Classic Replay | A Visit with an American Hero: The Story of Louis Zamperini Part 2

Louisa Marini is a true American hero use a man who survived more close calls and one can imagine. And today will see there was a reason God preserved. Here's Pastor Greg to resume his conversation with Louise and Perini as he talks about being adrift at sea for 47 days you were in their life raft and the assigned aircraft approaching you're hoping it might be a friendly aircraft but it was Japanese, and then started firing now.

I got welcome for certain identification, but I have observation when our way on the down low one right time life together. I then I got in the rack made another one with two shot me one thing didn't work showing away securities in your life that were told you make a violent work knows I turn it up like you they take all their notes somehow they always come back again now the most remarkable thing is there's three of Ralph place about half as big as this was jammed and there are 48 holding on by unbelief, real Japanese attention until they pull the rap show that can stand on the whole look this over entry.

So after 46 days you were made your way to the Marshall Islands were captured by the Japanese now they somehow find out that you are Louisa Marini, the Olympic athlete how do they know that while you Know more about America have to wait. They know more about American movie stars waited. The largest largest children club I ever spoke to was in 1950 in Tokyo. They came here to go to get educated.

ALL they admired Hollywood movie stars admired American Ashley. They didn't have a baseball team or anything though they knew all about me, but when I was just tired missing when I picked up your startled. In fact, people settled what was the worst thing 47 is all right. Must've been the worst thing ever happened. No. 43 days after chapter. Worst on long life working around the submarines came and there are 80 guys become fillers for Tanya Frerotte, Jackie Jackie was then injected a three time for some experiment and then, but the first people he met only got sure was a panel of Naval intelligence interrogation off white uniform gold braid my tablecloth thinks pastries and one of those sex that you enter and USC. I was gradually haloed at the photo you listed what we believe in the excellency excellence transports excellency on long this guy was really a great dog. Finally, I finally have it come to the conclusion that it was a regular classroom from UCLA, but ultimately you ended up with a Japanese concentration camp in moots the hero what's in the lobby. My pronouncing the name correctly who is given the date name the bird. This is a very cool vicious man. Why did you name him the bird, wind, and that was a name given him more gardener I could repeat her name but I don't know why they called him the bird because maybe if he found out what a dirty word in my manner so I don't know what word but it was vicious psychopath and I'm leaving picked on me daily because something propaganda broadcasts that I was doing. I think they told him to keep on the everyday to make my life miserable thought except no hotel room restaurant to Mike BENTLEY with pillows just to do this like got punished daily in the war but you were. They wanted you celebrity to go into a broadcast on the radio that would be used as propaganda by the Japanese, and though it would've caused you to be relieved of a lot of suffering.

You chose to not do that and you are punished for knowing whomever that trust your life but the first propaganda was that In a secret Or you're in a month I take that long to be officially declared dead, missing in action, and they came out they condemn America for determining that friend for my rescue and that's all that that's the way they are, then night then you let me make a broadcast of my parents which is okay but that was a come on that. If I may come back a week later and Rita propaganda they had, which is also in their jobs and in the book you talked about what your food rations were like sometimes consisting of nothing more than a ball of rice and in the book it says the food was infested with rat droppings, maggots, and so much sand and grit that Louise's teeth were soon pitted ship and cracked the men nicknamed the rations all Dumbo so this how did you survive on food like I don't have anybody struggle. We talked about 100 illustrated men the worst night of all of the web pulled the seaweed out of the ocean that they would boil it would become very like not Amanda.

Yet even that negative mood might likely never got that we got a catamaran melon really tough.

I thought I have for rent number whatever they're all full of seaweed numbers are not my guys diving on him, go to work. Came back and went to lay down this awake member and one child ready to come on the fundamental way bird beat you yeah I can't figure out a way to deal man I think is a set my life over and over again because anything average then was like this cleanse. I was always at affiant can and he wanted to. We want to be getting step when I call my sword. I must use tumor. I long to his coming to an end.

The Japanese refused to surrender. Pres. Truman gives the order to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki with a white mountain of smoke with a 25,000 feet about a thousand feet off the ground.

It looked like going back exactly 10 seconds after 735 this morning, August 14 from London Swiss radio has announced that Japan has accepted the allied note requesting surrender to 3000, so blocking the complete and formal surrender of Japan depend finally surrendered you return home again and eventually you marry Cynthia Applewhite was your homecoming is wonderful as you hoped it would be you mentioned posttraumatic stress syndrome were you dealing with that after you got home while you don't like and I different.

I haven't been pregnant And I was starting with everything happening On strengthening the bird always driving the guy all the way home after I got married I was still trying remember my dreams and whatnot for some reason I have a wife by the throat and more that scared man and I didn't know what to do about right. You want to kill the bird that you I am not grand I wanted to go back to Japan to avoid my life and I want to go back there and doing them you actually were trying to raise the money to return to Japan to literally kill this man that caused you so much that I went on one investment after another Morgan woman to make anybody as our then then my wife decided that was too much force you want to get aboard the file that's on the person is groping to my door apartment set on young fella Billy Graham is coming to town his daughter Christos. I got mad and walked out the life they listen. She went down the main came home and try to get me to go and I refuse but then she said the magical word because of my conversion. I'm not going to get a divorce less often mail the density talk member going down there but Billy started to read from the Scripture Bible describes the heart in various ways the Bible for simple credit imagination Proverbs 6 I think all of the wicked imaginations that the Bible that our heart wicked… I don't need him to Tom Allison Ron Inouye. I got mad left and went home a wife is all over me again and then I Think is not is not working because she was Jesus converter and finally I gave and went back again is it what he says every head bowed every eye close were out of their well just as he sent said that before he said it. I got up on the live just as you gave the invitation, but he said something at the end about people when they come to the end of the rope, no wealth to turn like when I'm thinking on the ship, they turned to God and I thought yeah that's what I like traffic on God promised to the war, he kept his promise and I didn't keep my felt like a fool. The prayer room hello my name is on it came out a different person so you're at the Billy Graham Crusade is 1939. It tends that's been set up there. This really was the launch of Billy Graham's worldwide ministry that is content continued on for many many years and after you prayed and give your life to Jesus Christ.

I in an interview Louis. You said quote I got up my needs and somehow I knew I was through getting drunk. I knew that I forgave all of my guards, including the bird and I think proof of that is that I had nightmares and nightmares every night about the bird since the war and I haven't had a nightmare since that night I made my decision for Christ 1949 till now. Is that still true Matter. Home but therefore if any man be in Christ.

What can happen in the fact that any man be in Christ he is a new creation. Old things are passed away.

All things are become new.

That happened for you and it happened in such a dramatic way that you return to Japan not to kill the bird, but you wanted to meet him and he wanted to forgive him right exactly I want to face him. But when I got the phenomenal program. I spoke all the work, but he wasn't there.

I think I come in a hurry.

And I accepted that Job totally average was signed eight years later I came out of the hills a free man. No city live many years so you actually probably somewhere around this time wrote a letter that you wanted to give to him and this is a copy of that letter. Would you like to read it now. Letter from Roseann credit to Mr. Cheryl Watanabe as a result of microprobe or experience under your unwarranted and unreasonable punishment microflora like became a nightmare. It was not so much due to the pain and suffering as it was the tension of stress and humiliation that caused me to hate with a vengeance under your discipline, my rights, not only as a partner, but also as a human being, were still coming. It was a struggle to maintain enough dignity and hope to live until the war, Sam the postwar nightmares because my life to crumble, thanks to a confrontation was God through the evangelist Billy Graham. I committed my life to Christ love replace the hate I have for you Christ to forgive your enemies and pray for them as you probably know, I returned to Japan at 52 was graciously allowed to adjust all the Japanese war criminals absent, present. I asked them about you and was told that you probably had committed hara-kiri which I was sad to hear at that moment, like the others. I also gave you.

And now look hope that you would, ultimately, Christian Louis the amazing thing about you is it's almost as though you live three or four line. There's Louisiana Perini, the Olympic athlete shook Hitler's hand Louisiana Perini of the World War II vet who fought for this country and set a record at sea on a life raft Louisiana Perini survived the concentration, Louis Zaffirini, the man who came to alcoholism committed his life to Christ and was willing to forgive the man who did this horrible thing to get, how is it that you could forgive someone because there's people here right now that have been wronged in life.

I doubt anyone is been misheard as you have been, but they feel that that person doesn't deserve forgiveness get you extended forgiveness only able to do while number of reasons. First of all Day school and I told the girls in the audience that they want page quickening gray hair hate somebody you hate somebody or not, you're not hurt like another week later the young lady said would you let the school. I want a girl that I hated for two years – is never the best friend how hate can destroy.

I didn't know that time all I knew was that Christ gave me for my rock and forgive the work for him gave me and asked me to forgive my enemies that was the everybody, this is great glory and you've just been listening to a classic message from harvest ministries. This podcast is supported by harvest partners to learn more and find out how you can become harvest partner just a little harvest.org