Richards, Debbie

Debbie was raised in a Christian home and as a teenager felt the Lord's challenge to commit her life to serve Him overseas. She attended Nyack College earning a B.A. in English literature and Columbia International University where she earned an M.A. in intercultural studies (with a Teaching English as a Foreign Language certificate).

In 1995 Debbie went to Chiba, Japan short-term with the MTW IMPACT program and ministered for three years with the Tokyo/Chiba church-planting team through its English Outreach program. Impressed by the tremendous spiritual need of the Japanese people, Debbie returned to Chiba in 2001 for long-term missionary service with MTW. In addition to teaching English classes, her ministry activities include serving as pianist for two of the church plants and participating in the music ministry (church choir) at Honda Chapel.

The spread of the gospel in Japan faces many obstacles, and the Japanese response is typically slow. However, the Tokyo/Chiba team is encouraged by every person who turns to Christ and by the spiritual growth among believers. In reliance upon God, the team is praying for and striving toward the goal of seeing a church-planting movement take hold in the country of Japan.