Okinawa
invasion
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b ob Boardman, rugged ex-marine, sud denly halted his jeep on southern Oki nawa’s rocky terrain. He surveyed the spot where eight years before a sniper’s bullet had lodged in his throat. Just before World War II ended he became one of the 49,000 American casualties on Okinawa, Rock of Blood. He vividly remembered hitting the beach with the first marine division. Fanatic Kamikaze suicide pilots sank 36 of the 1,300 naval vessels engaged in the invasion. Mortar shells and bombs leveled Naha the capital until just one building remained standing. Events of the eight months that followed paraded through his mind. He pictured two marines holding hands while going out to the hospital ship on stretchers. Endless days of fight ing. Rescue by two buddies who braved enemy fire to get him on a tank and back to safety Evacuation to the States. Months in hospitals. Breathing through a tube in his throat. Learning he would never speak again above a whisper. Today he says the sacrifice was not in vain. By God’s grace he again is invading Okinawa. This time it is for the Lord Jesus Christ. After several years of training with the Navigators, Boardman (see headline photo) joined the Orient Crusades invasion to help capture this island for Christ. Six hundred thousand people in the Ryukyu chain present one of the most fertile missionary fields in the Orient. These people who know little about idolatry live in a spiritual vacuum. Two years ago Ellsworth Culver made a sur vey trip to Okinawa for Orient Crusades. Dick Hillis, Crusades director, followed to work among American servicemen. He held an 8-day Bible conference in cooperation with Chaplain Crouch, who Boardman says “ is doing a solid work among his own men and is also active in the native work.” Bob Shelton arrived in June, 1952 to head up evangelism permanently. He had won his gos pel spurs when Hillis sent him to the Pescadores Islands off the coast of Formosa. He traveled in a Chinese junk and ate poor food to reach all 20 islands, eight of which had never heard the
gospel. Later, he learned that 40 out of 115 families on one island publicly burned theii idols and turned to Christ. Through this the Lord prepared him for Oki nawa, one of 58 islands in the Ryukyu chain. Because Japanese is the language of Okinawa, George Bostrom of Japan Navigators headquar ters joined Shelton to assist in the follow-up program. Boardman was asked to pray about going to Okinawa to replace Bostrom as follow-up direc tor. Boardman, who was in Japan at the time, snapped up the opportunity. He had long had a hankering to return to Okinawa on a spiritual mission. For two months Boardman worked with Wright Norton and Lloyd Killgore in concen trated evangelistic efforts, while Shelton was in the States. They held 115 meetings and reached about 10,000 with the gospel. Over 3,000 made decisions and many requested to begin Bible study lessons. Approximately 300 have finished the first set and have gone on to other studies. Boardman and fellow workers spend Monday through Friday in evangelism and follow-up among the Okinawans. On week ends they reach many of the 40,000 American soldiers, sailors and marines stationed on this so-called Island of Sin. Working with chaplains they conduct services in chapels and aboard ships. (Readers concerned about a serviceman on Okinawa may write Orient Crusades, P.O. Box 45, Los Angeles 53, Calif. They will attempt to get in touch with such men.) Hillis and Orient Crusades men feel that they are conserving the fruits of evangelism through the follow-up work. Even as Paul the apostle did, they are returning to every place where they preached the gospel to “ see how they do” (Acts 15:36). Boardman now averages between 40 and 50 classes a month. Three Okinawan girls devote full time to send ing out study materials to the converts. Recent reports show 2,115 completed lesson one on sal vation. Over 1,300 finished the next lesson and advanced into other studies. Some have enrolled in the Scripture memory course to become better equipped to win their friends to Christ.
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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