In Japan, suicide is a choice. It has been a year after year concern often prompted historically as a (ungodly) cultural way to honor others when extremely despondent. Today, suicide has its primary source from rejection, fueled by relationships where abuse and bullying occurs. In 2012, Japan’s suicide was at 30,000 a year, and that was for the 14th year. By 2016, suicide rates have reached a 22-year low at 21,764. Yet, as suicide rates have come dow, suicide rates of children aged 6-19 years have become its highest. Kyoto News, July 16, 2019 edition, opens its article with, “Japan saw the worst suicide rate for those under 20 years old in 2018, with school-related matters suc as poor academic performance cited as the most common reason among the youth aged 10-19.
The government found three identified motives supported by suicide notes or elsewhere. One, was school-related issues. Two, was poor academic performance, and lastly, was friction with schoolmates or bullying. I also have been informed how the Japanese values uniformity. In Japan when you stnad out or are seen as being different, the tendency is to become a “target” and victim of bullying. In addition, those with hidden or invisible learning needs (special needs that are not seen), often are alone, misunderstood, shamed and can become prey to the unholy evils of this world.
Joyce Inouye shares, “The ChildD Ministry began for me when God illumined my heart with a divine truth. I was awoken by these words (regarding Japan), “Many of those who committed suicides had undetected Learning Disabilities.”
God has shown us, by His example, how He sought the “lost, broken, and lonely” who are willing to admit their needs, and those He chose to outreach directly to. We also have learned that the Lord will lead us to those who are seeking this kind of outreach, where we are invited. We see the “open door” God has given us, and the power God has to shift hearts to break for what breaks His heart. God has revealed that information on the how-to’s with special needs pales to the greater need of the heart, which is to be embraced with the love of Jesus as fathers and mothers hearts return to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers, and mothers (Malachi 4:6). God has given us His messages of the power in spoken “words of Life” (Ephesians 4:29), and how to see their children through His eyes so they can bless their children and others. We, believe that families will come to know Jesus through a special need child’s invitation. We also have seen, and heard testimony after testimony in our fields how God uses a special need child to teach us how to love, be patient, and confound the proud.
Joyce shares, “We at ChildD, alongside the missions and ministries of those globally called to Japan, such as, our missionaries Ian Nagata and Sabrina Yee, pray that as we invite the “lost, broken and lonely” to His banqueting table they will receive, come, and become disciples of Jesus Christ purposed for His glory where the multiplicity of their salvation will heal the land (2 Chronicles 7:14), and the heart will choose LIFE, with the testimony of God upon their lips, and smiles (Isaiah 61:1-4).