Japanniversary week: Reflections on the March 11th Disasters

In honor of nearly 1 year in Japan, we are blogging all week, and hosting a contest for prizes. Click here to enter the contest, or leave a comment below to be entered for a prize.

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When we arrived in Japan last January, we had no idea what would be in store for the country 5 weeks later.

The triple disasters of March 11th were shocking to say the least. The country was thrown for a loop, with people scrambling to make sense of what had happened, and eventually to put the pieces back together.

Here in Hokkaido, we have been relatively unaffected. Other than the initial earthquake (and a few days worth of aftershocks) we haven't personally experienced what many have lived with as a reality since March 11th. Those living in the main island dealt with MONTHS of aftershocks; those living in Tohoku have been slowly rebuilding.

Although we haven't personally been able to go to Tohoku to help the rebuilding process, we are connected with many who are. Last spring, I provided you with links to many who are in the trenches in Tohoku, sharing God's love in tangible ways.

Today, I'd like to leave you with a link to the Asian Access Blog Center. There you can find articles written by leaders, missionaries, and pastors about what is currently going on in Tohoku.

2 months since the 'quake

Today marks 2 months since the great Tohoku quake.

March 11th will live forever in the minds of Japanese, especially those who have been directly affected by the tsunami that followed.

Last week, 8 people from our church went to Tohoku to take food and serve in any way they could. Together with 12 other people from the Hokkaido Christian Ministry Network (Hokkumin), they prepared meals, cleaned out peoples mud filled homes, and listened to people's stories.

When the students shared their experiences last Sunday, one theme kept emerging.

"There is still so much to be done!"

Progress has been made. The roads are reopening for non-emergency vehicles. Debris has been removed from some areas. Gasoline is no longer being rationed and hoarded. Yet, as one student commented, "it looks like the Tsunami just happened."

It will take time for Tohoku residents to go back to life as usual. One of the concerns, as reported by a church member, is that people will forget about what is still a reality for those living in the tsuamni affected area.

I am glad that our church as plans to return to the same area. I hope those they are serving will see Christ in them.

3rd Person P.O.V.

I haven't been posting nearly as much as I would like. ( I know, that is always my lament)

With the Earthquke & Tsunami, and now the relief efforts, I feel that I have no new information to give to the conversation. When I get a free minute, I am reading blogs of other missionaries, on the island of Honshu (where the "action" is happening), as well as news articles and I feel that all I can do is repost what they have already so eloquently said.

Here on Hokkaido (The Northern most island), life for the most part is as normal as it has been. There are people here who are trying to find family members, and there are small teams from various churches heading into the disaster zones to give relief, but for the most part life is normal. We are not suffering from lack of food or heat; we are not homeless; we are not fearing radiation; we are not having rolling blackouts to conserve energy.

That being said, there is A LOT going on in Japan right now.

A team from our mission is currently in Sendai, setting up base camps for relief work to be done, and distributing (90 tons of) supplies donated from Samaritan's Purse.

Our Tokyo missionaries are partnering with CRASH Japan, to help register volunteers. Once the main flood of relief from abroad is out of the spot light, organizations like CRASH will keep working in the shadows, making sure the devastated are being cared for with Christ's love.

Next week, our pastor and 3-4 college guys, are heading into Sendai to work with food for the hungry. Pastor Kaji has connections in Sendai through his denomination, and has been talking about going down to help them as soon as the tsunami hit.

Because, the best I can give you is a 3rd person point of view, here are some links to people far more informed than I.

The Asian Access Blog. This is updated frequently with articles from all of our missionaries and leadership. It's a great place to find out what is happening in Japan.

The Blog of one missionary family near Osaka. The Husband is on the team of our missionaries delivering aid to Sendai and preparing base camps.

The Blog of another missionary family near Tokyo. The Wife is volunteering with CRASH, and the family has connections to the Tsunami affected area.

CRASH Japan is the relief organization Asian Access is partnering with to distribute aid.

Food For the Hungry is the organization our Church in Sapporo is working with when they head to Sendai on Monday.

reflections on the Tsunami

Since the first earthquake on Friday, and the follow tsunami, I have been struggling to process the events. We've been getting many e-mails and facebook messages from concerned friends and family. I am so grateful to have so many people praying and checking in with us. My first job was to make sure everyone knew we were alive. Since that has been established, and we are finally back home, I feel I can finally process "out loud" as it were.

At first, when the earth quake struck, I thought it was a joke. I knew it was a real earthquake of course, but I thought it was fun and novel. Even though I am from California, I have never really felt an earthquake.

Then, it just kept going.

Then, it got stronger.

Yet, there was no damage done to our group, or the buildings.

It wasn't until we gathered around the news channel that the realness hit me. Reports of Tsunami, images of people gathered on roof-tops waving towels, cars floating down the road followed by fishing boats. This was major. Something had begun in Japan.

Our mission family, was glued to the news, watching the footage and praying for physical & spiritual rescue.

That next morning, at 4:02AM, we experienced another quake, this time from Nagano, the very same prefecture we were in.

I am not sure hoe many aftershocks there were that morning. I am sure my mind invented a few of them. Between the aftershocks and anxiety, I couldn't fall back asleep. My mind was racing with a thousand senarios all involving fleeing the building.

where were my socks, and shoes; could I get my shoes on fast enough to escape if there was another quake or should I run out into the snow barefoot; where was my jacket; should I get up and pack a bag; where's my waterbottle......

In my anxiety, I heard God say, "Put on your socks."

(Me) "What? Why? How would that even help?"

"If your socks are on, it will be easier to get your shoes on if you need to escape. If your socks are on, you can rest."

It seemed odd, but I grabbed my socks, put them on, and fell asleep within seconds.

God knew I would be safe, that the building would not fall, but that I needed something tangable to set my worries aside.

I've been reflecting on Psalm 46:1-3 these past few days.

God is our refuge and strength

an ever present help in trouble;

therefore, we will not fear,

though the earth give way

and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam

and the mountains quake with their surging.

Selah (pause and consider)"

Although there is much turmoil here; God is our refuge, strength, and help.

There is much to be done here: much prayer, much labor. Yet, God is our refuge, strength, and help.

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If you are interested in giving to the relief work to be done, Asian Access is collecting funds to be used in the relief efforts for Japan, directing them through our local network of churches in the affected area where we have had ongoing relationships.

CRASH is also collecting donations.

We encourage you to give through one of these organizations, because we know the funds will be used to directly impact the lives of the Japanese people, through the local churches in Tohoku.