Beth in Laos

27 April 2014


Dear Phyllis,


Ten years ago I was taking a slow boat down the Mekong River on a trip to Luang Prabang, Laos. In the Lord's miraculous guidance, I met a man from India that turned out to be saved and lived in Vientiane. I asked him where he fellow shipped in Vientiane, and he surprised my by saying, “At the Philippine Embassy”. I asked, “If you go over the the Philippine Embassy, who do you ask for?” “Anyone. They are all saved.” I had never heard of anything like that and decided that that would be a good thing to check out. A couple of months later I had finished my business in Vientiane, and was going home to Chiang Mai, but decided before I leave it would be interesting to see what was going on over at that embassy.


It was about a quarter to 12:00 when I I got there, and asked the guard at the gate if I could go in. He replied that it was noon break, and I would have to wait until 2:00 when they opened again. There was a Mercedes Benz sitting in front of the embassy with a chauffeur in a Philippine jacket standing beside the car waiting for his passenger. On the grounds that everybody was saved, I walked in and called out, “Are you Filipino or Lao?” He looked at me oddly. Then I hollered again, “Are you saved?” Again a strange blank look. But a lady, that I hadn't noticed, was standing two meters behind me piped up, “I'm saved, and I am the ambassador.” I turned around to greet this new voice asking, “How long have you been saved?” “Nine years.'''
“How did you get saved?” “That is a long story. If you want to hear it, come back at 4:00.” At 4:00 I was standing in the lobby of the embassy as the ambassador was descending down the stairs. That was the beginning of one of the most privileged relationships of my life.


Beth (Elizabeth Buensuceso) turned out to be one of the most unusual Christians I have ever met. She was number five of a family of eleven children, but a born leader. Because she was so outstanding she virtually raised the family of her brothers and sisters. Wherever she went she was always the head of her class. It wasn't surprising that she had risen to the level of an ambassador in the Philippine government. She was putting her younger brother through dental college when KC got saved and dropped out of school to serve the Lord. She was furious. For two years she turned a deaf ear to his pleas for her to come to Christ until she got involved an a world-class international problem in the embassy in Singapore. For the first time in her life, she faced a problem that was totally beyond her, and found herself on her knees calling on the Name of the Lord. At that point she came from darkness to light and was born of the Spirit of God.


Right from the beginning she has been a courageous follower of Jesus. Beth had a term in the Philippine embassy in Beijing. I asked her if they had any problem with harassment by the Chinese government. She replied there was a little but not too serious. “We knew which phones were bugged. When I wanted to witness to someone about Jesus, I would just call a friend on a bugged line and share Christ.” That was her stealth way of evangelism.


Beth had only been in Laos two weeks when she led a dead man to Christ. One day she got a message that a Filipino man living in Vientiane had had a heart attack and was pronounced brain-dead, although he was still breathing. To discharge her duty as the Philippine ambassador, she first went to a Catholic church to get a priest and a couple of nuns. Then she picked up a video photographer, and went to the hospital. The man had two wives. His legal wife was in the Philippines, but he was living with another woman as his wife in Laos. The Lao wife was there in the hospital room with a Buddhist priest who was doing his thing for the man. Beth told the wife to have the Buddhist priest shut up and sit down. The woman was hostile and refused. Then Beth told her, “Look, I have high card. I can take that man away from you so you will never see him again. I am not asking you; I am telling you to tell that priest to sit down.' He did. Then she told the Catholic priest to do his thing so she could record the video, and send it back to Manila. Beth said the Catholic thing and the Buddhist thing was identical with chants and holy water. Then she said, “All right, now it is my turn. Everyone sit down.” Turning to the brain-dead man she said, “Mr. Lorenzo, I am Ambassador Buensuceso, and I am here to tell you about Jesus Christ, and how you can have eternal life.” From there she shared the Gospel as clearly as expressed in the scripture. Then she added, “I know you can't speak, but if you understand and believe in your heart, you can have forgiveness of sins and eternal life.” At that the dead man's right hand moved to signal that he believed. Later Beth prayed, “Lord, You know that the Philippine Prime Minister is coming here in a week and I am very busy. I can't ask You to take the man's life, but I would be grateful if You could solve this problem.” Two days later the man entered heaven so Beth could be free for the Prime Minister.


Beth told me that when she first came to Laos, her first objective was to take on the spirit of fear. She said, “They were preaching the Gospel like thieves in the night, and hoped they didn't get caught.” That was exactly the way it was. I have been in a number of countries, and ministered in several where Christianity was either illegal, or it was dangerous. Laos was the worst I have ever seen. When I first started working in Laos, in 1998, missionaries didn't want to tell you their names, where they lived, or what they were doing. I don't know if it is coincidence, or actually a result of Beth influence, but today it is radically different. There are still problems in Laos. There are still people in jail, but Vientiane is marvelously open. The missionaries seem much different.


Shortly after arriving in Laos, Beth decided to start an English worship service. As a foreigner this was no problem, but it was dead illegal for a national to attend a service like that. But she was not the type of person to close the door to anyone. About a year after we first met I was in Vientiane and went over to her residence for church. I was surprised when a Lao college student met me at the door and asked what language I spoke. When I said English, he responded, “Your service is in the other house.” There were so many Lao young people coming that she split the service between the English speakers and Lao. But soon it just became one combined service. Oh my goodness those services were hot! One time everyone was standing, singing, worshiping the Lord, the presence of Christ was so strong I couldn't stay on my feet. I had to just sit down and weep. I told Beth, “The spiritual atmosphere in there was so strong you could take a frozen corpse out of a meat freezer, put him in there, and in fifteen minutes he would thaw out, and be raising his hands shouting 'Hallelujah!'”. She liked that, but later told me that they had had another meeting where the thaw time was reduced to five minutes.


When I first met Beth she told me, “You can bring anyone you want here, but please do not bring any Hmong.” The Hmong are a terrific hot potato in Laos. There are problems with terrorists and the Lao government is extremely sensitive about anyone seen with them. One of the last times I was there, the building was packed with over 80 young people, ten of which were Hmong. Two boys were sitting in front of me, and when they told me where they were from, I knew it was the worst hot spot in the country. I asked one new fellow why he came. He replied, “My friend here brought me.” Then I asked the other boy how long he had been a Christian. Three months. The Gospel was working just like it supposed to. Friends were winning friends.


Beth noticed that the kids would come at 9:00 or 10:00 in the morning but wouldn't go home until 5:00 in the afternoon. When she asked why they didn't go home, they replied, because they were going to be disciplined for going to a Christian meeting; and – if they were going to pay a price for it – they wanted to get their moneys worth. To help this problem Beth decided to have a ladies meeting, and told 40 girls to invite their mother to attend this ladies meeting. Of course, that was a terrific honor, and all the mothers were thrilled to attend the ambassador's meeting. At the meeting, Beth spoke on Ester, and told the mothers what an influential woman Ester was. Then she explained, “This is what we are doing with your daughters. We are teaching them, English. We are teaching them etiquette. W are training them to become highly successful woman.” Then she had several girls give testimonies on how much they admired their mothers. There wasn't a dry eye in the house. All the mothers were boo-hooing and blowing their nose. I told Beth, after a meeting like that, the kids would get disciplined if they didn't go to that meeting, and get it if they came home too early.


The next year Beth decided to have a rerun. Again she spoke on Ester, but this time she got half way through her message when the Holy Spirit took the wheel and drove the car slam off the road. She diverted from her prepared message and began to talk about hell. She told how horrible hell was. Then she described how wonderful heaven was; and how Jesus was the bridge to get us out of hell so we could go to heaven. She had no intention of giving an invitation, but thought she had pushed it that far, why not go all the way? Beth addressed the room full of women assembled there and asked how many would like to accept Jesus as their savior so they could go to heaven. One of the first hands that shot up was the wife of the president of Laos. I got there a week later and everyone was buzzing how the presidents wife had gotten saved the week before.


At one point she had a bad employee working in her embassy. He was a drunkard, dishonest, and rude to people coming for business in the embassy. After several attempts to correct this incorrigible man, she wrote a letter to Manila requesting that he be returned and refuse another job in the Philippine state department. Before sending that letter she first showed him what she had written, and asked what he wanted her to do about it. That sobered him up, and he got saved. He was transformed and would sing all day in the embassy. For folks coming in, he would always thank them and then add “God bless you”. One Sunday there was a brother who sang a solo in church with tears streaming down his face. After the service I asked Beth, “Was that Mario?” Yep, that was Mario.


Beth was a phenomenon. She was my closest friend in Laos. Occasionally we would sit on her porch and discuss the amazing things that were happening. She couldn't be more open. Her neighbor was the Minister of Justice for Laos. He had to hear the joyous singing that went on there every week. He had to see the crowds of illegal people who were gathered there to worship Jesus. No one could explain what was going on.
The only two possibilities I could think of was; either the Lao government didn't care – which probably was the case – or they were afraid to arrest her.


Like all things, I was concerned that this was just a season. There are times of the moving of the Spirit that comes and goes. My fears seemed to be confirmed. Beth served her three year term in Laos and was assigned to a new embassy. He next assignment was to Norway. When she left, things died down. Those that were saved went to other churches. The Filipinos continued to have their own meeting in their own language. Beth wrote me from Norway how she missed the blessedness of Laos. She said in Laos the persecution was from the government; but in Norway it was just stifling deadness.


Seasons come and go. It has been several years since last I saw Beth. She was a tremendous blessing in my life, but probably the next meal we have together will be with Jesus. Oh hallelujah for that day! Thank You Jesus,
                                                                                                             bill

Building to The Will of God

20 April 2014

Dear Phyllis,

Today is Resurrection Sunday. I detest the word Easter, and, as much as possible, refrain from using it. But even with this being Resurrection Sunday I am not is an “Easter” mood. It was only the other day that I learned that Friday was Good Friday and that reminded me that today is supposed to be special. Several years ago a speaker came down from Tokyo to speak at the Kobe Kichijoji Fellowship, Resurrection Sunday service. I asked him if he was going to speak on the resurrection. He answered plainly “no”. That surprised me, and I asked why. “Because every day is Resurrection Day.” I like that. And today I am going to take the liberty of sharing something other than the resurrection of Jesus.

At the moment I am faced with a situation very similar to what I had to deal with in the summer of 1989. Bill Reese was going on furlough for four months, and asked us to step in to take care of his place in Miyota. Bill and I had been close friends ever since their arrival in Japan; and I was the one who originally got things started in Miyota; so it was a no-brainer for us to say we would take over while they were gone.

At the same time, the Kansai Christian School had asked me to make a significant new addition to their school building in Ikoma. Being closely associated with the school, it was difficult for me to say no. At that time I was working for Architech Japan, which was a Christian construction company, ostentatiously dedicated to serving the Lord, and building a number of churches for a very low price. We had three top-flight carpenters, Wirt and Robby Edmonds and Bo, on the crew. I asked Wirt if they would work with me to build the Ikoma school, and got a positive response. Though the situation looked like a juggling act, it still looked doable. But then everything went south. Something came up where Wirt said they couldn't help me. We had planned to have a container of material sent out from the states for the job, making it considerably cheaper. For some reason the container deal flamed out, which made the cost of material almost out of sight. And with no carpenters to help me, it was virtually impossible to do that job in the time frame we had. I called Dick Albright, the chairman of the school committee, and explained that the job was impossible. But then added, “I don't work by what is possible, but by the will of God. I can't see how I can do it, but if it is the will of God I will try.” Dick replied, “We really feel that this is of the Lord to build at this time.” “Okay, the deal is on.” That put me in a terrible spot.

I went to Miyota to get things started up there and left Rosemary in charge. I got a Japanese construction outfit to put in the foundation, and ordered local lumber. I was pleasantly surprised that the lumber was cheaper than what I expected, and the other outfit got the foundation in on time. When things were ready to get rolling in Ikoma, I started commuting 500 km back and forth working on the school Monday through Saturday and returning to Miyota to preach on Sunday. About ten to twelve missionaries showed up to do the carpentry work, but none of them had had any experience swinging a hammer. I was the only carpenter on the job.

Things started off very well. We got the first floor put on in two days, and we were working on the second floor the first week. It was around 6:00 PM, quiting time, we had just finished making a wall for the second floor, and wanted to get it standing before quitting for the night. We had made the wall flat on the floor, and had to slid it in place to where we were going to locate it. The fellows tried to move the wall but couldn't. Quitting time is the most dangerous when you are careless and in a rush. I wanted to show the missionaries how a real man moves a wall, and hooked my claw hammer on the window sile. What I didn't know was that a nail had hit a knot making it come out the side, nailing the wall to the floor. There was no way anyone could move that wall. But I was showing off. I pulled on my hammer with all my might, and the wood tore out under the claw. I went hurtling backwards. Had I been on a flat floor I would have gone flying backwards ten feet landing on my back. But I was standing two feet from the edge of the building. When the hammer tore out and I went hurtling backward, it suddenly dawned on me where I was standing, and thought, “Mrs. Cook's little boy Billy has a serious problem.” I was airborne 5 meters (16 feet) in the air, over the edge of the building virtually inverted. By 95% of the laws of nature I was dead.

Somehow, miraculously, I got my feet headed south under me. The fellows watching me fall all said they were surprised how slowly I was going down. For myself, it felt like I had a parachute on. I too was surprised how slow the decent was. One of the major miracles of my life, I landed on my feet on soft sand in a 30 cm (one foot) space between a steel man hole cover and a concrete step uninjured. I didn't even sprain my ankle. Had I landed two inches in either direction, the minimum damage would have been a seriously broken leg. The fellows who saw me go over the edge of the building looked down expecting to see a dead man on the ground, and couldn't believe their eyes that I was standing there saying, “I'm okay”. When I saw my footprint in the soft sand in that narrow space I thought of the Scripture in Psalm 91:11, 12 that promises, “He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways; they shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against the stone”. I have had a few dealings with angels over the years but that was the most dramatic, and literal, how they held me up in their hands as I was falling and protected me from dashing my foot against the man hole cover or the concrete step.

I never figured out how it happened, but somehow, as I was coming down, I hit a wooden fence and damaged my rib. It had all the indication of a cracked rib and greatly restricted my movement. For the next several days it was impossible for me to swing a hammer. This put me in a real bind as I had a time limit as to when the job had to be done. I couldn't work, and yet couldn't rest. In desperation, I got a lawn chair and put it in the middle of the building so I could sit in one place and direct the constructin going on around. Amazingly, I found that when I sat in one place directing things, the work went faster than when I was working, running all over the place showing the men what to do. Instead of slowing construction down, my sore rib actually speeded everything up. At 11;00 o'clock on the last night I drove the last nail in the wall finishing the job right on time. That was a huge miracle.

I said I have a similar situation to what confronted me in 1989. At the moment I am facing a near impossible scenario. I have made a commitment to Gary that I would work with his program of teaching hill tribe boys how to do carpentry. The next project is a dresser drawers and a baby changing table for a customer. That isn't too difficult, but it is furniture to make that I am the only one who knows how to do that work. The doctor what owns Gary's house and the building we are using for our workshop/school asked us to make four bunk beds and two double beds for a ministry he has. In addition to that he is building a new building and asked me to put in a difficult spiral stairway. Having just completed one project of making ten bunk beds in a month for another organization, doing an additional four was too challenging but the stairway deal is a totally different subject.

The other day I went with the doctor to see his new building. To start with, I was surprised how far away it is. That would be a terribly long way to ride to and from work. I told him it was so far I would almost have to live there to do that job. When I saw the hole where he wants the stairs put in, it blew my mind. I thought, “Man howdy, this looks tough!”. All together there is a 24 foot rise going up two floors. A conventional stairway is out of the question. I told him I really didn't know whether or not I could do that job. But he is a dear brother sincerely serving the Lord, and I want to help him.

If that wasn't enough we have just had a request for 30 more bunk beds to be made before Sept. 1st. Then after that they want 150 more beds made. This radically changes everything. To do a huge job like that would require totally revamping the entire program and buy a great deal of new equipment. But it is a very good organization that has requested we make theses beds for them and – again – I want to help them. Along with the request, they asked if I could do that personally . I answered flat no.

But I don't operate by what is possible, but what is the will of God. If the Lord orders it I will do it. The first miracle was when I began to make sketches of stairs for the doctor. The Lord showed me a very easy design where I see the stairs wouldn't be that difficult. It is a combination conventional/spiral stairway. It looks very doable, but the time is killing. I must start the furniture project tomorrow and at the same time get rolling on the doctors stairways. That is what is on the dock for this week.

The biggest event is the order for 180 beds. Gary wisely has suggested that we don't want to sink ourselves in getting in over our heads with a project that would alter our purpose of teaching young men wood working. In the mean time Pastor Ed, of Abba House, has asked me to teach him carpentry and he wants to do the 180 bed project. I only have one body and the task looks totally out of sight. But then the Lord began to show me some amazing new ideas how to set up for mass production. The thoughts that have come to me are new ways that I have never done before, but I see no reason why they shouldn't work very easily. We are going to set up a shop in Abba Hose where Ed and the boys he is working with can do a great deal of non-skilled labor, but still produce a lot of beds in a short time. At first this will be a minimum investment for Abba House, but I can see where they could have a first-class shop there in the near future. Obviously, I will have to be running two crews simultaneously. My Lisu partner, John, is doing extremely well, and is in a position to run the school when I am not there. This will allow me to run back and forth to keep Ed busy. A very fine American brother showed up the other day who may be available to work with us, and I have asked him to help me with the stair project. I will do all the cutout work in our shop at Gary's which will allow me to do two things simultaneously there. Hopefully I won't have to spend that much time actually installing the stairs.

Tonikaku, it looks like I have a pretty full plate on front of me for the next few weeks. The next two weeks look extremely busy. Then when we get into May I will be back at the kindergarten teaching the children English in the mornings. In my spare time, Pammy has a number of things she wants me to make for our house here. At least boredom is not a problem.

Pastor Hanook just called me from Pakistan. He has a very clear call for me to come to Pakistan to help him in evangelism. I told him if the Lord would provide the money and a visa I would. Ironically, this is looking like more of a possibility. Before I leave I would have to get two crews set up to where they can do acceptable work by themselves. John is showing himself to be a first-class replacement for me at the school, but needs a little more training. Ed would have to be able to run things by himself without me being in town. But that too may be possible in a few months.

Jesus is risen! There is no question about Him being alive and He has sent His Spirit to be with us and be our guide today. Oh is is wonderful to know and serve Jesus;

                        bill

Genesis 15

13 April 2014

Dear Phyllis,

Today is Song Kron. That is the number one holiday in Thailand. This is the Thai equivalent of the American Christmas holiday, except it is a huge national water fight that goes on for three or four days. It is virtually impossible to move more than 100 meters without getting doused with a bucket of water in the face. Riding a motor bike is extremely dangerous, and the accident rate soars. Along with all the stores being closed, everybody goes home for the holiday. That means empty churches.

Last week Kichikun told me that I was up to speak this week, but warned that the number would be way down. Being somewhat of a blank Sunday I wasn't too motivated to come up with some earth moving message, and my mind went to the barrel. The barrel message that the Lord laid on my heart was an old classic that I had preached 50 years ago to the missionary community in Karuizawa – “An afternoon with the buzzards”

The text is from Genesis 15. In the preceding chapter, we read about the incident where there had been a local war with area “kings” and Abraham's nephew Lot had been taken captive. In a rash moment, Abraham armed his servants and dove into the fray to rescue his nephew. On his way back, he met Melchisedec and the king of Sodom. The encounter with Melchior is the one mentioned in detail in Hebrews 7, where Melchisedec blessed Abraham and Abraham gave tithes to Melchisedec. The king of Sodom said, to Abraham, “You take the goods and just give me the persons”. And Abraham replied, “I won't take a shoe latch from you lest you say 'I have made Abraham rich'” (Gen. 14:21, 23). Good word! It is a pity that more people don't have that same attitude today.

It would seem that Abraham had two things on his mind when he went to bed that night. First, he reflected on what had just happened, and was concerned that he had embroiled himself in local warfare. That was the last thing he wanted. But there was a good chance he had gotten engaged in local disputes that could involve a great deal of fighting in the future. Secondly, he was having second thoughts about all the booty he had given back to the king of Sodom. He didn't have to. Those goods were legally his.

In the middle of the night he came out of his sleep with the awareness that the Lord was speaking to him. The first thing the Lord said to him was, “Fear not, Abraham, I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward” (Gen. 15:1). That settled the two things that were on Abraham's mind.

But then the old issue of a son came up. Abraham protested that the Lord had not given him the son as promised. At this the Lord said to Abraham, “Come outside a minute and look up”. It was a beautiful clear nigh and the sky was filled with millions of stars. The Lord said, “This is what the number of your descendants is going to be like.' Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. Then the Lord gave him specific instructions about how to make an offering.

A few hours later, when Sarah got, up she asked Eliezer if he had seen Abraham that morning. Eliezer replied that the Lord seemed to be speaking to Abraham, and the last he saw him, Abraham was out in the flock getting a heifer, a nanny goat, a ram, and a couple of birds. As the sun came up that morning Abraham was standing beside his altar with the sacrifices neatly laid out, and his heart pounding expecting the next move was God's. He couldn't have been in a better situation. This wasn't just some religious experiment that he cooked up hoping that God would meet with him. What started off to be a bad night worrying about getting of involved in local warfare and all the loot he had given back to the king of Sodom, now had become a sacred moment where he was doing serious business with God at God's direction. But then, rather than the fire of God falling on his sacrifices, black spots began to appear on the horizon. Then they got more numerous and bigger. Buzzards. Buzzards came down on the altar to steal away this sacred thing Abraham had offered to God. He picked up a stick to drive then away. But then he got into a Mexican stand-off with the buzzards sitting in a tree ten meters away and Abraham standing by the altar protecting his offering with a stick. What a bad deal! Worse than this, in describing this scenario, the scriptures says, “the fouls came down upon the carcasses”. An offering is something sacred, but a carcass is just fly-covered, dead meat. What started out being a wonderful day wound up being afternoon with the buzzards.

As the sun was going down, Abraham was totally spent. A horror of great darkness came over him. But then when all was gone, the fire of God came down passing through that sacrifice ratifying God's covenant with Abraham.

The first year I was saved was wonderful. As I began to grow in the Lord, I read the testimonies of Charles Finney, DL Moody, and others who had had post-salvation experience that made them mighty men of God. I had a Pentecostal friend who spoke to me much about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and I had a great hunger for more of God. I began to earnestly pray that the Lord would baptize me with the Holy Spirit, and make me to be one of those mighty men of God. I was stationed at Moody AFB in Valdosta, Ga. at that time, but used to drive home to my spiritual family, the Stadsklevs, in Marianna, Fla. every weekend. One Saturday night we had been to a meeting and came home about 9:30. Rather than going to bed, I decided to have it out with God, and get baptized with the Holy Ghost that night. I started out praying, walking along the field roads going out to Stadsklevs fields. But God wasn't listening. I thought, perhaps it might be more holy if I knelt to pray, and got down on my knees on the sandy soil. That didn't get God's attention. Finally, I was lying flat on my face pounding the sand with both fists as I was begging God to come down and fill me with the Holy Ghost. No response. I was virtually shouting, “Lord, come down and fill me!” Then I waited in the stillness for the Holy Ghost to come on me. Instead of the Holy Ghost I heard a buzzzzz. Mosquitoes were all over the place. Then I felt something crawling up my pants. I was lying on a fire ant hill. As I was pounding on the ground, I got sand in my face. Finally the fuse blew. In my desperate frustration I stood and said to God, “Is this what You call blessing? I came out here to get filled with the Holy Ghost, and all I have got is mosquitoes, fire ants and sand.”

That night was one of the darkest nights of my life. For the first time since I had been saved I went to bed without praying. I was mad at God. The next morning it was light outside but pitch black inside. I got dressed and went out to the barn to help Otto with the milking. Otto was the most godly man I knew. I called him my spiritual father. He discipled me and taught me the scripture on milk stools. There was no man on earth that I loved more dearly, but that morning I couldn't stand to be in his presence. I lied and said, “I think there is still one more cow in the barnyard”, and went out of the barn. Once out, I jumped over the barnyard fence, and took off down across the fields.

There was an apple tree where I frequently went to have devotions, but that morning I just wanted to die. I looked for a rattle snake to bite me, but couldn't find one. I watched the sun come up that morning, traverse across the sky, and set in the west.

I knew that the folks would be going to church that evening, and when they were gone, I would get in the house, get my things together, and leave forever. I was going to Japan in two weeks, and I knew if I could get out, they would never see me again. Waited until I heard the house door slam, the car start up, and leave. I started up towards the house, and then heard the kitchen door close again, and the Jeep start up. Otto started driving the Jeep through the fields calling, “Bill, Bill”. That broke my heart. I thought of Jesus and the 99 and 1 – and I was the lost I. But my heart was too hard. I wrote a note saying, “My sin has made me indescribably ugly, and I am going back. Goodbye, Bill” I drove down the dirt road three miles to the hard top, but I was crying so hard I could hardly see to steer. I desperately wanted to go back, but my heart to too hard. I desperately cried, “Lord, turn me around.” About that time, when I got to the hard top, the wheel was spinning in my hands, and I drove back to the house.

Otto had just got back from looking for me, and read the note. He prayed, “Lord, bring him back”. It was at that time the wheel was spinning in my hands at the hard top. When I pulled in the driveway, Otto came out, put his arm around me, and said, “Bill, let's go in the house and have some coffee”. As I sat at the kitchen table, Otto said to me, “Bill, I don't know much about theology, but I do know you are born-again of the Spirit of God, and you can't go back to that old life you used to live any more than you can breath water like a fish.” God met with me that night in the kitchden, and gave me what I needed to go to Japan to serve Him for the next five decades.

I was telling Paul this story the other night and he said, “That was the time the Lord baptized you with the Holy Spirit”. Suddenly I thought, “My goodness, you're right! That was the time I was baptized with the Holy Spirit.” It has been 56 years and this is the first time I have understood God's dealing with then on that subject. It was nothing like I expected. The power of God didn't fall on me making me a mighty spiritual giant. I didn't stand up to preach to thousands. On the contrary, the Lord took me all the way to the bottom. That was the most undone I have ever been in my life, and that was the time I cried the hardest of my life. Along with the Inverted Kingdom, I now understand that to be filled with the Holy Spirit it is necessary for the Lord first to make you totally empty.

Over the years, occasionally, some have refereed to me as a Spirit-filled believer. This is a tag that I have never owned as I have never spoken in tongues or had an ecstatic Spirit-filling experience. But I see now that the name-of-the-game is not to produce high-voltage, spiritual dynamos, but to make simple believers filled with Jesus who is meek and lowly of heart (Mt. 11:29).

Before I close, I want to share that last night we had the best meeting ever held in my home in 35 years. When my world collapsed in 1989 and 1990 I despaired that the day would ever come again, when there would be a Christ-filled meeting in my home. For 22 years I had no home to have one in. And the first two years of this marriage were a disaster. But last night the Lord did something I never hoped to see. I had invited Pastor Et and his wife over for pizza. There were some things on my heart that I very much wanted to share with him. I invited my Lisu partner, John, his brother-in-law, and a few others. The Lord put together the chemistry of several coming together that was much different than what I had in mind. Pammy was spectacular! My “Martha in the kitchen” was superb in putting together a meal that set the stage for the finest fellowship that I have seen in my house in 35 years. That was a dream come true that I never thought I would see again on this earth. We can invite people to our houses, and prepare food to eat, but only the Lord can provide the atmosphere and the presence of Christ. This is the main ingredient, and that is what we had last night.

Oh yes, I had a good time in church this morning talking about Abraham spending an afternoon with the buzzards. Oh my goodness God is good. Thank You  Jesus.                        

                                                                                                       bill

Marriage and A Testamony

6 April 2014


Dear Phyllis,


We can take off our backpacks and sit down to rest reflecting that we are one weeks march closer to that great City where Jesus is waiting. Praise God it isn't far from here. So many of my dear friends have made it safely there that I can almost hear their voices from here. Oh what will it be like to sit down by that River of Life that flows from the Throne of God and have lunch with our friend again! But tomorrow we will have to shoulder our backpacks again and march on.


Last week was a good one in that we finished a huge bed project on time. We had ten beds to make by the end of March. A week ago Friday we got the last one put together and sanded, and Monday we got two coats of varnish on it. Pastor Et came by Tuesday to pick up all the finished beds. It was a joy to load them in his truck but the fellowship with him was the highlight. I have mentioned him in two previous letters. He is the brother that the Lord told to marry an HIV sister 15 years ago. That is the most courageous thing I have ever heard of, and he is about the happiest married man I have ever met. But his wife now has cancer. I asked him how she is doing. He was very encouraged. He said the doctors are only giving her 30% chance of survival. Then he added, “That gives God 70% chance for a miracle.” For a few minutes he spoke to my Lisu partner, John, and I about marriage. He said that marriage is not something you assume but must be cultivated every day. Then he explained, “The key word is 'supply' – what you bring to a marriage – not what you get from a marriage.” I thought that was extremely well put. John was tremendously impressed.


In between job we ran out of lumber for two days and decided to fill in the time by making two pulpits. It takes nearly ten boards to make one bed and we only had two boards in the shop – just enough for the pulpits. A brother had called me that morning asking me to make him a pulpit. At first I refused but then decided that we had enough lumber to make one for him and a blank day of time. He was deeply grateful. John was blown away with the design and said his church needed one also. So the next day we made one for him. It is beautiful.
It has been some time since I have written any testimonies and would like to share one of the more amazing works of God that I have seen. I know that I have told you this one before but the testimony of Niki is a conspicuou acts of God that can be well repeated.


In 1982 the Russians shot down Korean Airline Flight 007 just off the coast of Japan. Of the 48 Japanese passengers on board that flight there was a man who lived in our neighborhood in Ikoma. His wife was a Christian, and when I learned that she had lost her husband in that plane I had a burden to step forward to help her. I had never met her and learned that she was a member of a church in Nara, but sometimes her children went to our neighborhood church. I asked the girl working with children to introduce me to Mrs Matsuoka. A week later I was speaking in that church and Yumi chan told me that a widow woman had been in church that morning. The next week she pointed her pointed out to me and I spoke to that lady inviting her to come to our house for supper Tuesday night. When she showed up I was surprised that it was Mrs. Matsuoka but a different widow. But she told one of the most amazing testimonies I had ever heard.


Niki san was not a Christian and had lost her husband five years previously. She had a happy marriage but they were unable to have children. After six years of marriage, fortunately she did conceive and had a wonderful little son. It is common for Japanese women to return to their home for child birth to be near their mom; and Niki had returned to Ikoma for her delivery. A month later her husband called to say that he was coming the next day to pick her up and their new baby. Niki had the one month baby check at the hospital in Osaka and her husband said he would come to meet them there. Niki asked if he was sick. He said no but there was a problem he wanted to have checked at a hospital and would be a good place to meet.


They had a blessed two weeks together, but then the hospital notified her husband that the result of his check was not good and for him to come in for more treatment. Two weeks later he was dead. Niki was shattered. After waiting for six years she had one month of happy family life and her husband was snuffed out.


With her world collapsed, Niki returned back to Ikoma to live with her family, and have her mother take care of the baby so she could go to work. Then two years later the second disaster struck. Her mother died of cancer. Here she was a single mother with a two year old son and no one to take care of him so she could work. Fortunately there was a Christian woman living in that neighborhood who heard of her problem and stepped forward offering to take of Ta chan so she could continue working. Niki was deeply grateful for the kindness of this lady, but had no interest in her religion. Simply out of “giri” (obligation for a favor) she did consent to go with her to church one time.


Ohaka maeri (visiting graves) is a big thing for Buddhists. Buddhism teaches that it is important that relatives visit the grave of the deceased once a year on the anniversary of their death. Her husbands home was in Wakayama and Niki had to return to Wakayama each year for the one year grave visit. Niki had an older sister who lived in Wakayama who suggested that she stay with them for a night when she was down there. The first night she was in their home they explained to her that they had become Christian. Niki thought there was no problem with that. Religion was religion and if they liked Kirisuto kyo (Christianity), that was no problem with her.


The next year Niki went back to Wakayama for the annual ohaka maeri and stayed with her sister and husband again. But this time it was different. Her brother-in-law was a disgusting man. Shockingly he was transformed. Niki was stunned wondering, “What in the world had gotten into this man to make him so different? Now he was wonderful.”. That night they were going to have a cell meeting in their home and invited Niki to join them in this Christian meeting if she carede to. That night was the turning point of Niki's life.


I asked her, “What kind of a meeting was it?” She said it was nothing she could describe. There was no pastor or leader. There were about a dozen people who sat in the living room and read the Bible around in a circle. I asked, “What were they reading?” Niki said it was the story about some man in the Bible who had died and Jesus brought him back to life (Jn. 11). But then she added, “I was embarrassed. I thought the story was about me and they were reading all about my life.” Then she went on, “Please don't laugh at me. I know this is crazy, but when they got to the place were Jesus stood in front of th grave and said, 'Take ye away the stone', I thought He was speaking to me. It was like my heart was the grave and there was a large stone in front of it. If I took away the stone, life would come out of that grave.”


(That was the number one message that Johnathon Goforth preached in Manchuria in 1905 that brought thousands to the Lord.)


Two years before then Niki's younger sister had been married and had a blessed marriage. Niki was resentful. She thought, “It's not fair. I have had such a hard time and my younger sister has a happy marriage.” For two years she had not spoken to her sister even though they lived in the same house. The folks in Wakayama had given her two books and encouraged her to go to church in Ikoma. The next Sunday she had every reason why she shouldn't go but amazed herself when she found herself sitting in church in Ikoma. Her son, Ta chan, was acting up and she spent most of the service in the foyer of the church where she could listen, and yet Ta chan not be a distraction. There was some gaijin (foreigner) speaking about a fountain. The speaker said there are many different fountains in the world and some were used for drinking. Niki said in her heart, “I am thirsty and want to drink.” (That was me speaking from Zech. 13:1.) The next week Niki went back to church again, but this time there was a different speaker. He was Japanese. That was Nakaya sensei the pastor. But after the service the gaijin who had spoken the previous week spoke to her inviting her to come to his house for supper.


About at this point in her testimony, Ta chan, had to go to the bathroom. While she was gone Rosemary was exploding and said we must give this girl a book, and put our favorite book, Hikari Yo Are, on the table. When Niki came back from the bathroom and saw the book on the table, she gasped, “That is the book I received in Wakayama”. Then she said there was a beautiful prayer written in the back of that book that she had copied to carry in her purse. It was an outstanding salvation prayer written by Gotthold Beck. I asked her, “Have you prayed that prayer?” “Yes everyday. I memorized it and pray it everyday.” I exclaimed, “Congratulations! You are born-again.” She burst into tears.


That was 32 years ago. Niki shimai (sister) has been outstanding. From the moment she burst into rears in our living room she has always been a tremendous follower of Jesus. She was soon baptized in Megumi Kyokai (Grace Church) and has been one of the most stalwart members ever since. I haven't seen her in 25 years but friends tell me she has never slowed down. In obedience to the Lord to take away the stone, she apologized to her sister for the resentment that she had held so bitterly, and became close friends. But her sister in Wakayama was the biggest person in her life. She bought herself a good chair and placed it right beside the telephone along with her Bible. Every night she would call her sister in Wakayama and fellowship in Christ for an hour.

There are some people like this in this earth. The only thing you can say is that they are the chosen ones of God. You can't trace it to any certain person who is instrumental for the persons conversion. It is a series of events and many different people. In Niki sans case it is the Christian lady who first offered to take care of Ta chan so Niki could go to work. Then it was several people in Wakayama – her sister, her bother-in-law, the person who gave her the book and encouraged her to go to church in Ikoma. I played a minor role in that it was partially through my message on Zech. 13:1; although what the Lord said to her was much different than the main thrust of that message. It was because of the tragedy of the Russians shooting down KAL 007 and my desire to help Mrs. Matsuoka that I first spoke to Niki san. It was Gotthold Beck and the folks in Kichijoji who had put together that enormously successful book, Hikari Yo Are. And it has been Nakaya sensei who has been her pastor for 32 years. This is another illustration of life coming out of death. It was because her husband died that the Lord used all those event to direct her path to enter into eternal life.


At the time all these event were unfolding no one knew the significance of the contribution they were making. But the ultimate fabric that God wove together was a beautiful rejoicing child of God who has made up another portion of the Body of Christ.


See you at the rest area next week. Gambarimasho (Let's give it our best shot);                
                                                                                                               bill