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The summers are very hot in Japan, and the
winters are perishing cold. Her diet there
sounds strange to us, but she copes well and
is used to the regime. She has become
like a member of our family and speaks
of everyone in her letters – our son
Jonathan who recently passed away,
now sleeping in the “Hope of the
Resurrection”, our little Meetings at home
here, and places in our country that she
remembers so well. I am able to send her
newspaper clippings and postcards of
familiar places. She says in her own
words, that her comfort in her afflic-
tion has come from the Word of God,
and it has revived her and given her
life – Psalm 119:50. She says.... “Wow
Lord, your ways are breathtaking and are
incomprehensible to us mere humans”. I also
send her verses to keep close to her heart
such as Psalm 34:7... “The Angel of the Lord
encampeth round about all those that love
and fear Him...and delivereth them”. She
loves the book of Isaiah and finds it
comforting many a night when she feels
tearful and in need of a hug.
To quote her letter she said “My promotion
over the other Japanese women was a God-
given blessing, I can’t believe I have been
chosen as I had been hoping and praying for
this for so long. I am speechless that God
Our Sister in Prison
has so blessed me in all areas of my life
here...I can see it is the work of God’s over-
ruling power caring for me – I can’t help but
see the Lord’s hand at work...just as
He looked after Joseph whilst he was
imprisoned in Egypt all those years
ago. I have only been in this new role
a few weeks, but every day I am praying
and giving my thanks to God, and also that I
can perform my duties and responsibilities
well up to standard. It is a real honour for us
prisoners, and makes a real differ-
ence to how we are viewed, ranked
and ultimately paroled... I want
others to see Christ’s love shining in
me, and I hope to become a true
disciple of Christ.”
In her last letter of a week ago, she sent
the words of James 5:7-8... “Brothers
and Sisters be patient until the Lord
comes again. See how the farmers
wait for their precious crops to grow
– they wait patiently for fall and
spring rains. You too must be patient.
Don’t give up hope. The Lord will
soon be here”. Even so, come
quickly Lord Jesus.
A Human Tragedy (Genesis 3:6)
| Bro David Yelulani (Banket, Zimbabwe)
E
vil holds the human race in its grip. The
story of the Garden of Eden and the fall of
Adam and Eve is really the story of every
human being. Eve stared at the fruit: we do
too. We look at that which is evil; we let it
stir our imagination and take hold of our
attention. If at the first glance we were to
look away, it would hold no more attraction
for us. Then Eve saw that it looked beautiful.
Evil usually comes dressed in an enticing
package: it never looks ugly. Thus the fruit
seemed on the surface to be attractive. It
also looked as if it was tasty. Since it looked
to be good for food, she convinced herself
not only that she needed it and that it would
do her good. So she ate some, she got her
husband to have some as well.
Somehow our responsibility seems less when
others are involved. They share something of
our load of guilt. But when we get others to
take part, we do not only add evil to evil: we
multiply it! There is solidarity in sin. Yet each
one is guilty. Only God can forgive your sins.
Come and let him pardon and cleanse you
and give you a new start.