Chapter 9 - The Fountain of Joy
Sixteen year old Tomiko Maeno shivered in the night air as she huddled with her fariily against the bank of the river among the crowds of others fleeing the air raid. The screech of warning sirens had begun at midnight. Her parents had hustled Tomiko and her three brothers out of bed, out of the house, and into a community shelter into which others were streaming from their homes. It was March 14, 1945 and ninety B29 American bombers were pounding toward Tokyo. Soon half the city seemed to be blazing and the shelter to which they had hurried became a potential death-trap as flames and smoke swept toward it.
The only possible refue from the flames now was near the river, and the people swarmed toward it. Here on the banks they all were exposed to the threat from the skies, but at least the air was not filled with smoke, and water was near to quench any flames. Mr. and Mrs. Maeno, who were Christians, tried to kneep their children calm. FinaIly the all clear signal sounded, and the family started back toward their home. But it was not there! It had disappeared in the holocaust.
Since Mr. Maeno was a factory worker, the family moved into a corner of the factory which was built of concrete, and thus presumably a better shelter from the bombs. But the strain proved too much for Mrs. Maeno, for the developed pneumonia and died a few days later. Thus at sixteen, Tomiko had become “mother” to her three younger brothers.
She was serving breakfast to the boys on the morning of June 1st, when once again the siren sounded and the dreaded droning hummed overhead. Their father had already left for work in another part of the factory. This time 200 B29 bombers were heading for Tokyo, with factories as their target.
As Tomiko and her brothers clung to each other in the corner of the factory which was their only home, the buildings all around them crumbled to ashes. They never saw their father again.
Tomiko prayed earnestly, as her parents had taught her, over her great responsibilities for the boys during the remaining months of the war. When it finally ended on Auqust 15, 1945, it was not the end of sorrows for the Maeno children, for Tomiko had become ill from the hardships and exposure. She was diagnosed as being in an advanced stage of lung tuberculosis. Fortunately, she was able to locate an uncle before entering the hospital, and he took the boys into his home.
Packing to enter the hospital was no problem for Tomiko, for her only possesions were the clothes on her back and her precious New Testament. She cried herself to sleep that first night in the hospital. Her tears were not only over the death of her parents and over the fearful sentence that had been passed upon her body, but especially over the bitter separation from her dear little brothers. It seemed just too much to hear: Fortunately, she did not yet know that ten long years of illness lay before her.
The tedious days passed into months, and then into years as Tomiko lay in the crowded ward. Suddenly one day she heard the strains of singing from outside her window, sweet children’s voices singing a hymn her mother had often sung to her when she was small. Tears filled her eyes as she listened to the words:
When He cometh, when He cometh
To make up His jewels,
All His jewels, precious jewels,
His loved and His own …
She had almost forggtten that Jesus was coming again! What if He came just now, and she was not ready to meet Him? She realized that although she loved Him, she had never invited Him to come into her life. On that day Tomiko Maeno put her trust in the Savior and found rest and peace in Him.
Before the day was over her fever suddenly dropped from very high to below normal. The doctor and nurses were worried, for this usually preceded death. However, she developed such an appetite that they couldn’t give her enough to eat. Gradually the color began to come back into her face and she was soon able to go out for short walks. Best of all, she could now spend hours daily studying God’s Word without becoming tired.
Tomiko beqan sharing her faith with the other patients, giving to them from her spiritual wealth as a King’s daughter. She found that two of the other women patients were also new believers. All virtually abandoned, these three girls had no minister to turn to, but had to rely on each other.
They made a pact that they would tell each other when they knew they were going to die. One might realize it for oneself and tell the others, or one might find it out about one of the others, and tell her. Thus when Tomiko heard that the doctor was worried about Kimiko, she knew she must break the news. Going to Kimiko’s bedside, in the course of their conversation, she wondered, “If you die, will you die satisfied?”
“I did not know I was that bad,” Kimiku answered quietly.
Kimiko was the last of her family to die from TB. Her father, mother and her younger sister had all gone before. She had no one left but her two friends. Not long after, in the middle of one stormy night, she sent for Tomiko Maeno to come to her bedside.
“I have prayed until now,” she said. “I am sure the Lord is going to come for me. I wanted to greet you and my friends before I leave.”
By the light of a small lamp, Tomiko began to read the Bible to her. Then they sang together, “God be with you, till we meet again…”
“I just want to leave this body behind,” 23 year old Kimiko whispered. “I have such peace! I just want to be with the Lord. Don’t worry about me… Take care of yourself. I’ll pray for you in Heaven.”
About ten in the morning, Kimiko’s breath began to fail, but her fingers were still tightly clasped around Tomiko’s hand. As the last moments came, the doctor and nurses asked Tomiko to leave the room. She eased herself from Kimiko’s grip, but as she did so a voice of sudden power rang out from the bed, “Tomiko! Tomiko! Where are you? I an even now–I am ascending to heaven!”
The cry had come in the strength of Christ Himself, ringing through the wards with such joyous assurance that patients from the other rooms crowded to the door. As they looked upon Kimiko’s face, radiant in death, all were deeply moved. Tomiko had the joy of leading three of them to trust in the Lord.
Now she, knew how she wanted to spend the rest of her life! Her one great desire was to serve Christ, leading more and more of her fellow men to a saving faith in Him.
Gomen kudasai, “Please honorably excuse me,” the young lady said as she walked in our door one Monday evening. (In Japan it is a mistake to knock at the door. One just opens the door. walks right in and calls, Gomen kudasai.)
Peggy and I had been on our knees, seeking God’s face, pleading, “Lord, You must supply someone who can do the correspondence for the Voice or joy! You started the broadcasts. It’s Your responsibility. We don’t know where to turn to find anyone.
Peggy slipped quietly away when she heard the girl call and went to the front room. “May I get you something to eat?” she asked her. “Perhaps you haven’t had any supper.”
“No thank you,” the young lady replied. I cannot eat until I have first shared with you the burden of my heart.”
She explained that she had been a tuberculosis patient for about ten years, and had gone to two Bible Colleges after her discharge. Having completed this training, she had been on her way to the city of Nagoya to work for the Lord, when God spoke to her. He told her to come to Osaka instead, to the Japan Mission. Her name was Tomiko Maeno
†”Will you Please tell me,” Miss Maeno said earnestly, “what I can do to help you?
I knew God sent me her.
Miss Maeno was the answer to our prayers! She had all the qualifications we had prayed for, excellent Bible training, the ability to write beautiful Japanese script, and the preparation of long years of suffering to help her understand the hearts of those who might write for help. Praise the Lord!
What excitement in the Mission! Everyone crowded around the radio to hear the first Voice of Joy broadcast, at 6:15 P.M. on May 5th, 1960. We all listened intently as Mr. Kakituchi’s taped testimony began:
It was the afternoon of June 8, 1957. As I got out of my hed and started to climb down the staircase of our old dilapidated house, I began to cough, and all of a sudden I hemorrhaged. I was greatly frightened and called out to my mother as I collapsed on the floor. She rushed to my side, even more frightened than I.
Going back, however, to the earlier days of my life–the last war brought much misery to my family, for my father was taken as a prisoner of war to Siberia. To this day we have not heard of him. Being the eldest son, I felt a big responsibility towards my mother and my five brothers and sisters. Thus on finishing school at the age of 19, I left home to find a job in the large city of Kobe.
This city was full of all kinds of evil, black marketing, prostitution and gambling, but fortunately I was able to resist such temptations and could send my earnings to my family. I also wanted to continue my studies, so I attended English night classes at the YMCA. There, for the first time in my life I heard a Christian pray. These prayers which my teacher prayed before each lesson were a great comfort to my lonely soul, and sometimes I felt that I would like to become a Christian minister some day Åc
Letters began pouring in as a result of the broadcasts. The very first month there were 153 of them, some expressing desperate need, others not knowing what it was they were seeking. One man wrote. “I would like a cross to wear for protection. Please, please send me a catalog of your crosses.”
One girl wrote, “I plead with you to arrange for me to go into a nunnery – I am so desperate to get blessed!”
Many of the letters contained questions, some of them difficult to answer!
If God created everything, who created God?
Why did God make man?
When I die where do I go?
What can I do to get Jesus’ protection?
Why did not God make new beings when Adam and Eve sinned?
What happens to those who are insane?
If I believe, am I sure not to have a relapse of my sickness?
Why must man believe on God?
Why do believers suffer and unbelievers prosper?
Why do all religions think that they only are right?
If we had chosen from among all the young people of Japan, we could not have chosen anyone more suited for counselling through correspondence than Miss Maeno. Often she sat at her desk with the tears running down her cheeks, writing letters of Jesus Christ and His salvation. Some of the letters that reach her office are filled with the must horrible sins. One can never read from the beginning to the end of such a letter. It would defile one’s soul. A letter like that is torn to pieces, and then Miss Maeno sits down and writes a letter of forgiveness through Jesus Christ, and leads many of these people to the Lord.
The letters came in by the hundreds, later by thousands, later by tens of thousands. They came not only from patients in hospitals but also from murderers in prison, hairdressers, office workers, factory hands, nurses, students, business people, dressmakers, and from many other walks or life. One even came from a Buddhist temple requesting a Bible!
As the letters continued to pour in over the months, other workers had to he added to assist Miss Maeno in her important task. One of these was Miss Sachie Yoshida, who had been a school teacher.
Correspondence courses as well as personal letters were sent to those requesting them, and kept several office workers busy grading the lessons and sending out new ones.
But it soon became evident that an additional form of communication was necessary, to help them remain in touch with those who contacted the mission through the Voice of Joy broadcast. Thus the little leaflet, Fountain of Joy, which Mr. Sato had begun for patients and ex-patients, now was expanded into a six page pamphlet suitable for the radio listeners as well as patients.
Miss Maeno became the editress of the pamphlet, putting in testimonies being used on the broadcast, writing the stories of those who found the Savior through the Voice of Joy, as well as writing or inserting other inspirational bits. Fountain of Joy provided a convenient way to announce forthcoming camps and conferences, or other important announcements. Many churches stamped their addresses on the space provided on the back, and distributed it as a tract.
The number of copies being distributed increased so rapidly that it was soon necessary to have it professionally printed. Mr. Maekawa, the radio technician, introduced us to Mr. Kiyoto Ogaki, a Christian printer in Osaka, and he handled all the mission printing from that time on.
As the mission evangelists went around the wards of the hospitals witnessing to the patients, they distributed copies of the Fountain of Joy. Often it was passed out by laymen with a concern for patients. “I am the Lord’s messenger”, one young man says, going from bed to bed in the hospital where he was formerly a patient.
Sample copies were sent out to many hospitals, with requests coming back from 85 hospitals for more free copies for the patients. Circulation of the Fountain of Joy has steadily increased through the years, but it is not widely known in Japan that a mere woman writes it!
Only eternity will reveal what Miss Maeno’s gifted pen has meant for the kingdom of God.