"The One Religious Pamphlet That Wasn't Thrown Away"

As a child, I was highly favored by my grandmother.  As a result, every since I was small, I would sit in front of the god shelf in the morning and in the evening, and was taken to visit numerous shrines.   As I look back over this, I realize now that the relationship between my grandparents was not very good.  One way my grandmother tried to ease her suffering was to keep me close by her side and by worshiping at her god shelf.  When I began kindergarten, it was my mother`s desire for me to attend the Catholic kindergarten, which was in our neighbor hood.  It was there that I first was introduced to Jesus Christ, and began to attend church services.  However, back at home, my snacks were put upon the god shelf as usual.

During my third year of elementary school, my grandmother passed away.  I remember, even though I was only a child, sensing tremendous freedom.  At my grandfather's request, I entered Baiko Junior High.  I attended Baiko during my Junior High, High School, and College  for a total of eight years.  There I attended the morning worship service each day as well as the one-hour Religion class each week.  At that time, I just felt that my attendance was fulfilling the school requirements and the Religion class was nothing more than another subject to me.  However, a portion of the scriptures that we studied remained in my heart and many times during the later years, was a source of strength to me.  After graduating,  verses from the Bible  came to my mind and hymns that we had sung during chapel came to my lips on impulse and gave me a desire to attend church once again.  But for a very long time, I just wasn$B!G(Bt able to bring myself to go.

          After being married for two years, I was blessed with two children.  The oldest child, however, was delayed in speech and when he was able to speak, was not able to pronounce his words clearly.  Since my second child was sickly from birth, I was constantly visiting the hospital or consultation services almost on a daily basis trying to get help.  I was also frustrated with my husband who would not help me with the children.  I would get irritated with him and then end up taking out my irritation on my children.  As I think back on it now, it was a time in my life when I really needed to rely on prayer.  My youngest child gradually began to improve and therefore lessen my need to go to the hospital as much, but my oldest child, probably as a result of his language difficulties, began to be bullied at school.  Trying to do something to help him, I was constantly going to the elementary school.  Regardless of how hard I tried, the situation would not improve.  He endured endless bulling all the way through Junior High and High School.  It saddens me greatly to think of the torture, so great that I can hardly comprehend it, that he put up with during this time, has probably affected him for life.  During his second year of Junior High, my son got to the point that he could not stand the bullying any longer and I took him to a doctor.  The doctor recommended for me to put him into a special education facility.  From there, he was able to continue on to high school and then to a vocational school for the disabled, although he continued to struggle.  He is able to hold down a job now, but still has difficulty with interpersonal relationships.  Each day continued to be a repetition of uneasiness and disappointment.  I thought, there has got to be some way of salvation from this!  The thought of Jesus came to my mind at times, but in spite of this, I would pray at every shrine, which I passed.

The summer of the year 2000, I found the pamphlet of this church in my mailbox.   It is really strange, but I felt a real warm feeling towards this pamphlet, and I began to have a desire for my son to also experience a church.  At that time, however, my son had no desire to hear anything that I had to say, so I just put the pamphlet away in a drawer.  Religious material is frequently placed in my mailbox and some times as often as once a week, some type of religious group was visiting me.  The pamphlet of this church however was different in some way.  In spite of this, I kept the pamphlet tucked away in a drawer until November.  During this time, My son and I continued to suffer.  All of my family continued in the midst of suffering.   I remembered at this time, a verse from Mathew 11:28.  "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  On November the 21st, I turned to my son, who was in the pits of depression and asked him, "Would you like to go to church with me?" My son replied let's give it a try.  I took the pamphlet out of the drawer and the moment my son saw it, he said, "I can't believe it."  He had come with a friend to this church while the building was still in progress and had met the pastor in the picture!  This was the first time I had heard about this.  It truly was a miracle from God!  The next day we both went to church.  I came to realize that there is no other God that I could trust other than Jesus Christ.  Since then, I constantly have tears in my eyes during Bible studies and during the Sunday services.  I don't know why, but when my eyes fill with tears, my heart becomes light.  I have finally come to realize that the Book, which was nothing more to me than any other textbook during my teenage years, is a Book which can give tremendous peace and encouragement to the heart!  Jesus is my Savior.  He died upon the cross; taking upon Him our sins. And He rose again.  For me there is no doubt about this fact.  I made my profession of faith on December the 21st.  I not only rejoice in that I am the first convert as a result of the church pamphlet distribution, but also that I was able to confess Christ before the celebration of Christ's birth 2000 years ago.  I am so thankful!  Many unusual things have happened to me since this time and I continue to find comfort in the work of the Holy Spirit in my life.  I have learned that through prayer, I can pour out my heart to God.  For so long, the verse:  "I will give you rest"  kept echoing in my mind.   I asked God, "Why did it take so long for me to understand?"  He answered in my heart,  "It was my plan."  I am now able to give it all to God.   The forgiveness that I have received for the multitude of my sins, and the gift of heaven are now mine.  And now I have the privilege of being baptized!  I am full of thanksgiving!   From this point on I desire for my life to be sustained by prayer, Bible study and faith in a Great God.