Henry G. Dec 2025

Our brother in Christ, our dear friend and co-laborer for the sake of God’s Kingdom has finally completed a book of his Christian walk with God and life experiences in Japan. In the Coachella Valley where Jerry had his humble beginnings attending a small church with a vision for Missions outside of our California borders was the start of Jerry’s journey. Majority of the churches in the valley have concentrated their efforts and resources to make Mexico south of the border their mission field. Who would have thought and could even imagine a greater God assignment to go outside our state borders to a place in the eastern part of the world speaking a very difficult language that is seldom spoken in our Coachella Valley.
Brother Jerry was faithful in his service at the Church he attended but knew in his heart he wanted to be obedient to a special calling in his life that would touch and reach out to countless of lives in Japan for Gods Glory.
This book serves as a reminder of Gods power and love for us as believers and to pray for those who have not surrendered their hearts to God.
It is one thing to say I know God personally but only a handful of believers who walk with God know the true cost to join Him at His work in the mission field. With everything on the line brother Jerry trusted in God each day and for every step of faith taken God made provision for our brother in imaginable ways that only God can do. For God is able!
Reading this book has inspired and sparked a flame in my heart to share the Gospel Message to those around me in my neighborhood, the market place and at my workplace. Thank you brother for sharing your life experiences for the Glory of God.

Michael J. Dec 2025

Before reading Jerry’s book, I saw Japan as a prosperous, self-sufficient nation whose people were difficult to reach with the love of Jesus because of their firm, long-held beliefs. His stories shattered that illusion. Through his humble ministry I met young men searching for meaning, elderly people with little hope and families chained to tradition—ordinary Japanese people whose composed exterior hid deep spiritual hunger. I watched, page after page, as Jesus healed the sick, opened deaf ears, cast out demons, and—most amazingly—melted decades-hardened hearts, all through a servant who refused to take any credit.
Jerry’s quiet awe and constant pointing to Christ made every miracle feel undeniable. Now Japan is no longer a distant, unfamiliar country to me; it’s a nation of precious individuals God fiercely loves and longs to save. Thank you, Jerry, for your willingness to be God’s vessel of hope and sharing your experiences in helping to meet Japan’s deepest need: Jesus Christ.

Mayumi N. Dec 2025

I am a third generation Japanese American living in Southern California. I first started reading Mezurashi back in December 2023, when a friend at a new church I was attending, kindly lent me her copy of the book. I wanted to read the book before the author, Jerry Gander, was due to speak at my church the following year in April. Before I read Mezurashi, I believed in the Lord but did not have much of a relationship with Him. I was an introvert, and a complacent Christian. I knew about the Great Commission mentioned in Matthew 28:19-20, but believed it was only for those who had the giftings as evangelists, missionaries, teachers and public speakers. I had every excuse not to initiate conversations with people due to fear of rejection and failure.
As I started reading Jerry's book, I found that I empathized greatly with Jerry's initial struggles in getting to know the Lord on a deeper level and his heart to obey and take steps to do the Lord's will in Japan. I also felt deeply for the Japanese people whom he led to salvation and healing. What inspired me the most about the book was that Jerry never gave up trusting the Lord no matter what situation he was in, and also he never gave up praying for the people of Japan to come to salvation. I was amazed by what the Lord did through Jerry and I wanted my life to count for the Lord and be a part of the Great Commission as well, because I knew how much the Lord loved me and I wanted to love Him back by loving His people too.
This is now December 2025 and the Lord has honored my prayers for deepening my relationship with Him and also reaching out to people in my community by handing out Mezurashi in 3 languages. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I have overcome my fear of initiating conversations with people, and made new friends with neighbors, pastors, and employees at various establishments. I have learned to love and care about people enough to let go of fear and self-consciousness. I love this new life of living for the Lord and His glory!

Robert A. Dec 2025

It's been a long ride . . . my brother Jerry has been back to visit Japan more than three times since the first edition in English came out (2023). Two years later, I helped him produce the Spanish translation of his book (since this whole journey began in the Desert of Coachella Valley, CA; back in the 1980s with Hispanic Brethren). ~ As it is stated on pg. 14 of the Spanish version: "As you read this book, YOU (the reader) can only come to one conclusion: either I am inventing all of this (the miraculous occurrences that took place in Okinawa), or these events really did take place. ~ Either GOD did, in fact; caused these events to happen, or He didn't. ~ Either these tales are real . . . or HE (God) is not real. ~ Either YOU believe the Bible to be real, or you don't. ~ THIS tale IS an objective story, and truly communicates the change that occurred in my life; the circumstances in the innumerable lives of all the people that were touched(by the gospel message), and also how HE will change YOUR life as you read this narrative." ~ But one thing that Jerry-Sensai never planned on, is that as he wrote, he was outlining a "manual" of sorts for cross-cultural evangelism. The fact that he was able to do this in Okinawa is not as important as HOW the Lord-God, our Heavenly Father; used a common man, working in a kitchen as a chef, to take the Gospel Message across the world, to a people he did not know, in a language he did not comprehend, in a culture-and-customs that were foreign to him. ~ As you READ this book, underline; take notes; do a deep-study in the Scriptures in subjects related to evangelism and discipleship. Then . . . "Go and do likewise." ~ Blessings, RA (Jhn. 3:30).

TRANSLATION (of course) -
Ha sido un largo camino... mi hermano Jerry ha visitado Japón más de tres veces desde que salió la primera edición en inglés (2023). Dos años después, le ayudé a producir la traducción al español de su libro (ya que todo este viaje comenzó en el desierto del Valle de Coachella, California, allá por la década de 1980s con Hermanos Hispanos). ~ Como se indica en la pág. 14 de la versión en español - "Al leer este libro, TÚ (el lector) solo puedes llegar a una conclusión: o estoy inventando todo esto (los sucesos milagrosos que tomaron lugar en Okinawa), o estos eventos realmente sucedieron. ~ O DIOS, de hecho, causó que ocurrieran estos eventos, o no. ~ O estos relatos son reale s... o ÉL (Dios) no es real. ~ O TÚ crees que la Biblia es real, o no. ~ Este relato es una historia objetiva y comunica verdaderamente el cambio que ocurrió en mi vida; las circunstancias en las innumerables vidas de todas las personas que fueron tocadas (con el evangelio), y también cómo ÉL cambiará tú vida al leer esta narrativa." ~ Pero algo en que Jerry-Sensai nunca planeó es que, al escribir, estaba esbozando una especie de "manual" para la evangelización intercultural. El hecho de que pudiera hacer esto en Okinawa no es tan importante al CÓMO el Señor Dios, nuestro Padre Celestial; Usó a un hombre común, que trabajaba como chef en una cocina, para llevar el mensaje del Evangelio a todo el mundo, a un pueblo que no conocía, en un idioma que no comprendía, en una cultura y costumbres que le eran extrañas. ~ Al leer este libro, subraya, toma notas y estudia a fondo las Escrituras sobre temas relacionados con la evangelización y el discipulado. Luego ... "Ve y haz lo mismo." ~
Bendiciones,
RA
(Juan 3:30).

ジェリーさん、証です。

"A Wonderful Encounter"

My encounter with Mr. Jerry dates back to 1986. I met him when I was a sophomore in college, during his visit to Okinawa International University with a group called Discover Friends from the United States. That encounter dramatically changed my life. At the time, I was attending a new religious movement called Shin-Kō. Why was I there? At that time, I had suffered deep emotional wounds from being betrayed by a friend and was seeking salvation. By chance, there was a Shin-Kō circle at the university, and I was drawn to it, having just started attending. It was then that I met Mr. Jerry. He passionately introduced me to Jesus, but I remained completely closed off. Yet even as I refused, Jerry passionately and earnestly kept telling me about Jesus. And he embraced me. With my wounded heart, I felt Jerry's love and sensed my emotional wounds beginning to heal. I was transformed into someone who wanted to believe in Jesus. One day, I prayed the prayer of faith in Jesus together with Jerry. My thought at that moment was simply this: I wanted to believe in the Jesus that Jerry believed in. Then, the time finally came for Jerry to return to America. I went to the airport to see him off, and there, tears began to flow, and I couldn't stop crying. It was the first time I had ever cried so much.

After Jerry left, I was introduced to the church my friend attended and began going every week. It was Makiminato Central Baptist Church. The following year, I heard about the first Discover Friends America Tour. Hoping I might see Jerry again, I signed up for the tour. God granted me the blessing of reuniting with Jerry in Los Angeles, USA, in a miraculous way. After that, we went to Virginia, where I received a calling to dedicate my life. It was a desire to share this wonderful gospel. Returning to Okinawa, I graduated from university and began working at a Christian hospital. Then, I was led to marriage, but my heart overflowed with a desire for dedication. Though we were blessed with children, I prayed, quit my job, and enrolled in seminary. During my seminary years, we were given a child with severe Down syndrome. At that time, God gave me the word from Romans 8:28. In the conviction that all things work together for good, I was given the strength to raise him. After graduating from seminary, I actually experienced many illnesses. Pneumonia, encephalitis, tuberculosis, heart valve disease, a car accident—I endured various pains and hardships. Yet I am still kept alive and guided by the Lord. In truth, I realized that the words I speak are being deepened through these trials. I feel myself being transformed into one who walks by entrusting everything to God. You could say I am following in Jerry's footsteps. I long to emulate Mr. Jerry's passionate example—how he entrusted everything to God and walked for the sake of Okinawan people like me who were lost.

Yoshiro Taira

Profile

Pastor, Ankiname Baptist Church

Teacher, Okinawa Bible Seminary

Teacher, Okinawa Lay Evangelist School

Director, Okinawa Preaching Academy

Board Member, Okinawa Bible Academy

Administrative Director, Okinawa Bible Academy

平良善郎

Bruce

37 years ago in the summer of 1986 I was privileged to lead a team of 35 students from university/college campuses all over the United States to a 'little' city called Akita way up north on the main island of Japan to reach out with God's love to the Japanese students there and the families we did a 'homestay' with. However, there was ONE person who joined us on this team who was NOT a student.

He was older and his job back in the USA was being a chef.

So, how in the world did this guy end up among us? I don't know. How was God going to use a 'cook' amongst a bunch of college students both from the USA and Japan? I don't know.

But what I DID know by being around this guy was his love for Jesus, his love for people, and his love to learn and to reach out and to be inquisitive with culture and Life around him.

His name? Jerry Gander ...and none of us will ever forget the impact he made on ALL of our lives.

I can't wait to get your book, Jerry, and to read.. the REST of the STORY!