Its mind-boggling, this catastrophe in Japan. Massive earthquake, then powerful tsunami, then nuclear meltdowns, then volcanic activity . . . its like a Godzilla movie come to life! Its tragic beyond the scope of my imagnation because nothing on this scale has every happened in my life-time.
During my time in Japan some years ago, one of the things that struck me was how very similar to me where the Japanese. They were like me. I didnt feel like a foreigner in Japan. And I met people doing fresh expressions [we used to call it 'emerging church'] of church that were inspirational to us in other countries. In fact, a few days ago in Christchurch meeting, I told Christchurch house church leaders the story of what young Japanese were doing with their "house parties" and they were amazed.
One of my Japanese friends is Mika who asked for prayer on this blog when the earthquake happened. I have an update from her.
Hi, Andrew ...
Our friends from church (Luke Cummings, Joey Millard, Hiroyuki Kosaka) left for Sendai (Tohoku Area near earthquake center), yesterday with some goods,on a trolley, right after getting the permission from the local administration in Tohoku. (roads are closed, you need official permission papers to go through.) Luke's paretns are in Sendai, and found their parents safe.There are [part of] an org called CRASH TOHOKU QUAKE RELIEF. Our church, Osaka house church and some other churches are getting involved. This organization started to send some teams for start up research, and [are] planning to send volunteers from next week. Dai Fukuda told me that you can read their meeting memo on facebook. (You remember Dai Fukuda, dont you?)Dai told me that, Osaka house church network, invited Crash for workshop about a week before this earth quake, because they took the prophesy seriously, the prophesy that japan would be hit by a [h]uge earthquake. So, this time, Osaka house church will be involved in this org.As I heard from friends around, churches are trying to respond, rather individually, but I m not really sure how it will be from now. NGOs, NPOs, and many individuals are trying to do something, and I recieved lots of mails about those things. At the same time, there are [fake] fund-raising, spam mailing all around...Well, then, as for your kind suggestion about which org or activity people can donate For now, I have no specific org or activities to suggest, just because there are so many, and at this stage of disaster, it is not really clear which org will do what and where they do that.I will update, as stuation proceeds, and as I got more useful info.Tokyo area got influenced by this earthquake, rather in panic because of breakdown of infrastructure system, fear of next earthquake, tragedy in Tohoku. But we are trying to get economy/business runnning. (I m going back to work for now...)Thanks for your prayers!!Mika Goto
