June 4, 2005 - I cannot remember what was thrown in my room. But it hit my Jesus and Jesus fell on the floor. Although Jesus was still on the cross I found His left arm broken. I felt my stomach distorted. But my Jewish roommate didn't say "sorry" to me. I left the dormitory 17 years ago. I never had a chance to ask him why he did it.
I found this Jesus at the church of Oura Tenshudo in Nagasaki, Japan. This was the city where a plutonium-core atomic bomb killed 150,000 people instantly on August 9, 1945. It was so fortunate that this church survived because this beautiful wooden church is for Japanese Christians, a place to remember 26 Japanese martyrs and their faith. It was 1597 that 26 crucifixes had been lined there and more than 4,000 faithful Christians witnessed the crucifixions.
I brought one suitcase to this country 20 years ago. Except for the clothes, three items were in my suitcase, an English-Japanese dictionary, a Panasonic radio, and this Jesus. I worked hard to fix my Jesus, but nothing could hold his broken arm. So my Jesus has a scotch tape around his left arm. Can you fix my arm? It seems as if Jesus has been asking me this for quite a long time. Jesus loves Jewish people and Jesus wants us to love each other.
The congregation of Bradley Hills Church and Bethesda Jewish Congregation have been sharing common faith that we are all in covenant with the one same God, the love of God. Two congregations have
sustained this beautiful relationship for thirty-eight years. We are so fortunate to be a part of this ministry. I brought my Jesus to this country from the church of Oura Tenshudo, but I wonder if my Jesus took me to Bradley Hills. I look forward to witnessing 50th Anniversary to celebrate the covenant relationship of the two congregations.
Deacon Yoshi Sei
