ONE MOTHER’S JOURNEY
By Marianne Schultz, Deacon
“Honor your father and mother. This is the first commandment with a promise.” Ephesians 6:2 (NLT)
This Mother’s Day week I think of all mothers honored by their children and how much love they hold for their sons and daughters. What is the greatest gift a mother can have? My mom would say knowing that I am happy, in a good place, and surrounded by the Lord with a beloved companion.
I gaze at the brooch that a grieving mother carried here from Uwajima City in the Ehime Prefecture in Japan. It is a gift I could never have imagined receiving. The reason brings me to tears as I think back to February 2001.
I picked up the newspaper before leaving for work and saw their faces across the front page. I remembered them from two days before. Young high school students that I had met on their only day off from the fishing boat Ehime Maru, which sadly sank the next day. These young men were full of joy; happy to be in Honolulu sightseeing, shopping, laughing, and joking with one another. They came into the Crazy Shirts store when I was working. I spent lots of time with them, showing them popular designs, and using my broken Japanese to make their experience enjoyable. I didn’t know how memorable that afternoon would be.
Seeing that they had been killed in this tragic accident, I thought of their parents. I could not imagine the grief, disbelief, and horror they must have felt. What would they like to know? I felt led to write an open letter to the newspaper about my encounter. I wanted the parents to know how full of joy their sons had been on that day.
The grieving families traveled to Honolulu and one family asked to meet with me. I had written of my time with their son and they wanted to feel the experience of his last happy day on earth. They arrived with an entourage from the consulate and entered the store with an interpreter. I was able to take them through the entire store on the same path as their son had taken. I could tell they were happy to see how he spent his time. I showed them the gift he had bought for (as he lovingly said) “a girl.” I wrapped the shirt, as I had for him, and presented the gift to them. They were so appreciative.
These grief-stricken parents asked if we could go somewhere private and I led them to the back room. As the door closed, they both fell into my arms, hysterical with tears. I held them for a long time. It was the most heartbreaking experience I’ve ever had. They said they were so thankful to retrace their son’s last steps and feel his presence. It was a gift they could have never imagined. I think that this memory is always in their hearts especially on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
God puts us in places that result in ways we could never have never imagined, letting us share His love when we least expect to.
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15 (NKJV)
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray with all my heart for mothers and fathers who still have their children to love and watch grow. I also pray for those that have lost a child and will never know what their life could have been. Father, thank You for letting me be there for the families of the Ehime Maru, giving them some peace of mind and joy. Father, be with them always. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.
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