Thank-You Report #new002

Reported by T.S. in Shimane, 25 June 1953

 

Thank you very much, Meshiya-sama. Because of you, I had a narrow escape from death. I was very healthy especially when I was young and became a member of the Volunteer Pioneer Youth Army of Manchuria and Mongolia in the spring when I was eighteen years old. I had done military service well until the war finished in August 1945. I came back to Japan in that November. In March 1946, my parents advised me to get married and adopted into the wife’s family. Her family worked as farmers. My natural health made me worked hard every day. My wife and I didn’t always have good days but we were blessed with two daughters. We lived our life comfortably. Around May 1949, however, I felt that something was wrong with my body. It was a busy season for farmers. Since I am an adopted son-in-law, I forced myself to keep working hard but the continuous hard work gradually became unbearable to me. I finally went to see a doctor. The doctor said, “It is not serious. You just developed cold.” However, the symptom got worse and I visited another hospital. There, I was diagnosed with the second stage of tuberculosis. It was December 1949. Oh! After hardship in Manchuria, I finally got happiness but it’s all gone. I suffered from the most incurable lung disease! The doctor said, “Since yours is very progressing, we are not sure if it is cured. Now medicine has very developed. Your illness might be healed if you try to take all kinds of treatments.” His explanation never satisfied me. A few days ago, He advised me to be hospitalised. On the very day, the great love of God had reached me. On the way back home from the hospital by car, my brother told me about Meshiya-kyo. I soon got off the car and visited Mr S in town K. I was told many things by him and read teachings written by Meshiya-sama. I didn’t know why but it touched my heart. I felt that I finally found what I had been looking for. I immediately asked him to perform Johrei to me. He just held his hand towards my forehead. I wondered if that thing healed my disease but received Johrei calmly. By the time when I received Johrei through my body, I felt something good. I got embarrassed for my doubt and sincerely prayed for my recovery as soon as possible. Mr S clearly said to me, “Your disease will be cured.” I would never forget my joy at that time. On that day, everything had changed. First and foremost, hope welled up in my heart. I threw away all kinds of treatments as well as medicine and completely relied on Johrei. I took a train for a distance of about 20 kilometres and visited Mr S every day even on rainy and snowy days. From the beginning, my father in law and others opposed what I was doing but they came to believe in Johrei little by little while they saw I was getting better. However, they didn’t comprehend the faults of medicine nor the horror of medicine, which are the most important things. Therefore, I was at a loss when they recommended me injections. On 5 February 1950, I received an awaited holy amulet and I would never forget how I was moved. After that, I was getting better and better and my religious faith grew even more. Only four days after I became a believer, my second daughter was saved from acute pneumonia by Johrei. I got to have an absolute belief in Meshiya-kyo. While I was visiting to pray and receive Johrei for a few months, all my symptoms were gone and I completely recovered. At the very time, farmers were getting busy preparing for rice planting. I thought that I didn’t recover enough to do hard work but since my family own large fields and I was in the position to work hardest and an adopted son-in-law, I worked hard with farming tools every day even though I knew that it seemed impossible. Thanks to God’s blessing, we smoothly finished planting rice and I felt relieved. Soon after that, I violently started to cough up phlegm and had a sore throat. My voice becomes hoarse and my temperature became thirty-eight to nine degrees. I lost appetite and had to lie sick in bed again. My father in law and others looked at me as if they knew that it would happen and advised me to go to see the doctor. However, I refused to have any medical treatment. I just performed Johrei to myself but my condition got worse. I finally suffered from serious pharyngeal tuberculosis. I deeply thought of my bad luck and shed tears of sorrow. Pharyngeal tuberculosis is the disease that took my brother’s life. He came back from Siberia two years ago and suffered from lung disease soon. Despite all kinds of medical treatment, he died. This experience deepened my despair. I got worried if I died and left behind my wife and daughters. Such bad ideas came to my mind one after another.

I was choked in the depth of despair but suddenly got an idea as if the sun broke clouds and shone. “I was saved and given a second chance to live by Meshya-sama. Nevertheless, I didn’t take part in any God’s work but just worked with sweat for myself. What I did would never reflect God’s will nor worth to have a grace of God’s great love. Oh, forgive me, Meshiya-sama. I did the wrong things. From now on, I throw away everything and devote myself to reward your favour. So please save me again.” I sincerely apologised and swear to Meshiya-sama towards the east without wiping the tears on both cheeks. In this way, I decided to throw away everything and take part in the great work of salvation. I would leave all the properties and the familiar house where I lived for about four and a half years. I would break the bond with my beloved wife and children even though I felt as if my heart would break. I would save people in my home town who had not yet known Meshiya-kyo. When I decided to throw away a narrow-minded love and live broad-mindedly, the clouds covering my heart had disappeared and I felt refreshed as if I was reborn and my whole body was covered with the light.

I told my wife my resolution and asked her acceptance that night. How could she agree with me just because of curing my disease? We even have two children. “Please don’t say that. Please think again,” she repeatedly asked me with tears but I never changed my mind as I had already sworn to God. My father in law worked for an agricultural cooperative. Since he was an atheist, I had nothing to say but just asked him to go back to my parents’ house for my health. On the next morning, I left home. I could hardly walk. I took a rest many times and finally got to my parents’ house. I spoke everything to my brother and asked for consent. He could hardly agree with me but because of my illness, he finally left all things to me. My purification got severe afterwords. He worried about me but I told him, “I am sure to be saved by Meshiya-kyo.” I did believe my word and had a rest for four or five days. Then I visited Mr S again and told him my decision. When I asked about my re-purification, he said to me with an easily understandable explanation, “You once recovered from tuberculosis by Johrei even though it was a life-threatening illness. It is because God gave you another life to use for His work. When looking at the state of your faith after that, I think it is natural that you would have a purification like today. However, you came here with such a decision. In this case, why don’t you rely on God with a whole heart? He is sure to forgive you!” He firmly told me like that. Since then, I received Johrei from Mr S at a local office every morning and evening and visited a branch office to pray and receive Johrei once every five days. I got better with grace day by day. Even my severe sore throat and hoarse voice were completely cured. A month and a half later, I became able to visit patients by bicycle. In this way, I was given God’s grace and recovered in such a short period. Thank you very much, Meshiya-sama. During that time, I wanted to spread the faith very much even though I didn’t completely recover. I told Mr S, “I think there are many people like me in society who are suffering from the disease. I want to save them as many as possible and as soon as possible.” He replied, “That’s very good. When you sincerely serve for God, you are sure to recover and guide many people to the faith.” He and his wife were so delighted. I soon swore my service and asked for protection in front of the holy object to worship. On 7 August 1950, I started to serve for Meshiya-kyo with ambition. My destination was a village located in the centre of the Chugoku Mountain range of the hinterland of Izumo. Since then, three to five people became a believer every month while I had purification and protection. I didn’t have great ability but my office was gradually developed. This January, I was finally appointed to a chief person of branch office H of R headquarters. I was so grateful and never forget that feeling. Furthermore, I received a great virtue of God two months after that. I was able to live with my wife and daughters again. I never forget them after parting from them three years ago. I knew how profound and infinitive the great love of God is. I could do nothing with the endlessly overflowing tears. I had only one thing to say in my mind. That is “Thank you very much, Meshiya-sama.”

When I recall my past, I suffered from an incurable disease in 1949 and became a believer in Meshiya-kyo in February 1950. I forgot the gratitude and reward for grace I received and therefore, I had purification again that June. Furthermore, I parted from my wife and children and once became a living corpse. However, I recovered from pharyngeal tuberculosis by the absolute power of God’s protection even though people who suffer from this illness are never saved. What’s more, I was permitted to engage in the divine work and honoured to become a chief person of the branch office this January. My wife and I got back and re-started to live together with our daughters this March. Now we work together for the construction of Paradise on Earth. All things were given to me by Meshiya-sama. I cannot do anything but express my gratitude with tears. Thank you very much, Meshiya-sama. I sincerely appreciate your great grace.

Translated by N.H.