Elder Nakaniwa - God's Servant His Life Became Living Testimony

Hello everyone

Last month our church member Elder Nakaniwa, who was the first man baptized into
the Adventist church on Tsushima, died in an accident when he visited an elderly care
center. He was 79 years old, a very dedicated and faithful member of our small church,
and we were very shocked and saddened by his sudden death.

All of his relatives are Buddhist, so no one had ever attended a Christian funeral and
had never heard about what Jesus did for us. At first when we met them, they were all
worried and anxious, and some of them became upset because they could not worship
to his body in their way. So, we explained that he is just sleeping until Jesus returns
and wakes up with his new glory body which never dies.

At the funeral, Pastor Shibata also talked about new hope and what Jesus did for us.
God protected the funeral from Satan's attack and sent the Holy Spirit to our hearts to
tell the truth to all his relatives. His relatives were able to find spiritual solace and happy
to know that Elder Nakaniwa was saved and able to go heaven in Christ when Jesus
returns.

After the funeral we got a call from one of his brothers. He told us that he
was happy that we took care of Nakaniwa when he was alive and he knew Jesus saved
him through our ministry. All his family decided to give his house to us for free to use for
our missionaries when they visit to work. He also told us that when he returns to Tokyo
that he also wants to live like Nakaniwa by believing the true God, Jesus for the rest of
his life.

Still we miss Elder Nakaniwa coming to our church with his happy smile on Sabbath.
We miss him a lot and feel sad sometimes when we think of him.

Please pray for us.

"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth
in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and
believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" John 11:25-26 - KJV

Kimiyoshi Kurihara