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.

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).