In March, I served as an interpreter at a camp for university students. My interaction with the students was almost zero. One day I sighed—“God, I’m not really feeling part of this camp, it’s kind of lonely.”
God heard me, and he also heard the prayer of another Taiwanese man, Su, “God, I don’t speak Japanese, but is it possible for me to have a chance to interact and share with the students?
Nozomu, a student who wants to become a missionary, attended the “World Missions” workshop on the third afternoon. He learned that taking the initiative to talk to foreigners was the first step in preparing his heart. The next afternoon, a student on stage shared about his broken relationship with his father. This made an impact on Nozomu.
During dinner time that night, Nozomu took his plate and saw two Taiwanese co-workers, Tan and Su. Nozomu asked, in broken English, “Can I eat with you guys?” I joined the table and translated in both Chinese and Japanese.
As the conversation progressed and Nozomu felt safe, he calmly told us about the damage he had suffered from his family. When he told us that he’d never been loved by his father, Tan’s heart broke for Nozomu and tears fell. Nozomu thought he had said something wrong, but when he realized that Tan was crying because of Nozomu’s pain, it was as if a switch had been turned on in his heart.
When we asked him how to pray for him, Nozomu said, “Pray for my sisters, who are also suffering because they are not loved by our father. I also want to pray for my father, who has rejected God, that he will accept God’s love.”
Su said, “How can you be so good? You’ve been hurt so deeply by your father, and yet you still want to pray for him.” When I translated these words to Nozomu, his pain was finally released and he cried, perhaps for the first time in his life. He was comforted and affirmed by someone who represented a father image.
I told Su—“You hug him!”
He said, “But Japanese people don’t have much physical contact, is it okay?”
“Don’t worry about it, he needs someone like a father to hug him!”
“Lord, please heal Nozomu’s pain, and fill his heart with Your love!” I cried and prayed for Nozomu in Japanese. After that, his face was no longer as gray as when we met, but bright, as if he had just recovered from a serious illness, and God’s healing power was fully manifested in him!
If Nozomu had not attended the World Mission Workshop, he would not have been encouraged to talk to foreigners.
If the student on stage hadn’t had the courage to share the brokenness of his own relationship with his father, it wouldn’t have prepared Nozomu to open up about his own pain.
Without Tan’s tears at dinner, Nozomu’s suppressed pain would not have been released.
Without Su’s words of affirmation, Nozomu wouldn’t have known what love and care from an older man is like.
If I hadn’t translated, we wouldn’t have been able to fully understand each other. If I hadn’t served among the Japanese students for a long time, I wouldn’t have dared to push Su to hug Nozomu.
If Su had hesitated to hug Nozomu, he wouldn’t have realized that the Heavenly Father’s love can be so warm that it can make you cry.
If I had not practiced my Japanese, I would not have been able to pray and comfort him in Japanese.
All of this is the work of God! He could have done it all by himself, but he is willing to take us along, to let us work with him, to let us have the opportunity to be honored, to let us have the opportunity to experience it for ourselves, to be his witnesses. God is always at work! Hallelujah, praise God!
By Kelly, an OMF missionary
Names changed for privacy
