Here in Japan the number of people who have experienced the new life of Christ and now follow the way of the Messiah is less than 1% out of almost 128 million. The mission is dire. I hesitate to think about what will happen to those lost to eternal condemnation.
Seeking to share the message of the truth and life in Jesus is certainly a task for a lifetime, and one that I am committed to. Additionally, there are the crises of suicide (30,000 a year), hikikomori shut-ins (300,000 or so), the sin of fatherlessness, the cult of the company, the feminization of men, student/teacher bullying, hypersexualization, child pornography, human trafficking and the sex trade, etc. Yeah, we have our work cut out for us.
I've touched on some of these subjects in the past on this blog. Down on the street level, most of the people I talk with either participate in or are affected by these sorts of issues - they are collectively the Everyman, so to speak. I've watched insolent kids run rampant, slamming doors, attacking their parents with impunity. I've gotten to sit in with future teachers to discuss child-rearing, classroom management, bullying, and related subjects. Most, if not all of them, were punched by their dad. Where I've been living for the past year is around the corner from one of the red-light districts near Umeda, Osaka. Everyday I walk past the neon signs, past the wigs and wallets, and it's got me thinking and praying about what I can do. It's not for no reason that Providence has me living in this neighborhood.
Sadly, Japanese are notoriously indifferent to social activism or simply airing one's own unadulterated opinion. There are various historical influences for that, but much of it is due to fear and indifference. I often write about some of these issues and the occasional hero in the news that is making headway, like the guy I happened to meet near Umeda Station who does kikiya "listening spots" as a preventative against depression and suicide, and now has spawned a movement across Japan.
Recently, I was getting ready for a friend's superhero costume-themed birthday party and for a few weeks I was looking for boots and gloves to go with my outfit (another mini-mission!). About that time, I was watching some Avengers and Spider-Man episodes featuring Luke Cage and Iron Fist from the more common man's superhero team Heroes for Hire. (I'm a sucker just for the bright, primary color scheme alone - add in some cosplay and a little tongue-in-cheek acting and I'm your man. Most Japanese "superheroes" though have an alien insectoid-plastic theme and they don't talk.)
Somewhere in the mesh of this I thought about the interplay of everyday heroism and decided to make a sister page on FB: Heroes for Hire, Inc. A place to gather my thoughts and provide ideas and resources for others to get involved where they are. I'll still post longer articles in SHJN, but I'll use FB for expanding the audience and the one-two jabs of the fists of justice. Who knows? Maybe we'll see a new team emerge!
So what do you say, citizen? I could use a few strong hands like yours to fight the good fight. Will do you take up the call, ready yourself, and suit up?
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| "Lo, There Shall Come a Champion!" |
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