Selfless Love & A Train ~ 100 years on

A friend of mine in our church told me recently of how she first heard the Gospel.

While living abroad, my friend read a book by a best-selling Japanese novelist. The book introduced her to a self-sacrificial love and the Gospel of God's sacrificial love.

She wrote the author and asked her if she knew of a church in the country where my friend was currently living.

And so my friend began her journey to faith. She continued corresponding with the author, and later went to Hokkaido and met her and her husband. She is still in touch with Mr. Miura, a widower now, and sends oranges every year.

Her story is not unique. Many Japanese have been introduced to the Gospel through the works of Ayako Miura.

The book which introduced my friend to the Gospel is Shiokari Pass, based on a train accident, in which a man "threw himself onto the tracks at just the right moment and succeeded, at the cost of his own life, in stopping the runaway car before it would have derailed and crashed."

That actual historical event took place 100 years ago today. The city in which it occurred ~ and other towns in Hokkaido ~ have been hosting memorial events for the past few months, culminating with 100th anniversary events today.

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

The municipalities may be the ones sponsoring the events, but the believers are taking advantage of them, inviting friends to attend with them, and praying that the events will become the first step for many people's journey to faith, and coming to know God's extravagant and sacrificial love!

(FYI: Eight of Ayako Miura's books have been translated into English. Japanese editions make a great gift for Japanese people living in the States and can be ordered from Multi-Language Media. The movie, "Shiokari Pass" is also available in English, and was perhaps my first real introduction to Japan when it was shown at the Christian Cinema decades ago.)