Testimonies
The life of Mrs. Konokawa ---"Tell Your Children & Grandchildren. . .
"Tell your children and grandchildren that there is someone who always gratefully remembers Mr. Konokawa. A long time ago, Mr. Konokawa taught me about self-sacrifice, not through words but through deeds ... For children without a mother he was just like an angel. He cleaned the dirty house and washed the soiled sheets. In crisis he was always there. When father became ill, and at his death he was there. At the time of burial he was there and held me... When I was seven I lost my father... but I inherited the most important thing from Mr. Konokawa... He taught me that Jesus is always with me and I am lonely no more."
Mrs. Miyeko Takezaki, the youngest of Rev. Fumio Matsunaga's four children, sent these words to Mrs. Asae Konokawa in 1986. Mr. Konokawa inspired by the words of Jesus, "There is no grater love than this; that a man should lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13) in 1919 at the age of 29, left a successful career with Morimoto Co. in Vancouver to come to New York and care for Rev. Matsunaga and his children, as the Reverend had lost his wife to divorce and was himself dying of cancer.
Mrs. Asae Konokawa always humbly pointed away from herself to the testimony of Jesus in her late husband. The Holy Spirit always points away from self to Jesus. Mrs. Konokawa was like the presence of the Spirit among us. Let us honor her by telling the story of a women who lived humbly by the Spirit, always pointing to the testimony of Jesus in others, to our children and our grandchildren.
From
the Japanese American United Church in the City of New York
This Twenty-fifth
day of April. Anno Domini 2000
Rev. Nathan Brownell
Please contact JAUC for more inoformation about "Blazing the Way - A short biographical sketch of the Life of the Rev. Mr. Fumio Mtsunaga)" written by Mr. Harry S. Konowa.