The man who could love

By Robert J. Morgan, ""The Bat Out of Hell" (orig. title)
Book: From This Verse

"THE MAN WHO COULD LOVE"

Mitshuo Fuchida, commander of the Japanese Air Force, led the squadron
of 860 planes that attacked Pearl harbor on December 7, 1941.

American bomber Jacob DeSchazer was eager to strike back, and the
following April 18th, he flew his B-25 bomber, the "Bat Out of Hell,"
on a dangerous raid over Japan. After dropping his bombs on Nagoya,
DeShazer lost his way in heavy fog and bailed out as his plane ran
out of fuel. He was taken prisoner, tortured by the Japanese, and
threatened with imminent death. For almost two years, DeShazer
suffered hunger, cold, and dysentery.

In May of 1944, he was given a Bible. "You can keep it for three
weeks," said the guard. De Shazer grabbed it, clutched it to his
chest, and started reading in Genesis. Scarcely sleeping, he read the
Bible through several times, memorizing key passages. On June 8,
coming to Romans 10:9, Jacob prayed to receive Jesus Christ as his
Saviour.

Immediately Mathew 5:44 became a critical text for DeShazer, as he
determined to treat his Japanese guards differently. His hostility
toward them evaporated, and every morning he greeted them warmly. He
prayed for them and sought to witness to them. He noticed their
attitude toward him also changed, and they would often slip him food
or supplies.

After the war, DeShazer returned to Japan as a missionary. Copies of
his testimony, "I Was a Prisoner of the Japanese," flooded the
country, and thousands wanted to see the man who could love and
forgive his enemies. DeShazer settled down to establish a church in
Nagoya. the city he had bombed.

One man in particular, deeply affected by DeShazer's testimony, was
led to Christ by Glenn Wagner of The Pocket Testament League. Shortly
afterward, the man paid a visit to Jacob DeShazer at his home, and the
two became dear friends and brothers. It was Mitshuo Fuchida, who had
led the Pearl harbor attack. As DeShazer served as a missionary in
Japan, Fuchida became a powerful evangelist, preaching throughout
Japan and around the world.

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From: jgat777@globelines.com.ph