I'm guessing that-- because of my long hair and feathered bangs in all the photos.
She was visiting from Japan.
Probably some sort of sister-city exchange program.
But I still remember all the Japanese words she taught me.
I recently found the little book I wrote them down in.
Phonetic, childish scrawl:
ten-shee = angel
hah-nah = flower
wah-kah-ree-mah-sen = I don't understand
She taught me a song about a Little Elephant.
O-hana ga nagai no ne
Sou yo, kaasan mo
Nagai no yo
I can still sing it.
I thought about her today...for the first time in a long while.
Kazuko Nakae.
From Kagoshima-shi, Kagoshima
Japan.
Where is she now?
Is she safe?
Is her family safe?
Yesterday I read a comment under a YouTube video that took my breath away.
It was video footage of an entire town being swept away by the Tsunami.
She wrote: "Looks like an awesome blockbuster hit".
I felt sick.
Like a movie?
Thousands dead, thousands hurt, thousands homeless...
Like a movie?
But in some ways--I get it.
We watch the news. We hear the stats. We know it's bad.
But in so many ways, it seems surreal.
And it's easier to keep our distance,
To post about St. Patrick's Day recipes,
Than to let ourselves feel the pain.
It takes energy, and emotion, and allowing in sadness...to "weep with those who weep".
~Romans 12:15
But over the years, I've been thankful for the times when God has given me specific, personal connections to people facing pain, because it deepens my love for them and widens my understanding of Him.
A couple years ago, if you'd asked me about Type 1 Diabetes, I couldn't have told you exactly what it was. But when my special friend's daughter develped childhood diabetes--
It suddenly mattered to me.
It hit home.
I wanted to know all about it, to understand, to do the research.
Because a precious little person who I love is now affected every day by Type 1 Diabetes.
5 years ago, the daughter of one of my closest friends nearly died from epilepsy. I wanted to know what to do, how to help, how to pray...and my love for their whole family grew through the trial. If I hear about someone with epilepsy now...
I listen.
I do pray.
I care deeply.
And when I see their Little Sunshine come bouncing through the door...my heart rejoices.
As close friends have faced marriage struggles
and I've watched them barely making it through the days...
Struggling to believe that God can bring healing, bring new life to what feels dead...
It has forever changed my response when I hear of marriages drowning in despair.
And as I've seen God do the impossible--sprout new buds of genuine love,
I have hope, when I pray for the heart-breaking struggles of others.
It's the reason I choose to look at the Oregon Waiting Children Photolistings.
There are 115,000 U.S. children available, ready for adoption, in the foster care system.
But--when I know their names, and see their faces.
Praying for them becomes so much closer to my heart.
It's why we subscribe to The Voice of Martyrs.
Instead of praying in general for Christians facing persecution around the world.
They are specific people.
A specific man.
And when Sayed Mossa was released on February 21st I felt such overwhelming joy.
Because I knew his story.
And that he was finally reunited with his wife and six children.
Three years ago this April, our daughter Selah died.
I would do anything to have her with us now.
But I am truly thankful for the way I can share in the pain when I meet a mom who has also lost a child.
I wouldn't give that up either.
Because...
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
~2 Corinthians 1:4
I'm not at all saying-- that it is wrong to pray in generalities.
We do that all the time.
And it is good.
And it honors God.
And it shows we trust Him beyond even the things we know and understand.
We don't have to experience the actual circumstance to know
that He is God--who comforts the downcast.
~2 Corinthians 7:6
And I'm also not saying-- that He calls us all to focus on the same things.
If fact--it's good that different concerns weigh heavier, press deeper.
On different people.
And I'm even not saying-- that we shouldn't enjoy life in the midst of this turmoil.
Be thankful.
Praise God for a normal day with the people you love.
We will share St. Patrick's day fun together this Thursday.
But if you find yourself....getting that feeling that it all just doesn't seem very real.
When you want to say, "I can't imagine..."
When you think about needing to pray--
More than you actually do pray.
It may be time to find a specific person...or specific place...to ask Him for a specific connection
That will throw you to your knees with a deep, heartfelt cry.
So--for me--tonight,
It is Kazuko.
I'm imagining her...looking for family members, facing fear, and pain, and danger and hopelessness...
And when I pray:
Oh Lord, be close to the brokenhearted
Save those who are crushed in spirit.
Heal the brokenhearted
And bind up their wounds.
~Psalm 34:18 and 147:3
Tonight it will be for Kazuko.
As well as the others.
Because I need something to help ground the horrific images--
That I can't seem to crawl away from.
Anyone specific we can be praying for?
