I WALKED MOUNTAINS

Life Story of Setsuko Takashima (80 years old)

I have been watching American CNN TV since April 2010 though I cannot understand the news in English 100%. One day, a South African Christian woman told her life story through her poor English. So I found courage to write in poor English my story for English-speaking people. Fortunately, I had already written my life story in Japanese. I hope you understand my life story. Theme: I walked mountains since my late 60s till today. I am 80 years old now. I do not go to doctors nor take medicine.

I was born May 2nd, 1933 in Osaka, Japan, near the Kei-Han line station, Kyobashi. My father ran a bicycle shop. My father did not enjoy Sake (alcohol) and he worked hard for us. In April 1949 (Showa 24), my father forced me to go to Otemae High School. Otemae High School was near our house. School fee was low also. But Otemae was a top school in Osaka. Students are from high class households. I wanted Sakurano-Miya High School. The ordinary children go to this school, so I liked it. But my father forced me. I cried because I did not want to go to Otemae. My father had a stubborn heart. Although I did not like Otemae, I graduated from this school. When I studied at Otemae I regretted that I could not study English in the one-year English course. I wished for professional English language work. I worked hard to study English in junior high school. I received good marks in English.

After graduating from high school, I went to Kobe. Through a Kobe newspaper, I discovered that a foreign family wanted to employ a maid. I told this family I wished to work for them. Then Mr and Mrs K sent me a good answer through a postcard. My father found out about it, and wrote to Mr K that I could not work for his family. I was so sad because I wanted to work for them so that I could get a chance to listen to English. Anyway, I had to work near my house at that time. But my zeal to study English did not go away. I wrote to Mr K to help me find work with a foreign family so that I could learn English. Then Mr K replied me and told me to meet him one day. I was so glad for his reply. I went to see Mr and Mrs K in Kobe.

One thing was important to me at that time. I wanted a good and happy heart. My father gave me enough money to live. But in my heart that was not enough. I wanted happiness. I had read “Jan Christof”, a book which my friend introduced to me. After I read this book, I wanted “truth” in my heart. I wanted a good and beautiful heart. To tell the truth, I did not know Christianity. I did not read the Bible. I had a Catholic friend. She influenced me towards Christianity.

I was glad for the chance to meet Mr and Mrs K. They were so kind to do something for me. Mr K told me to write to Kobe Mainichi, an English newspaper, that I wanted to work in a foreign home as a house maid. So I did, and I asked the office to reply me at my work place. Then I got a nice answer from Mainichi that an American missionary family wanted a worker.

So I decided to leave home. Mr and Mrs K were Christians and members of Eiko Church in Kobe. They talked to my father. After I went to the missionary’s house, I read the Bible for the first time and I prayed to the true God and went to church. I was baptised in Suma-Ku Ichinotani Church by a Chinese missionary in 1954 (Showa 29). I was 21 years old, and the church members were happy for me.

I worked for Samuel E Boyle’s family for four years. They were nice, important years. They had four children. Mr and Mrs Boyle were a wonderful couple. Mr Boyle told me about “the end of this earth” and the resurrection of Christ. I did not forget this.

After being a house maid in the home of the Boyles, I went to Seikei Theological Seminary in Tokyo. Fortunately, I had studied in Keio University (correspondence course). I studied for 11 years at Keio University and worked to graduate. When I attended a church in Tokyo, I met Miss G, a sister in Christ. She was also a Seikei student. At that time, I worked part-time for a Christian doctor. I sent a small sum of money to Miss G to support her in her service in Singapore. I had enough money at that time.

God remembered my small gift to Miss G. She invited me to Singapore. So I went to Singapore. It was my first time in Singapore. Then I heard His Voice and so I spent four years in Singapore to study the Bible in English.

I returned to Japan in March 1984. I settled down in Nagata-Ku, Maebara Cho. Although the room fee was cheap, the water bill was so high every month. At night, rats came into my room and spoiled my clothes and dresses. The roof was very old and the owner did not repair the roof. I had to cover myself with a blanket to escape the rain.

I lived ten years in Maeba. In those days, I evangelised the children through Kamishibai (telling stories through pictures). I also wore a coat with Bible verses at the back. I sewed the Bible verses to the coat using coloured threads. I used Kamishibai and gave out gospel tracts to children when I met them on their way home from school.

After returning from Singapore, I did not have enough money. So I walked and walked for all my activities. Thus I now have a strong body. I do not go to the doctor nor take medicine.

After the January 17th 1995 earthquake (Hanshin, Awaji), I was grateful I could stay in the home of a kind Christian family (Takaodai) for four months. From this house, I walked to the Suma Alps. Many people are fond of walking to these mountains. Since then, I have been walking up mountains till today. I also climb two flights of stairs five times a day.

Since the Quake, God has been so kind to me. I did not get hurt. I could stay with the kind Takaodai family. Later I moved to Kansai Bible School. I stayed there temporarily for free for one year. Then I moved to Iwaoka and stayed there for one year also for free. Then I got a 1000000 yen donation. I sent it to Singapore. Singapore churches helped me when I did evangelistic work. After Iwaoka I moved in here (8-209 Akebono-Cho 1070, Nishi-Ku, Kobe, Japan). Room fee is 4500 yen only. It is a blessing. Last year, I distributed almost all the gospel tracts I had to Japanese children. [Ed: Setsuko graduated from FEBC with a Diploma in Theology in 1984.]

I HOPE TO BECOME A ‘FISHER OF MEN’

Thaddaeus Wong (13 years old)

I do not know when exactly I was saved but I know that my mother taught me Bible verses and Bible stories when I was still very young. At three months old, the late Rev Dr Timothy Tow baptised me as an infant. My development was slow which made my mother worried. In fact, I did not learn to talk until was quite old. My mother was sad and afraid that I could not understand the gospel and receive Jesus as my Saviour. One day, her friend and FEBC lecturer (Jeffrey Khoo) encouraged her with these words, “Spiritual things are spiritually discerned.”

My mother had been very patient with me even though I threw a big tantrum. Everyday, she would read God’s Word to me, tell me Bible stories, teach me hymns and children’s songs and pray with me. Slowly, the Holy Spirit worked in my heart and I developed a love for God’s Word. One day, my mother brought my very own children’s Bible for me. After a while, I began to understand about sin, forgiveness and salvation which is free through Jesus Christ. Through those years, I started to believe in Jesus that He was the Chosen One to save me from my sins through His death on the cross. His blood shed on the cross is enough to cleanse me from my sins like the sands of the sea. As I grew up, I learnt more about Jesus’ love and all His parables in Sunday School and Children’s Worship. When I was in Primary School, I told my mother that I could do my devotions and learn memory verses by myself.

Now, I have grown up and want to reaffirm my faith in God. I believe that I am a sinner saved by grace. I really look forward to the Rapture, the new heaven and new earth so that I can be with Jesus for eternity and be free from sin, autism, shortsightedness and all misery on THIS earth. In the meantime, I will serve God on earth by learning God’s Word, obeying my parents and studying hard as a student. Also I hope to become a ‘fisher of men’ to share the gospel with relatives and friends so that they too can be part of God’s Kingdom which will never be overthrown. I really thank God for His salvation so rich and free.

FAR EASTERN BIBLE COLLEGE

Praise the Lord for FEBC. This semester FEBC has a total enrolment of 498 students: 92 day students (53 full-time and 39 part-time), 141 distance learning students, and 265 BTFE night class students. The residential students this semester come from a dozen countries: Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

We are grateful to the Lord for keeping us safe and sound despite the bullying we face from those who hate us for our faith in the verbal and plenary preservation (VPP) of the Holy Scriptures, our unequivocal stand for the traditional Hebrew Masoretic Text and the Greek Textus Receptus which we believe to be the inspired and authoritative Scriptures God has wonderfully preserved for His Church, and for our uncompromising defence of the good old Authorised Version (KJV).

We thank the Lord that Justice Judith Prakash finally visited the Church/College grounds at 9, 9A, 10 Gilstead Road on 23 January 2014. She spent about 1½ hours inspecting the premises. Please pray for her as she draws up a scheme to regulate the sharing and use of the premises. We pray for a scheme that will prevent future disputes.

Pray also for FEBC now facing a new lawsuit by Life BPC for utilities they claim we owe them since 1970. The mediation meeting on 29 January 2014 before two District Judges brought no resolution. They sued for $250,000 but are now asking for half a million to settle. Another meeting is scheduled for 19 February 2014. Pray for God to protect FEBC from those who seek to destroy her, this time financially.

VERSE FOR THE WEEK

“When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.” Prov 28:12