On the morning of May 20, 2005 I awoke to a phone call very early in the morning. I received shocking news that Kazune, a 3 year old boy in the church had suddenly died in his sleep. My wife and I rushed to the house to encourage Shoko, his mother.
Shoko had been baptized 8 years before and she and her two boys faithfully traveled almost two hours one way to be at church every week. Kazune was a sweet boy who loved church and at the age of three had memorized two scriptures already.
In the midst of this sad and tragic event our great God was working to soften the heart of Kazunori, his father. Although Kazunori had studied the Bible years before he had decided not to become a Christian. Moved by the Christian funeral, the love of the brothers and sisters and the faith and steadfastness of his wife, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, father-in-law and mother-in-law (all of whom are disciples) impacted Kazunori.
He shared with me months after the funeral that because of his son's funeral and the impact of the church, his idea of death totally changed. Kazunori lost his mother at the age of ten and after his father remarried, lost his step-mother during his college days. Death had always been dark and morbid for Kazunori before his experience with his son.
Making the two hour trip with his wife and son Kazunori attended church and studied the Bible. In November of 2006 God blessed the couple with a new baby, a little girl named Kurara. With tears in his eyes Kazunori shared with me how thankful he was to God that God had made Kurara look exactly like Kazune on the day she was born.
Feeling God's love and mercy Kazunori was eager to study the Bible. As a research manager for one of the top pharmaceutical companies in Tokyo, Kauznori's schedule was very busy. Not only that as a PhD in chemistry from Tokyo University, the top university in Tokyo, Kazunori struggled as a scientist to have faith in God. God's power continued to work mightily and on May 20, 2007 , exactly two years after his son passed away, Kazunori was baptized into Christ. There was not a dry eye in the whole congregation that day. We praise God that he can work despite so many difficulties and challenges.
Takeshi Yamazaki
Tokyo Church of Christ www.tccnet.org
from www.icochotnews.com