Saga Church, Japan

Park EunAe (Pastor Lim GeunSik’s wife)

I met Taneura Yoshiko on her sickbed for the first time in June 2004, one month after she found out she had cancer.  She had such a sweet smile on her worn, weary face.  She looked very refreshed and thankful after receiving seven roses.

Nine months passed, and her body and mind grew steadily worse.  So on February 17, 2005, she ended up being transferred to a single room in a hospice care unit. The only way people left this unit was by funeral car.  I wonder if that was a sign from God.  My husband kept visiting her every day.  His hands, bringing her flowers at first, eventually started bringing her the Bible.  His steps to the hospital day and night were strengthened by God.

Taneura Yoshiko who seemed to consider God, church and faith to be further away than her youth, finally said, “I believe in God and trust in Him.”  A spiritual storm had begun to rise in her, and her long silence was finally broken.  She was baptized in the hospital with the consent of her husband and family.  She was so pleased with her baptism at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 24 that those who were there were deeply touched as well.

Motherly Yoshiko passed away in the Lord at 12:20 p.m. on the Sabbath of April 9.  It was the third Sabbath after she was born again.  My husband got an emergency call right after the divine service and ran to the hospital at 12:18 p.m.  She calmly faced “death leading to life” after he finished praying. He held her cold hands as she died.

Her funeral program, music, video clips, and the record on her life, were prepared as if to be shown at an evangelistic meeting.  The comfort and deep emotion of heaven were definitely shown as Saga and the other local churches attended her burial.  Worship at 7 p.m. on April 10 was followed by a farewell worship service at 1 p.m. on April 11.  It was the first funeral at which everyone there prayed to God for His power during every part of it.  I just hoped and prayed that the sadness and tension would turn into comfort.

Her two brothers showed their interest in the Christian faith right after her funeral.  Then they asked for the address of an Adventist church near Osaka.  I prayed that hundreds of souls at that funeral would experience death leading to life.

Her husband and daughter came to Saga Church on the Sabbath after her funeral.  I desired that they also would be God’s workers and save other people’s lives.

The funeral Service of Yoshiko