Train delay

Today, we were at Okubo station, our station, when the train suddenly stopped.  Then we heard a pre-recorded announcement in Japanese, followed by the English translation.  "the emergency train break has been used."

My first thought was "Oh no, not another suicide!"

It seems lately there have been more train delays due to "personal injury."  There's been enough delays that I am now able to recognize the Kanji characters that announce the delay.  Until a few weeks ago I never really gave much thought about what a "personal injury" meant.

Nozomi and I were coming home from the baby store.  We had gone to purchase some baby crayons.  Halfway home, the train stopped.  Then there were several announcements in Japanese that I couldn't understand.  I looked around the train to see what everyone else was doing.  About half the passengers got off the train. I thought maybe it wasn't so serious.  Nozomi was asleep and I was in a hurry to get home so I could get some things done during her nap.

Then there was another announcement, and this time almost everyone got off the train.  I followed them and jumped on the express train to Shinjuku.  Shinjuku is about a 15/20 minute walk home, and anything under 20 minutes we consider close to home.

When we arrived in Shinjuku station there was caution tape all across the platform.  We walked to the elevator and when the doors opened, on the floor were pools of blood.

Not drops.

Pools.

This was the first time I recognized how serious the words "personal injury" really are.  I see them all the time on the train, but it's never occurred to me how severe the injury could be.  It never occurred to me that every time we see those words, that most likely someone has jumped in front of a train.

Erik had an even worse experience.  Last week he went to the station to meet the women for our monthly wine night.  When he arrived at the station there were police, firetrucks, and ambulances. He told me that he saw them carry out a body...in several parts.

According to the Japan Times the suicide rate is Japan is 18.5 per 100,000 people.  It has the third highest rate in the world.  Most people who commit suicide are older and it is thought that they have a mental illness.

We had two incidents at church this week involving mental illness.  One women went crazy and started hitting people and broke a guitar.  The police were called and she was taken away to a hospital.  Pastor Sekino tried to take another man to the hospital, but they said they were full.  The man stayed at church while two of our interns stayed with him to keep watch.  The next day Pastor Sekino took him to a hospital that had room.

I don't know why suicide is so high in Japan.  Is it the work ethic?  The lack of religion? The overly polite culture?  The small spaces?

We are all searching for an answer. Pastor Sekino is taking classes at the Hong Kong Seminary in order to be better trained in pastoral care.  We are blessed to have a pastor that cares so much about people's mental health, especially in a country that struggles.

We ask for prayers for those in Japan suffering from mental health problems.  Prayers for their families, the healthcare workers, our pastors, friends, and the government that searches for answers.