Okago Christian Martyrdom Memorial Park

Today started out like a normal day here at Tome Camp with going out in freezing weather to shower and shave.  We then had breakfast and I was invited out on a day trip to the Okago Christian Martyrdom Memorial Park in Fujisawa-cho Iwate Prefecture.  The museum was very interesting, although told from a Roman Catholic perspective it gave a history of the persecution that all Christians went through during different parts of Japanese history.  After the museum we hiked up the hill (why are temples, churches, etc. soooo high in the mountains) to the church on top.  We had a magnificent view and a time of group prayer.

We met a wonderful old woman named Takiko.  She insisted on taking us to the locations that the Martyrdoms took place and gave a history of each. She spent a good part of the morning and into the afternoon showing us around the Fujisawa-cho area.  Takiko then insisted on taking us to her favorite restaurant “Asian-Café Aimaki” (the only one that we saw in that area).  The food was great and the owner spoke some English and we had a nice time taking with him. He like many we have come in contact with is very appreciative of the work that Samaritan’s Purse is doing and thanked us for being here in Japan. He then told me that one of his single friends had lost his home and he was staying with him and his family.  What I found out when I went to the restroom is he had a section of his restaurant partitioned off and a bed, table, etc. was set in the small area where his friend was living.  There was a very small temporary type home put up behind his business, there he had allowed another family to have it constructed since they had lost their home too. This is not normal behavior as my friend John will tell you.  We gave away Japanese Bibles and books that the BG Organization had printed to Takiko, the worker at the Museum, and the owner of the Asian-Café Aimaki.  Please pray that God will work in their lives and they will see the true Love of God and commit their lives to Him. 

Okago Christian Martyrdom Museum

Ways the Christians were Killed

More ways they were killed

Even more ways they were killed

Christian symbol was hidden to protect the Christian,  if found out they would be killed.

Why do they put everything on a mountain with sooo many steps.

Church on Top of Mountain

The SP Team

Reo and Takiko at one of the sites she took us to

Takiko showing Roger site

I could not feel my legs after sitting like this.  LOL

 

Cashew chicken with an egg, was great!