Homeless Boxer

Recently we saw a very moving true story of a 16-year-old boxer on TV.

Young Takashima Tatsuhiro (surname first) started shoot boxing (similar to kick boxing) when he was in 4th grade elementary school.

His father had died 2 years before, and as the 3rd of 5 children, he helped out at home with housework and the care of his 2 younger siblings. Attracted by the sound and activity of the boxing gym across his home, he started boxing.

However, in his 1st year in junior high school, exhausted with housework, childcare and training, he started to miss school. Eventually he left home one day in his school uniform.

Penniless and starving, he wandered to a river side where he saw a 50-something homeless man picking up empty tin cans. Takashima asked to stay with the older man.

Though surprised, the man, whom Takashima came to call "O-chan" (an affectionate way of saying "uncle"), took the boy back to his tent, set up from a simple blue sheet.

O-chan fed young Takashima his own share of leftover food collected from rubbish bins and covered the boy with his own blanket.

Takashima's homeless lifestyle continued for half a year until one cold day in February.

"Go home! I've no more money." O-chan said.

Young Takashima realised that O-chan was concerned for his future and, moved by the older man's love, he decided to go home. Before leaving, he promised O-chan to work hard at shoot boxing and to become a champion.

True to his promise, Takashima trained hard and fought his way to the top. Today, he is a professional shoot boxer with a promising future.

Having fulfilled his promise, Takashima tried looking for "O-chan" but the latter has re-located. Takashima does not know O-chan's real name nor has he a photograph of the older man. With only a drawn picture in hand, he spends his time between training and school looking for O-chan.

But like an angel who came mysteriously and disappeared to one-knows-not-where, O-chan cannot be found.

"I fight every match hoping that O-chan is in the crowd or watching the match on TV somewhere."

We don't need wealth, title or talents to give to others. All we need is the sincere love of God.