but ultimately to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
God Uses Ordinary Lives for Eternal Impact: SIM USA Mission Opportunities
Tia’s story is a beautiful picture of what it’s like to follow Jesus into the unknown. Her journey hasn’t been easy, but through every fear, doubt, and challenge, God has shown Himself faithful—providing comfort, community, and purpose in the most unexpected ways. Tia is living proof that God can use our brokenness for His glory. And she’s not alone.
There’s a place for your story, too. At SIM USA, we believe God is still sending people into His harvest—people with real struggles, genuine faith, and a desire to make Jesus known. We’d love to walk with you if you feel a nudge toward cross-cultural missions. Explore how you can become a missionary with SIM USA and be part of what God is doing around the world!
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners…” Isaiah 61:1
*Name has been changed for the privacy and safety of those we serve.
Maggie Watts
Content Creator
I am a Content Creator with SIM USA. It is a joy to use writing and multimedia to glorify God and tell stories about how He is working around the world.