Newsman Clarence W. Hall Sees the Impact of Missions on Okinawa in 1945
A newsman, named Clarence W. Hall, followed American troops through Okinawa in 1945. He and his jeep driver came upon an Okinawan village that stood out as a beautiful example of a Christian community! The entire village had been transformed by the "Light of the World" - Jesus, the Christ!
Clarence wrote, "We had seen other Okinawan villages...down at the heels and despairing: by contrast, this one shone like a diamond in a dung heap. Everywhere we were greeted by smiles and dignified bows. Proudly, the old men showed us their spotless homes, their terraced fields...their storehouses and granaries, their prized sugar mill." Clarence went on to say that he saw no jails and no drunkeness in the village.
Clarence was told that an American missionary had come to the village some thirty (30) years earlier. While the missionary was in the village, he had led two (2) elderly villagers to Jesus, the Christ; and, left them with a Japanese translation of the Holy Bible - the God-breathed written Word of Almighty God! These two (2) new believers studied the Holy Scriptures and started leading their fellow villagers to Jesus, the Christ! The jeep driver for Clarence said that he was amazed at the differece between this village and the villages around it! He remarked, "So this is what comes out of only a Bible and a couple of old guys who wanted to live like Jesus."
Sources:
1. "Jesus Came To Light Our World," sermon by Rev. Dr. Barry L. Davis, found at www.sermonworld.com, used by permission, accessed 27 November 2009.
From a sermon by George Dillahunty, Light Up My World!11/28/2009