A casual look at, say the NBA these days, would quickly lead a person to think that@having a tattoo is quite hip in the U.S. right now. This is something you won't find in Japan. Over here, having a tattoo puts you in a very exclusive category. Ever heard of the Yakuza? Maybe you aren't too familiar with this Japanese word. How about the Italian translation? Mafia.
In@Japan, tattoos and the perpetrators of organized crime go together like spots on a leopard. And like leopards, Yakuza members generally have just about their whole bodies covered with their identifying marks.(Could it be Dennis Rodman has a night job we don't know about?)
The self-inflicted body altering of the Yakuza doesn't stop with skin coloring either. As a show of supreme loyalty, it is not uncommon for a Yakuza member to chop off his little pinky finger at the middle knuckle. Some even do this gruesome act twice.
You must be wondering why am I telling you all this. Shocking as it may sound, over the past weekend I met four guys who fit the above description: no pinkies and lots of pictures on each arm, back, and chest. Not only did I meet these guys, I also had a long talk with them, shook hands with them, and we even exchanged contact information. Don't worry now. I haven't gotten myself involved in Tokyo's underworld. These 'leopards' that I met may not have been able to change their spots, but they certainly have had a major change of heart.
I'm a member of a Bible fellowship group at my university, and we invited a number of Christian speakers to address our campus at my school's annual May festival. Among those who gave talks were an international lawyer, two bankers, a science and technology entrepreneur, and four former Yakuza members who have left their lives of crime and begun walking the straight and narrow. The former outlaws are now all volunteers in a Christian ourtreach group called Mission Barabas, in addition to holding down regular everyday jobs.
The advice of all of the speakers was very sound and practical, explaining in detail how Christianity can make an amazing difference in people's lives. Each former Yakuza member gave the testimony of his conversion experience. Let me tell you, these were some pretty powerful speakers. And I am not simply talking about their biceps. Physical strength is one thing (and these guys certainly had it), but as often seems to be the case in life, with these four fellows the unseen completely overshadowed what can be seen with the eyes.
They spoke with a strength that came straight from their hearts. Before speaking each one removed his dress shirt and tie revealing a tank top and all the tattoos underneath. They were also not ashamed to show their hands with the missing digits. On the outside these guys looked pretty scary, but on the inside it must have been the complete opposite. You would be hard-pressed to find a more sincere, loving, peaceful group of people than what these men have become. They are the real thing. In fact the leader of the group, who is now an ordained pastor, has even spoken at a prayer breakfast at the White House in Washington D.C. Let's all join together and pray that more will join the team. Until next month, peace be with you. Daniel Heller.
Mailing address: Todai YMCA Dorm, 1-20-6 Mukogaoka, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-0023, Japan
Electronic mail: hidanielh@aol.com