In looking at the photographs over the decades, I've been able to see some faces...oh, I'll stop and let you see yourselves.
Takashi was one of the boys in camp. As a matter of fact, his parents were the first of my parents' converts in the Okinawan missionary work. Here, you can see him enjoying a non-sugar-coated "old-fashion donut hole" with some other campers. Unfortunately, Takashi stopped coming to camp and church completely, began running around with the wrong crowd, found himself in trouble with the law.
I found a report from 1979 telling of my Dad's visit to jail and leading him to Christ there. In a later testimony, Takashi said it was in his cell he'd been ready to die when he realized Someone loved him enough to die for him--then he decided he would live for Him. Takashi served his full term, earned an electrician's certification, and when released from prison donated his expertise to building the new church.
Nothing would stop Takashi. He went on with soulwinning efforts, gifted with disarming ways to talk with young people and children, and, after marrying a Bible School graduate, began children's evangelism. He was no longer the one being handed the "andagi" (Okinawan donut) but was the one handing out the bread of life to other youngsters, whoever would take what he had to offer.
"Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee," he said. And over the years, thousands of children took.
Thus God continued to use Takashi, until a fall from a rooftop caused him to be bedridden and he could only pray God would water the work he--and other missionaries before him--had started. Last year, Takashi was promoted to Glory. I wonder if he peered over the battlements of Heaven to see how the seedlings were coming along?
