Hope
The inspiration behind this painting of
cherry blossoms is a true story that happened in my life and my family in
Japan. It is my hope that you will be encouraged and be blessed.
Some of us cling to hope because it’s all we
have in this life. This is all we did have at first when we heard the
devastating news about the earthquake and tsunami hitting Japan on March 11,
2011. My relatives live in the area where the tsunami hit. It left over 20,000
dead. For three days we scoured the internet looking through the list of names
that were found alive to no avail. We were looking for my cousin Cheiko and her
mother Shizuko who lived in the Ishinomaki, the coastal town where the
earthquake and tsunami hit. The tsunami was up to 128 ft. high in some places
and stretched 6 miles inland.
My mother and I prayed that they would still
be alive. Even though we didn’t hear anything, we remained hopeful.
We found out later that a man on a boat went
by as my cousin Cheiko and her mother Shizuko were on the 2nd floor
of their house trying to avoid the flood. He asked if they wanted to come in
the boat. They replied, “Yes!” He carried my aunt since she was wheel chair
bound. They went to a nearby town and stayed at a school. They received a bowl
of rice and one strawberry. Cold and tired, they remained there.
On the third day after the tsunami, my cousin
Kishiro finally found his cousin Cheiko and Aunt Shizuko. Love and
determination spurred him on. Phone lines were down and many roads were
impassable. He finally found them in the school. They had their heads down
looking at the floor when he saw them. They were overjoyed when he came to
them! He was a familiar face come to rescue them! We were also overjoyed to
hear the wonderful news that they were safe!
Faith, Hope and Love. “Three
things will last forever - faith, hope and love. - and the greatest of these is
love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13
He provided a place for them to rest at his
home in Shiogama, giving them each a hot bowl of rice. Exhaustion hit them as
they slept for an entire day. When they awoke, they decided to go home and
rebuild. After numerous obstacles they were able to rebuild in time, as well as
much of Japan.
In late March when there were some cherry
blossoms that bloomed, it was a shock to some of the Japanese people. It caused
them to look up. It was hope renewed in their hearts. All through Japan's history
cherry blossoms have represented new beginnings, hopes and dreams. The blossoms
are beautiful enough to take one's breath away and then soon disappear. Cherry
blossoms stir up their emotions and have a special place in the hearts of
Japanese people. The Japanese name for cherry blossom in Japan is Sakura. Since
the tsunami, thousands of cherry blossom trees have been planted on the
coastline where it took place.
Renewed
hope comes after the winter as each spring Sakura fills the sky.
~ Margret
Howard
No comments:
Post a Comment