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I became a Christian while undergoing training to be a nurse in New York, USA. There, I came to know many missionaries. I felt God calling me to be a missionary one day. I was certain my nursing skills would come in handy in the field.
When I was about to take my final nursing examination, I received news from home that my eldest sister in Japan was diagnosed with a rare incurable disease. Only one other case was known in the world at that time. I had to abandon my American dream to qualify as a nurse as I made plans to return to Japan, my home country, to help take care of my sister and her family.
My eldest sister, Hina, has three sons. Her youngest son, Akio, was only two and a half years old. She said to me, “I want you to help me send the little one to the nursery school and pick him up.”
Her health had deteriorated so quickly soon after contracting the disease that she could not walk or stand. She couldn’t sleep at night because of the intense pain. One day, she sent me 27 texts with the message, “Kill me. I can’t bear this anymore.” I was helpless. I couldn’t do anything except to pray.
The X-ray and CT scan that followed showed that her skull and pelvic bones were slowly dissolving. Her eyes’ optic nerve was damaged and her vision was diminishing. On one hospital visit, Akio behaved well and put on a brave smile to encourage her mother. He didn't, as was his habit, insist on a hug knowing she was in pain. But when we left the hospital and got into the car, he would cry uncontrollably. I just hugged him and let him cry until he felt better.
Hina’s second son, Akira, who was six years old learned to cook. He could not reach the kitchen stove, so he had to stand on a stool to do the cooking. All those time that he spent preparing meals for his family must have led him to discover his interest in cooking. Today, he works as a chef in a hotel.
Hina’s symptoms continued to worsen rapidly. Her pain was so intense that even morphine had no analgesic effect on her. I even took her by plane to a hospital where a medical specialist was working on the disease that she was suffering from. Hina had always wanted to be a pilot since she was little. But her dream was dashed when in elementary school, she fell down a flight of stairs and injured her left eye that resulted in weakened eyesight. So, she was very glad that she was able to fly on a plane despite her medical condition. I still remember how happy I was to see her smiling for the first time since she was diagnosed with the disease. Unfortunately, our trip to the hospital was to no avail. Up till today, no one knows the cause of the disease. There is no treatment available.
I continued to share about my sister’s health condition with my missionary friends in the United States and requested their prayer. A few months later, Richard, one of my missionary friends from New York flew to Japan to see my sister. He had been praying for her recovery.
When Richard visited my sister at the hospital, he said to her, "I will pray in the name of Jesus for you. What is your wish? Please tell me." She replied, "I want to live with my children and my husband again. I want to see my eldest son turn 20 years old." He prayed in Jesus' name to fulfil her wish. In the following days, my sister’s pain began to ease gradually. The progression of the disease slowed down as she had so wished. She left the hospital less than a month after Richard had prayed for her.
My sister is still alive today, 14 years since she was diagnosed with the disease. Amazingly, even though she is still bed ridden, her mental faculty is unaffected, and she now lives with her family under one roof.
My sister's eldest son vividly remembers the time when his mother was unable to stand or walk. Her two younger sons tell me, "From when we were very small, our mother was like this – unable to walk and stand." These three nephews of mine grew to be gentle and caring towards their mother. My sister says, “Just being with my family makes me so happy!” By the way, Akio, is now 17 years old and studies hard. He is also a badminton player.
When my missionary friend, Richard, came to Japan to visit my sister, he left something irreplaceable in our hearts. When he was here, he took time to meet my dad. As soon as my dad saw him, he started crying like a child. Richard gently hugged my father who had been overcome with worry because of my sister’s illness. My dad’s heart was touched by the love of my missionary friend who had come all the way from the United States to see us.
The deeds of my missionary friend still shine in my heart. I have learnt that love and friendship will cover someone's wound and help heal the pain. As a result, lives will be touched and ushered into the Kingdom of God. The Apostle Paul encourages us to “carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2, NIV).
As I reflect on my experience, I am reminded of a stanza in a song written by a famous Japanese singer:
You are like a vertically-sown thread
I am like a horizontal one
And we weave a tapestry
One whose destiny could be
To cover up somebody’s wound, helping it heal
My sister’s improved health condition after Richard prayed for her reminded me that we need to always remember what God has done in our lives and then to give thanks to Him and help cover up someone’s wound. The Bible says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16, NIV).