A Flower with Roots: The Story of Mary D. Jesse and Shokei Girls’ School

You are about to read a book with a double storyline with many intertwining segments. Mary D. Jesse, a woman from a family of means, abandons everything to follow her vision to help lift the burden of Japanese girls during a time when education was a privilege and not a right. She is a model of faith, perseverance, and leadership, who discovers God’s guidance in difficult experiences. Already a school with history, Shokei Girls’ School begins its walk with Jesse as she and other missionary colleagues share their Christian faith--the flower--their love for the students, and Christ’s love as it is--rooted--in their daily living. Mission, culture, and character intersect here at Shokei, leading to changed lives. At the same time, the drama of misunderstanding, misery, and pain leads to forgiveness and rebuilding. The story of Shokei Girls’ School is a compelling account of the resiliency of a mission school, where you will see the love and loyalty of the students for their school while the school leadership was experiencing endless drama in management and personal relations. A Flower with Roots will take you on a journey you won’t forget. ＂＂I had the privilege of visiting the Shokei School in early 2003--and then of helping host its wonderful choir as they came to Seattle later that year. A Flower with Roots helped me appreciate the development of the school and one of its early leaders, each often taking ’three steps forward and two steps back, ’ all the while depending on divine guidance that came from both open doors and closed ones.＂＂ --Paul D. Aita, Special Assistant for Southeast Asia and Japan, American Baptist International Ministries ＂＂What a great book and what a fascinating story! Roberta Stephens has told the journey of Mary D. Jesse in a way that brings missionary work from the mid-twentieth century to life, along with all of its challenges and victories. Roberta Stephens is the perfect person to share this history, since so much of it parallels her own story. I highly recommend A Flower with Roots!＂＂ --Glenn Gunderson, Lead Pastor, Purpose Church, Pomona, California ＂＂A Flower with Roots is a fascinating contribution to cross-cultural studies as well as Baptist, mission, and women’s studies. This well-researched story of Mary D. Jesse and Shokei Girl’s School tells of educating Japanese girls in a context of war, personality conflicts, financial strain, and ethnic prejudice. It portrays the successful transition from mission to indigenous leadership and from dependence to independence. Shokei’s struggle to retain faith while facing rising nationalism is especially instructive.＂＂ --Reid S. Trulson, International Ministries Executive Director, Retired Roberta Lynn Stephens is a retired American Baptist missionary to Japan. She served at Shokei Gakuin, Sendai, Japan as a teacher and board member for twenty-nine years. She is the author of Nezuita Hana in Japanese (2003), and co-authored An Invitation to Kokeshi Dolls (1981).

Roberta Lynn Stephens is a retired American Baptist missionary to Japan. She served at Shokei Gakuin, Sendai, Japan as a teacher and board member for twenty-nine years. She is the author of Nezuita Hana in Japanese (2003), and co-authored An Invitation to Kokeshi Dolls (1981).