7 August 2018
Dear Phyllis,
Gomen nasai (I'm sorry). I was late last week because I was flying between Thailand and Japan. This week I got my letter nearly finished and somehow hit the wrong key and deleted the letter. So now I have a chance to write it all over again.
My good friend Sam Benedict told me several weeks ago that he had purchased some property with an old house on it that needed to be remodeled. I told him that I would love to help him by holding the board, but that didn't look like it was going to materialize. Then two weeks ago Sam sent another letter asking me to come soon, and sent the money for a ticket. So now I am in Japan for one month driving nails in Sam's new house.
Forgetfulness is nibbling away my brain, and It has been so long since I have spoken Nihongo (Japanese), that I wondered if I would remember any language. Nihongo has been the biggest surprise since being back. Jesus warned us when we are arrested, and brought before magistrates, not to think before hand what to say because “in that hour it will be given unto you”. And it would not be us speaking but the Holy Spirit (Mt. 10:18-20). Jesus also told us that the Holy Spirit would “bring to remembrance” the things He has taught us (Jn. 14:26). I have found this to be amazingly true,
I have been arrested four times and each time has been a wonderful blessing. The first time I was arrested was in Salavan,Laos. That was one of the greatest epic experiences of my life. I'm sure I have told you about that. The second time was when we were in Monte in the extreme northwest corner of Vietnam. Oh, that was fun. They had us on a small remote army post on top of a mountain. They had our passports and there wasn't a way in the world we could escape; so we had the free run of the place. The soldiers knew everything about us; so there was nothing to hid. School was out. One soldier had a guitar and the first night we had a terrific praise time. The Vietnamese soldiers loved it and were going to get out of service to come to Chiang Mai to see us. Man howdy, we had a good time. The third time I was arrested was in Cambodia. What we were trying to do was one of the dumbest stunts I ever heard of. I was so angry before we left Chiang Mai I almost didn't go. Taking Bibles into Cambodia went exactly as I thought it would and we wound up in the police station. The chief of police was probably Pol Pot Khmer Rough and was one of the meanest men I ever met. But the man who arrested us at the border was so polite, he apologized for arresting us. He said, “If you hadn't been so blatant I would have let you go”. I told him, “Your only problem is that you are a good cop doing exactly what you are supposed to do”. He pleaded with me to come home with him as he wanted his wife to meet me. When I was in Phenom Penh I got a Bible and later went back to give it to him. Ever time I have been arrested it has been a blessing and the things that have come out of my mouth have surprised me.
The best arrest story I ever heard was Mark's wife, Astrid. She was taking a large team into central China. The run was successful and the transfer went smoothly, but on the way back the bus they were riding in had a head-on with a truck, and some of the team members had to go to the hospital. Astrid put the rest of the team up in a hotel. That night the police came to her room and asked, “Who is the tour leader?”. They took Astrid and four other women to a special interrogation room in the basement of the hotel and asked them. “What are you doing in China?”. The ladies responded, “Oh, we are just tourist traveling around China, visiting places, and buying souvenirs.” At first the police were firm but polite, then suddenly they changed, banging their fist on the table and shouting, “What are you doing? All your suit cases are empty!”. Komatta (big problem). Then Astrid began to speak in Chinese. As she spoke the atmosphere in the room changed radically. The police relaxed and began to smile. At last they stood up, reached in their pockets and gave them a considerable gift of money, saying, “Thank you for coming”. When they went back to their room the other gals were deeply impressed and asked Astrid, “What in the world did you say?” She replied, “I have no idea. I don't speak Chinese”. Pretty good, but she will have to wait until she gets to heaven before she can find out what she said that night.
Working in communist countries we never used Christian vocabulary. It was very dangerous to use words like church, God, Bible, etc. For communication we had a special lexicon of code words we used – church was family, God was dad, Bible was bread, etc. I don't know what Astrid said but what it probably was, that they were taking food to starving children in China. That certainly was true but the food they were carrying was different than what most people eat.
Language is the biggest surprise I have had since being back, but the biggest blessing is to see what the Holy Spirit has been doing here. Twenty five years ago I used to have a home meeting with the Nakahara family. Masayo was a sweet little 15 year old girl that had a real love for Jesus. But then when she was in college she got away from the Lord. Quite miraculously the Lord led me back to the Nakahara family two years ago. Masayo married a wonderful man from Bangladesh and had been marvelously restored to the Lord. They are as good a Christian couple as you will find on this planet. Last weekend I stayed with them, which was a rare blessing. Like I mean it doesn't get any better than that. Masayo and May kun go to John Cathcart's old church in Tenri. I have written to you the amazing testimony how the Lord built that church 32 years ago. Sam Benedict's son, Caleb, is the pastor there now. It nearly brought tears to my eyes to see the blessing of God that has gone three generations
It was in 1952 that Paul and Sue Benedict first got off the ship in Yokohama. They were just red-neck missionaries from Georgia and North Carolina. Paul had been in the Navy during the war and the Lord had called him to be a missionary while in service. No one has ever written a book about them as they were just ordinary foot soldiers for Jesus. Sam was born in Japan in 1955. He had a bit of a wild streak as a MK (missionary kid) but settled down to be a serious missionary. Sam married the daughter of a Korean pastor here in Japan. Sam and Haeho have three sons with Caleb as the oldest.
John Cathcart is the grandson of Leonard Coote who was an old time pre-war missionary to Ikoma. John's mother was born in Japan and John came here in 1983 to work at the Bible school in Ikoma that his grandfather has started. I have written to you the testimony of the church that John started in Tenri. I had the privilege of driving the first nail in that building. It was a great disappointment when John and Gloria returned to the states in 1994. I asked, “John why are you wrapping it up in Japan? You are doing great.” John replied, “I am going home to save my family. My kids don't know who they are.” He was right. Three out of four came back to Japan. Last Sunday John's son, Joseph, spoke in the church his dad had started 32 years ago and Sam's son, Caleb is the pastor. Both of them are fantastic. To say I was impressed would be an under statement. Last year they refurbished the building and it looks brand-spanking new. The spirit was terrific. Masayo and May kun are pillars in that church. Caleb is one top-flight pastor, and Joseph is back carrying the flag for Jesus. Oh my goodness, you can't do better than that. That little flame that those red-neck missionaries from the mountains of North Carolina bought to Japan 66 years ago is still a torch today and I had the privilege of seeing it last Sunday
Oh the Lord is good to me. I told Masayo my ministry today is warming a seat in a church in Thailand, but what a blessing it is to come home to Japan to drive a couple of nails in Sam's new house for a month and see the wonderful works of the Lord. And the Holy Spirit has given me back a little of the language that I used to speak.
Gomen nasai for being late for two weeks. I'll try to do better next week.
Much love in Christ,
bill
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