He finds those forgotten.

Saturday, June 12th: An uplifting, refreshing, joyful & purposeful day. A day my heart also grew for the Japanese people. A day in Tokyo, Japan, that I will absolutely never forget. We spent the afternoon in Showa Park. My team was fearless as they approached Japanese strangers, quickly immersing themselves in conversation & developing friendships. I was so proud, and truly inspired of the way they allowed their day to be shaped by a single-minded passion for loving Japanese people. An encouraging, stimulating, enriching, life-giving day.

At the end of our stay at Showa Park, we decided to go our separate ways, except for myself, Dan, & Sonya with our eyes on a delectable, tasty prize. INDIAN CURRY!! Mmmm, nom nom nom. We enjoyed our feast, & each other's companionship & conversation. We headed back to the train station, to go back to our apartment in Shibuya. We entered the train, & each found our own seats (a rarity in itself, as the trains are usually overly-crowded at this hour). I decided to put on my i-pod, for the 30 minute train ride. As I glanced up, I was startled. Appalled. I noticed the symbol in Kanji (Japanese characters) that represent a train accident. A train accident involving a human being. Not only did I see this symbol once, but I saw it three separate times. On the evening of Saturday, June 12th, three Japanese people decided to end their lives by jumping in front of a subway. They saw no other option, no other hope. Can you imagine the weight of pressure they felt from all sides? From Japanese culture-to be successful, beautiful, prosperous? From their families? From themselves? Standards that are obviously too high to attain. As I pondered the reality of what had happened, feelings of heaviness & sorrow overcame me- tears fell as I heard the lyrics, "He heals the broken hearted; He binds their wounds. He is love. He finds those forgotten, those who have been abused; He is love. He knows your name." While this is all true, three people had no idea they were cherished, loved, & intimately known beyond all human imagination. Because they have never heard; no one has ever told them. This breaks me. This breaks Him. Tonight taught me never to underestimate the urgency in displaying love to the broken, the lost.

Out of the 33 million people in Tokyo, Japan . . .

Roughly 30,000 people commit suicide per year by jumping in front of a train. Those Kanji symbols displayed on the digital screens of trains represent mothers, fathers, daughters, & sons. I don't want to waste my life on myself when there are people all around me perishing without hope.

Lord, please continue to use ordinary people to do extraordinary things through Your power...