I’m the type of person that doesn’t really care all that much about movies or books. Unless the movies or books will give me some knowledge or self-improvement tips about something that I’m interested in, I tend to not care that much about them. To give you an example, I love reading books about angels (God’s messengers) and learning about their specific purpose in our lives. Learning about angels brings me closer to God and helps me get a better understanding of how God used them in the past and how he uses them today. I’m not into just reading a story because it’s a good story, it typically has to help me gain more knowledge about a specific topic.
Recently, I have been in a state where I have been extremely ungrateful for the position that God has placed me in. Instead of being joyful for everything that I have, I have shifted my focus to be about negativity. I dislike my job, I dislike that I don’t have more “me” time, I dislike that I can’t spend more money on myself, I dislike all of my daily responsibilities, etc. I have begun to express my anger to family, friends, and coworkers. My attitude has had a significant impact on my coworkers as one has already found a new job and another has become so unhappy that he doesn’t come into the office until around 11:00 AM and leaves around 4:00 PM. I don’t take full responsibility for this but I definitely did not help the situation. In my home life, I have switched from wanting to spend time with my kids to finding ways to avoid them. I have gone from passionately pursuing my wife to being content with just having basic conversations. In light of all of this, have taken notice of my attitude and I’m attempting to make some changes. Through all of this, I am realizing that it is much easier to drag people down with you than to lift them up. In order for me to reset, I knew I had to get a better perspective.
Thus began my attempt to find a book that blurred the line between story and self-improvement. Because I had been struggling so much with my situation at work, and feeling insignificant, not impactful, almost worthless, and extremely unblessed, I found a book that is probably the most humbling story I’ve ever read. It’s titled The Things Our Fathers Saw—The Untold Stories of the World War II Generation From Hometown, USA-Volume I: Voices of the Pacific Theater.
‘Fifty Men to a Bucket of Rice’
October 28 to November 29, 1942
Marched to Camp I at Cabanatuan, a distance of six miles, which is the main prison camp here in the Philippines. Food is scarcer now than anytime so far. Fifty men to a bucket of rice! The living conditions here are much worse than at Camp III. This camp is located in the center of huge rice paddies with swampland all around us. The flies and mosquitoes are terrible. Two months ago they had a death rate which averaged 30 or more dying a day. Death rate has dropped somewhat, however we still have a death rate of 18 or more per day [out] of the 7,000 men who are packed here under these horrible conditions! Prisoner of War Route of Pvt. Joseph G. Minder in the Philippines,
May 1942-Oct 1944.
Drafted by Susan Winchell-Sweeney. Chief Anderson and several other men from my company died. Volunteered for burial detail and have been carrying out men and burying them for the past two weeks at the rate of 15 per day. The first day was rather tough, but I don’t mind it too bad now. The expression on some of their faces was horrifying at first, and not being embalmed, the smell was terrible, but I soon got used to it. Most of the men weigh less than 100 pounds when they die but occasionally we run into one which is bloated up with beriberi and weighs twice his normal weight. The cemetery that these boys are buried in and the improper conditions which these darn Japs force us to bury those boys is horrible. Thank God, the mothers of these poor boys can’t see any of these horrible sights.
November 30 to December 23, 1942
Things are beginning to look a little brighter around here now. The Japs have allowed the Filipinos to send us meat, mungo beans and various other food items. Rainy season is nearly over so we go from one barracks to another without walking in ankle deep mud. Above all, our death rate is about half from last month. My pellagra and scurvy is almost gone but my eyes are very weak, due to certain vitamins which this diet lacks.
December 24, 1942
Attended Midnight Mass outdoors. Our arrangement was very simple, but this Mass was more impressive to me than any Midnight Mass before in my life. The altar was constructed of rough boards, the best we could get, and was covered in white sheets. Colored bottles were cut off and candles placed in them, God only knows where they came from, served as lights for the altar. To make it more impressive and beautiful, it was an extremely clear night with the moon and stars shining down on us as we prayed and worshipped there in our simple but heart touching way. I’ll never forget Christmas Eve 1942 as long as I live.
December 25, 1942
Christmas Day! Although we can’t be home with our loved ones, we have plenty to be thankful for. This morning we all received a No. 10 package per man along with several other small gifts from the Philippine Red Cross. Much bulk food also came from the American Red Cross, which will be rationed out through the mess hall. But best of all, many new types of medicines came with the American Red Cross food. I know there were men today who offered prayers of thanks who probably never before in their life thought of thanking God for his wonderful blessings. This is the happiest day so far for most of us since the war began! Morale is sky high around here tonight.