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Remembering a Warrior Turned Missionary
By John W. Kennedy | March 26, 2008
Jacob DeShazer died recently at the age of 95, finishing a life on earth that had been filled with the horrors of war as well as the blessedness of peace.
During World War II DeShazer served as a bombardier in the Doolittle raid over Japan in April 1942. Taken captive when forced to bail out of his plane, DeShazer spent the next 40 months as a prisoner of war, 34 months of it in solitary confinement. While held captive, his enemies tortured him. He nearly starved to death. He almost lost his life to dysentery.
But more than two years into his captivity, a guard gave him a Bible. DeShazer devoured the Scriptures, memorizing the Sermon on the Mount among other passages. Sick and weak in a filthy cell, he committed his heart to Jesus as Savior. He promised to share his faith with the Japanese if ever released.
Liberation finally came following the Japanese surrender in August 1945. After obtaining a biblical literature degree and marrying, DeShazer returned to Japan in 1948 as a Free Methodist missionary at the age of 35. He spent the next 30 years in the Land of the Rising Sun, helping to plant 23 churches around the country.
His story of redemption is a wonderful illustration of Jesus’ commandment to love our enemies.
Topics: missions |