By Manami Yamazaki, Tokyo Church of Christ
February 10, 2021
Psa 34:18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Though the pandemic has been challenging and many people have felt brokenhearted and crushed in spirit, God is close to us and He can save anyone in any situation. Japan has one of the highest rates of depression and suicide in the world. During the pandemic, this situation has worsened. Less than one percent of the population has faith in Christ, and spiritual poverty and loneliness are everywhere.
My husband and I were introduced to Mrs. Matsuo through Dr. Naomiya, who has been our family doctor for over 17 years. Dr. Naomiya called and told us that a friend of his patient was looking for a church community. Pearl met with Mrs. Matsuo every week as a volunteer to teach English. After the passing of her oldest son, Mrs. Matsuo was brokenhearted and crushed in spirit. Not a day went by when she wouldn’t just break down crying from helplessness. Pearl wanted to find a nearby church community to encourage and support Mrs. Matsuo, so she reached out to Dr. Naomiya.
We have a senior ministry in the Tokyo Church of more than 30 disciples over the age of 70. They immediately embraced Mrs. Matsuo and she felt a sense of belonging in this community. The love of the community motivated her to study the Bible. Mrs. Matsuo had been introduced to the Bible over 70 years ago when she attended a Christian woman’s college. She actually studied the Bible and considered getting baptized, but gradually her heart drifted away from God.
Mr. and Mrs. Inoue of the senior ministry drove Mrs. Matsuo back and forth to church every week before the COVID-19 pandemic. She was introduced not only to the community in the senior ministry, but disciples from the whole church became part of her family. The love she felt from the community gradually healed her broken heart and she was able to develop a strong belief in God.
One of the challenges with Mrs. Matsuo’s Bible studies was the loss of her short-term memory due to her age. Even at 97 years old, she is physically healthy, takes no medication, and is able to do her chores by herself. However, she struggled to remember what she learned from the Bible the next day.
The brothers and sisters prayed earnestly for God to give her the ability to remember the essentials from her Bible study. The sisters leading her Bible studies posted scriptures in her room and drew pictures that were easy to understand and remember. Learning through God’s powerful Word that Jesus died on the cross for her moved Mrs. Matsuo’s heart. She decided to repent of her sin and get baptized. She no longer cried daily because of sadness and despair. Her heart was transformed.
Tokyo was in a lockdown for months and we were physically not able to meet. In addition, her other son strongly opposed baptism. After weeks of prayer, God opened the door and, in July 2020, Mrs. Matsuo, at 97 years old, was baptized. She is the oldest person to be converted in the history of the Tokyo Church. She is now 98 years old but has kept her faith strong even during this difficult pandemic.
There are many people around us like Mrs. Matsuo who are brokenhearted and crushed in spirit, but searching for God. The Lord is close to all of them and desires for them to have an opportunity to learn of the hope in Christ Jesus. Praise God for being able to save people no matter what obstacles there may be.
About the Author:
Manami Yamazaki serves as a Women’s Ministry Leader in the Tokyo Church of Christ. She has been in the full-time ministry since 1991. She was married to Takeshi in 1993 and is blessed with three children, Hana (24), Nana (22) and Joe (18), who are all baptized disciples. Hana was married in October last year to Ko Arai who serves full time in the ministry as our youth leader.
1 Comments
Mar 13, 2021, 10:49:40 AM
Charlene Geppert - Thank you for sharing this inspiring story!