The master of ceremony's voice echoed through the microphone in the chapel.

"Now it is time, so we will hold the wake for Jomasu Sara."

Then we sang a hymn. After that, the pastor came in and read a passage from the Bible, and then began the sermon.

"Good evening. Thank you for coming to the vigil for Jomasu Sara, who passed away on May 9th. I am eternally grateful. We are also at a loss as to how her condition has changed so suddenly. Today, we have gathered here to mourn her. Sara was still young, and I imagine that the grief of her family and friends cannot be greater than this.

Unfortunately, no one, including myself, knows what happens to us after we passed. However, we want to believe that we will be resurrected with a new body. The reason we think so is because the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, That's why, she believed it, too.

Sara was born in 2003 as the eldest daughter of two sisters, father Takayuki and mother Naomi. She had known the Jomasu family since she was a child, and her parents attended church, while her sisters went the kindergarten attached to the ｂ. In 2013, she developed glioma when she was an elementary school student. At one point, it was confirmed that there was no metastasis, and she made steady progress in her studies thereafter, but the cancer recurred in the fall of last year and she was hospitalized. She temporarily recovered with the help of medication, and was even discharged from hospital and able to attend school during that time. However, her condition worsened again, and recently on May 9th, she passed away. She lived for 19 years.

For anyone, the loss of a family member or acquaintance who goes to heaven is a sad and heartbreaking experience for those of us left behind on earth. The fact that Sara, who was still young at the time, fell ill must have made the grief even greater.

For a pastor like me, unlike a wedding, where the date is set in advance, funerals are something that you don't know when they will have to be held until the time comes. Every time I receive news of someone's passing, I am busy arranging the schedule, preparing the eve and funeral. In addition, regular worship services are also included depending on the date.

Now, I flipped through the church calendar to check the schedule. I realized that May 9th, the day of gone her, was the day the Lord Jesus ascended into heaven also. Easter is celebrated on the day the Lord Jesus resurrected and appeared to his disciples, and this year it was March 31st. According to Luke 24:51, it is written that the Lord Jesus was "taken up into heaven," but according to Acts 1, it was 40 days after the resurrection, and during that short time he spoke about the kingdom of God. This year it was May 9th, 40 days after of it. On the day the Lord Jesus was taken up to heaven, Sara-san was also taken up to heaven. I would like to believe that the Lord Jesus accompanied her at that time and that she was able to have a peaceful calling.

Please look upon us who are grieving, sorrowing, lonely, and empty after losing a loved one. May we who are overwhelmed by grief be filled with blessings and peace. I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen."

After the pastor's sermon, it was time to offer flowers. I will got to see my sister again... I had so many things I wanted to say to her that I was wondering which one to say.

"After this, please offer flowers and see her face, she seems to be sleeping very peacefully."

After the MC's announcement, I offered flowers with the other attendees, then approached her casket in which my sister was lying, and met her face-to-face. When I saw her face, I said,

"I can't stand we won't be able to talk together and hear your voice anymore!"

And I cried out involuntarily, gently stroking the back of a her lifeless hand, which had become rubber-hard from the effect of the strong formalin solution, and then gently holding it.

At that moment, her eyes was opened. She said,

"I think we can be together for a little while, so why don't we talk?"

Then I brought my face closer to hers,

"Okay, then, just a little,"

and when I answered, her right arm stretched out to stroke my head. The few remaining mourners saw this and jumped back in shock. My sister looked at them from the side and said, "It's a bit weird right now, so come again at night when everyone has left. Also please bring me some pen and twenty pieces of paper, and ten envelopes. I'll leave a letter for you." She closed her eyes again and I left. I put some leaves of paper and some ballpoint pens next to her pillow later.