A macabre World Mission Souvenir from Harbin, China: a jigsaw puzzle made from a photo of the ruins of a crematorium at a facility called the “Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department” by the occupying Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. Epidemic prevention and water purification are noble purposes, but the name of the place was a lie. It was also known as Unit 731, but that too disguises the reality of what went on there. The Japanese Army used this place to conduct unspeakable experiments on Chinese citizens, including infecting people with disease, exposing them to biological warfare agents and even bomb blasts in order to assess deadly effects on the human body. It is estimated that over 500,000 people were killed in these and similar experiments. Therefore, the crematorium.
The jigsaw picture puzzle was purchased at the Unit 731 “Gift Shop.” Can you imagine a gift shop at a place like this?
Sadly, it seems that horrifying crimes are hidden in every nation’s history. Wartime inhumanity is shocking but not surprising, given that even early in human history The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time (Genesis 6). Thankfully, we are comforted by God’s gracious response: the Good News that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ . . . (2 Corinthians 5).
(Several China mission exploration trips were conducted by the Asia Committee of the ELS Board for World Outreach.)
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Steve Petersen