Our mission journey began in 2019, shortly after we got married. God led us to California, where we served full-time with Circuit Riders for two and a half years. It was an unforgettable season of living in a vibrant community, creating opportunities for people to encounter Jesus, and learning what it truly meant to follow Him together as a married couple.

Even before joining Circuit Riders, we had begun to sense God's heart for Japan. We spent our honeymoon there so Danielle could experience the culture and see firsthand why Makoto had such a deep love for the nation and a desire to one day serve there. We didn't know when that dream would become reality, but we knew God was preparing our hearts.

In 2022, after the passing of Danielle's mom and the birth of our first son, Kenzo, we sensed the Lord leading us back home to Colorado to be near family and begin preparing for Japan.

Just a few months after returning home, God opened a door we never could have imagined. We were invited to become campus leaders at YWAM Denver—the very base where Danielle had completed her discipleship training school years earlier. It felt like the right next step for the season of life we were in and we hoped it would be a part of our Japan story somehow.

Over the next three years, God did more in us and through us than we ever expected. Our family grew as we welcomed our second son, Kylo, while our ministry expanded from a team of five to nearly twenty staff. Our team led four Discipleship Training Schools, one School of Worship, and four international outreaches to Costa Rica, Mexico, and Japan.

During that time, we personally led two outreach teams to Japan, and those trips became defining moments for our family. Our love for the Japanese people and culture only deepened, and our conviction that God was calling us there became stronger than ever.

On our most recent outreach, we partnered with YWAM Yokohama. We immediately fell in love with both the city and the community. Before leaving for the trip, we had prayed what many would call a "fleece" prayer, asking God to make it clear which team we were meant to join if Japan truly was our next step. He answered that prayer in ways we couldn't ignore, confirming that YWAM Yokohama was where He was leading our family.

After transitioning out of YWAM Denver in the summer of 2025, we began preparing for our move to Japan and welcomed our third son, Crew. Now, after nearly eight years of praying, waiting, and watching God faithfully unfold our story, we will be flying to Japan on October 6, 2026, to join the team at YWAM Yokohama.

Japan is one of the largest unreached nations in the world, with fewer than 1% of the population identifying as Christian. At the same time, fewer than 3% of the world's missionaries serve among unreached people groups. We believe God is inviting our family to be part of changing those statistics. And by partnering with us through prayer and financial support, you are helping change those statistics too! 

Whether this is your first time partnering with us or you've been with us from the beginning, thank you. We truly couldn't do this without you. Your generosity, encouragement, and prayers have become part of our story, and we're so grateful to have you on this journey with us.

With love, 

Makoto, Danielle, Kenzo (4), Kylo (2), & Crew Butler