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The Legacy of Mary McMillan
Peace and Justice by Mrs. Kazuko Kay,
Student of Ms. McMillan
June 16, 2002
I am honored to
be here and share the legacy of McMillan sensei. As a former student of
hers, I feel not only this is my duty but also my privilege to honor my
inspiring and great teacher. I appreciate the opportunity given to me
through Mrs. Berta Laney, wife of former US Ambassador to Korea, Ms.
Charlotte Sellers, and Rev. Henry Roberts.
Mary dedicated 41
years of her young life to Hiroshima, Japan. She was 27 years old when she was
first appointed as a missionary. Many people have changed their lives for the
better and to follow the Christian way. I am proud to say that I am one of them.
When Mary came to
Hiroshima, the city was completely ruined and devastated. We could not even see
any buildings left standing in the city. It was a burned down, empty, dark,
poverty-stricken, and lonely city. The uncertainty and fear about what the
future would hold was in everyone’s mind. She gave encouragement and hope for
our future. Many people were still recovering from the great shock of loss of
beloved family members, most of them women and children. It was a great tragedy
in the history of Japan. She dedicated herself to boost our morale and fragile
confidence towards the future. She worked hard to strengthen the people’s hearts
and minds towards peace. As a result the people eventually changed their
attitudes for reconciliation of peace. This in itself was a miracle.
Often as a young
student, I wondered what made Mary decide to be a missionary for the country
that was once thought of as the enemy. Now I understand that God inspired here
to go to Hiroshima with a special mission for the young students who were hungry
for the Truth and a spiritual meaningful life. This was a mission to teach the
gospel of love and hope. It was God’s will and she was chosen. She was a woman
of integrity, dignity and an exemplary Christian.
During my early
college life, I was surprised one day when Mary gave me some clothes; one set in
particular, a green corduroy jacket and skirt. I can still remember feelings of
joy and excitement upon receiving these beautiful clothes. I had never had such
a stylish dress in my life. I cherished them for a long time. These particular
clothes were sent to us from your church congregation and organization. On
behalf of Mary’s student’s, I must now say after so many years, “Thank you very
much to you and this church people.” This act of generosity had a great impact
on me. It was not merely a gift of clothes, but more importantly, a gift of love
was in the package. It was the Love of Christian brotherhood and sisterhood,
reaching thousands of miles across the globe. By this action you demonstrated
that we are all the citizens of the world and share a common reality and
compassion. We must get along with people in the world harmoniously regardless
of race, religions, nationalities, culture and background. This was precisely
your church people’s message.
Many years later I
had the wonderful opportunity to meet Mary at an international Social Work
Convention held in Manila, Philippines. I was a professor teaching Social Work
at the Philippine Women’s University. It was 25 years since we had last seen
each other. We sat there together and talked all night long, reminiscing about
our days in Hiroshima to exchanging international views and opinions. It was
indeed a miracle to sit side by side so many years later. It took a long journey
for me to reach this point, but I made it. I was able to reflect back on my
career and realize the importance of Christian faith and education. Similarly,
because of an encouraging and supportive school environment, generous
scholarship funds, and a background of religious faith, many of us have pursued
a higher education, becoming professional career women with a strong sense of
spiritual development, Christian faith, and contribution to society especially
for those who are underprivileged. Intellectual and emotional, spiritual
development must be integrated together into the development of a wholesome
person, a person of integrity. Mary was an exemplary teacher who had
demonstrated this goal.
Please allow me to
share my experience of the war. Yes, I was in Hiroshima during the period of the
war and witnessed the Atomic bomb dropped on August 6, 1945. It was the most
tragic day in my life, yet it was also a miracle. I was only 13 years old. On
this day, I was absent from school because one day before, on Sunday, my family
went to the outskirts of Hiroshima for a picnic and to go swimming. The next
day, Monday, a fatal day, I was so exhausted and tired, and just simply could
not get up in the morning. Even, my childhood friend, Tae-chan came by to my
bedroom and asked me to go to school together. It was strange, my body was so
heavy and I told her I was too tired to go to school. This day was the first day
I was absent in my entire school life. One hour later at 8:15 in the morning,
the bomb was dropped in the center of Hiroshima, where my school was located. On
that day, the students who went to school never returned home and lost their
precious lives. My dear friend, Tae-chan too, never returned home. I lost all my
classmates who were 12 and 13 years old. Even now, when I think of them, my
heart aches bitterly for them. I lost almost all my classmates in one second. It
was a heart-breaking experience for a 13-year-old girl.
I went through a lot
of soul searching for the truth. My mission school Jogakuin provided an answer
for my search: that God has a special mission for my life and me. As a result,
my strong desire was to become a social worker and peace worker. Ever since, I
have determined to make sure that my childhood friend Tae-chan and the other
classmates’ death were not in vain. Even though it is only on a small scale, I
stand and speak for peace and world harmony and “No More Hiroshima.”
This experience has
become my strength and source of positive attitude in life. As I assess the
education of Jogakuin, Christian education has given the students a great gift,
the gift of intellectual and spiritual development. There are many outstanding
graduates who are active in the Peace movement internationally due to the
special and privileged education we acquired.
God has given a
special life to each of us with a certain purpose. Mary dedicated her life to
accomplish God’s will by helping others. Mary was cremated and her ashes were
laid to rest in the Ushita Church cemetery overlooking beautiful mountains,
hills and Jogakuin and the church. She came home, to her home of Hiroshima and
to the people whom she loved. God bestowed her with a gift of eternal life. On
her gravestone, it is written, “LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH.” Today, the peace
bells toll high and loud from Hiroshima city for the world peace. She is an
exemplary person who taught us all the importance of Peace and Justice. Her
legacy is still alive deeply in our hearts.
We need more than
ever the spiritual and moral values based on Christian love, tolerance,
sacrifice, international understanding, sharing of what we have compared with a
human majority that is both economically and spiritually deprived. This wake-up
call is also urging us that we need to assess ourselves anew what is needed for
the building of world peace and justice in the new millennium. We live in the 21st
century, this has become the global age, we should make a contribution not only
to the welfare and happiness of individual and our family alone, but also to the
development of a healthy society in which we belong, no matter how distant it
may be.
Our action will have
more immediate impact on others, including our neighbors both nationwide and
international. The task is not an easy one as daily events preoccupy us with
more short-term interests. This is why we need broader and more long-term goals
in building a better world. To this end, we must establish a more humane society
and become aware of the temptations inherent in our current materialistic,
self-centered, and shortsighted society. We should bring up human beings who can
serve as neighbors, communities, and nations for world peace. This will help
build a better tomorrow for our future generations. This should be the Christian
mission for this new millennium.
In conclusion, I
would like to quote the Bible on Peace and Justice, “Justice is in God. I am not
dependent upon any of the self-achieved just of law. God has given me that
justice which comes from faith in Christ. Seek for God’s Kingdom and His
justice. The justice shall live by faith,” “Christians are peacemakers who go on
quietly sowing for a harvest of justice in other people and in themselves.”
First United Methodist Church Pensacola
FL
E-mail
Phone:
850.432.1434 Fax: 850.432.5749
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