Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives....
John 14:27a
Hiroshima! What can I say? A city that was destroyed. A city that faced horror. A city that won't let you forget what happened to them.
A city that is attempting to build back up from the rubble.
A city that cries for peace evident in the ever-present origami peace cranes, but a city that is seeking peace in the wrong place.
My time in Hiroshima was extremely heartbreaking. The city has decided to become an international ambassador for peace. The citizens believe that if all nuclear weapons are destroyed, peace will finally arrive. Oh, how sad! Oh, how lost the people are! Oh, may God have mercy on these wayward children.
ADDENDUM
While I was in Hiroshima, I couldn't help but to think of my Grandpa Boothroyd. A prisoner of war in Osaka, Japan for approximately four years, he too could be bitter. He faced atrocity. He faced persecution. He still suffers... but his life is so different. While in prison camp, his life radiated Christ's love. He promised God that if he would be mercifully saved, he would dedicate his life to helping the church. God was gracious, and Grandpa has kept his promise. To this day, grandpa still remains a spiritual leader both to his church, family, and fellow ex-POWs. He is not bitter about what has happened to him. He is not angry at those who hurt him. He knew the true source of peace and that Peace saved him. May God be glorified!
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