Kazuko was her name, "Harmony's Child", but there had never been much harmony in her life, rather unhappiness,.   Always she had been compelled to excel in her studies, the only way to happiness and success as she was told.   Now she was in high school, and she realized many times that she was not equipped by nature or mental abilities to be a leading scholar.    Now she was failing a subject.   Her world was falling around her.   She could not let her mother or her domineering father know.

     The day came when she could not return home.   She crossed Tokyo to Shinjuku Station and there caught a train on the Odaku Line, planning to go to Enoshima by the sea.    She thought, "How nice it would feel to walk out into the cool depths of the sea and end it all."   As she looked out at the countryside flying by, it seemed to her that the train had reversed itself. and was going back to Toyko.   In panic she got off at the next station and boarded a train in the other direction, but again she had the feeling she was toward Tokyo, so in fright she soon changed to another train on yet another line.   She kept on changing trains many times till at last she did not know where she was.   Standing on a station platform, watching an approaching train she suddenly decided she could stand the torment no longer, and to the horror of all the waiting people about her, she quickly threw herself onto the track in front of the oncoming train.

     Kazuko did not die, however.   In a hospital she woke up in pain.   She was battered and bruised, with many broken bones and with one leg missing altogether.    Although friends and classmates came to visit and to encourage her, she was in despair and did not want to live.

     One of those who often visited Kazuko at this time was her high school teacher, who was very concerned for her.   At the time he himself was studying English in a class taught by a missionary, Mr. McLeroy, whom he admired for his dedication in teaching the Holy Book about Jesus.   He thought Mr. McLeroy might be able to help Kazuko, so he told him about her.

     Mr. McLeroy visited Kazuko many times in the hospital, reading from the Bible and talking of the wonderful hope we have in Christ Jesus, how that by simple faith in Him, because He loved us so much as to die for our sins, we receive the free gift of eternal life.

     This was hard for Kazuko to understand, but at last she saw the light, and Jesus came into her heart to stay.   Everything was changed now.   Though life looked dark for her as a one legged cripple, still she trusted that God could use her.   She took heart and soon learned to walk with an artificial leg that they gave her, and at last it was time to go home.   How would her mother and father receive her?

     When Kazuko came home, she was not given any welcome, for they had known that she was now a Christian.   Her father told her to take her things and get out.   She was desperate.   Where would she go?   She could only silently call upon the Lord for help.   Finally her father relented and said she could stay there a few days, but she must make plans to leave soon.   Several days went by and still no place to go, and her father was making it harder for her every day.   Then one day, to her great surprise, there came a messenger with a proposal of marriage from a young evangelist, who had visited her with Mr. McLeroy, while she was in the hospital.   She remembered this fine young man and how much she had liked him.   It was like a message from heaven, a solution to all her problems.

     Kazuko and her husband have now been married for several years, and a couple of sweet children have blessed their home.   Their work has been greatly blessed of the Lord, and no one who sees their happy faces today would think that at one time Kazuko had wanted to take her own life.   Today in their home of peace and love, all because of Jesus Christ, Kazuko has at last really become "Harmony's Child."

     The other day I saw a TV commercial for some children's charity where you were supposed to sign up to sponsor a child.   In the advertisement a grossly obese woman with tears streaming down her face was opening kitchen cabinets to show the viewer that they were bare.   I had to wonder whether she had been responsible for their bare state.   We are to be charitable but we are to be good stewards of the money the Lord has intrusted to us, and we should give through our church so that God gets the glory.

     If you are tempted to give to one of these questionable organizations that parade pictures of dirty and unkempt children in front of the camera and claim they need your money to help them.    Let me suggest you make a donation to your church designated for the "River's of Mercy Children's Home" in Mexico City.   This is a ministry of Santa Fe Baptist Church in Santa Fe, Texas.

     If you visit their web site you will see well dressed well cared for children who are being taught about our Lord Jesus.   You will know that our Lord is getting glorified by the donation you make and that children are really being helped and not just used to raise money for some multi-million dollar organization with high paid executives.

     My wife, daughter and youngest son are going with me on a 2 month trip to Africa.   We will be in Botswana working with a group of people we began an outreach to in 2006.   Since then we have built a correspondence school of over 1000 students.   Over the last 6 months Fargo Baptist Church has worked with a group of people there and have had over 20 people trust Christ.   A church is in the formation stages!

     During this time I will be there working with the converts and training a number of our young men that are planning on going into the ministry.   I would covet your prayers.

     During this time I will be there working with the converts and training a number of our young men that are planning on going into the ministry.   I would covet your prayers.

     If you would like to follow along as we experience Africa and train men, you can sign up to be notified via my blog at www.PurposedCoachingBlog.com

     The plan is to post one short video 3-5 minutes each week highlighting something we are experiencing or learning.   I believe it will be profitable for those that are interested in or active in ministry.

     Do you know someone interested in missions and ministry, could you forward this email to them?   I would like for this video project to be beneficial to a large number of people.   Your help in growing that list would be VERY much appreciated.

     Our internet access will be limited, but we do expect to be able to have limited email and ability to send out the video updates.   Pray for us!

Pastor Doug Hammett

Lehigh Valley Baptist Church
 4702 Colebrook Ave
 Emmaus, Pa  18049
 610-965-4700
 www.LVBaptist.org

Elder Joe Hocking pastor of Bodine Baptist Church writes:

     As the sponsoring church and pastor of missionaries Andersson and Dove, we join them in expressing our thanks to all of you for your faithful prayers and financial support for their respective mission works.   We thank the Lord for His faithfulness to call worthy men to the mission field and to allow His churches across the land to have a part in their work

     Brother Dove serves as Home Missionary to Northwest Oklahoma City (Lighthouse Baptist) where he and his wife Gwen have been working toward establishing an independent Baptist church in that area.   Retired missionaries to Puerto Rico, Bill and Joan Hast, members of Edmond Road Baptist in Edmond, Oklahoma, are helping the Doves with a Spanish ministry.   Brother Joe Mandrino is pastor of Edmond Road Baptist.

     Brother Andersson serves on the island of Izena, Okinawa, Japan with his wife Masayo and children Joshua, Hanna and Maria.   The Anderssons have a desire to reach the folks on that island and to eventually establish an independent Baptist church there.   Brother Andersson is in the U.S. for a few weeks where he preached a revival meeting for his home church, October 4-7.   In the limited time he has here, Brother Andersson will visit a faithful brother in Christ, Brother Eitelman, in St. Paul, AR, and preach at White River Baptist Church, with Brother Hicks as Pastor there.   He will also speak in a missions conference in Napa Valley, CA before he returns to Okinawa.

     Even though it is five months away, please be reminded of our ANNUAL MISSIONS COLLOQUIUM here at Bodine, set for March 11-12, 2010.    The colloquium begins Thursday evening and continues all day Friday.   Additional information and registration will be sent in coming months.   May our Lord continue to bless you and your service for Him.

Letters To The Editor

     Still there have been no letters to the editor.   Folks if you want to respond to something you have read in "Baptist Landmarks" please E-Mail your response to edit@BaptistLandmarks.org   Your response will be printed here.

     I would like to have a cartoon in each issue if possible.   If there is someone reading this paper who can draw cartoons that will cause us to laugh at the foolish things we sometimes do and cause us to think of how we could better serve our Savior, please E-Mail me and let me know.

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