JAPAN BAPTIST CONVENTION JBC Disaster Relief Committee Information

Bond of Prayer #26

A People who Serve the Land~
Extract from Seinan Gakuin Daigaku Theology Chapel
Ichiro Sudo Professor of Theology
On the preface that in the Bible, all things are said to be in relation to God and that nothing is created without God, what sort of relationship did Jesus envision for man, nature, and creation? We can look into Mathew 10:29b and Luke 12:6b for more insight. In the passage titled “Do Not Worry”, we see Jesus speaking the following words about the birds in the air.
Matt 10:29b “Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.”
Luke 12:6b “Yet not one of them is forgotten by God?”
These words depict God’s love that is also poured out to the creatures of the world. The passage in Matthew compared to that of Luke is far more difficult to understand, and it is the passage in Matthew that we find the original words of Jesus. The passage says that God is there, even for the one small bird as it falls to the ground. To man, a small bird is worthless and cheap, but to God, there is no such thing as a worthless creation. God stays beside even the smallest creatures until its death.
If this translation is true, then the following verses in Matt 10:31b and Luke 12:7b “you are worth more than many sparrows” do not follow the same logic. This is often times understood to mean that if something is true for the small bird, then it is more so for the greater man. This implies that man is greater than the little bird. This places man above creation. A similar thought is expressed in Matthew 6:26 and Luke 12:24 “Are you not much more valuable than they?” Even in this passage, with its title “Do Not Worry”, we see how a sparrow, that is worthless in man’s eyes, is subject to God’s love. This shows how the theory that man is greater than God’s other creations does not make sense. This shows how the passages added a human centric view to the words that Jesus spoke, altering the message that Jesus initially gave. If this is true, then Franceso, who was said to have preached to birds, was correct in understanding that God’s love is provided for both man and other creation, equally.
We, as people who read the words of creation from the Bible should choose not to be the “rulers of the land” but as “servants of the land.” We should take the words of Jesus and understand that God’s love is given out to all of creation. And it is in this understanding, that we should take part in tackling the issue of nuclear power.
The Radiation Levels of Churches, and Information about “Decontamination”
The Great East Japan Earthquake Aid Committee Team on the Nuclear Power Issues has continued to measure the radiation levels of churches and its facilities that are believed to have higher radiation levels after the nuclear power disaster. It has also worked to support the fees that are required in decontamination, and also monitor the change in radiation after decontamination. The financial support we provide go up to 500,000 yen per building. So far we have aided the decontamination of 7 churches. It has been over 3 years since the disaster, but there are still churches that have not applied for this program, and so we intend to call out to those churches that we have yet not reached. If there are any churches that are in need of this aid, please contact the Great East Japan Earthquake Aid Committee Team.
*The difficulty in the decontamination process is that it is impossible to stop the contamination due to radiation. The decontamination is carried out by decontamination companies, that often burry or cover with concrete, the contaminated material.

Koriyama Kosumosu Dori Christ Church, that is continuing decontamination

The Great East Japan Earthquake Aid Committee Team Report
Thanks to your support we have been able to carry out the following projects.
1. Donations for disaster struck areas.
Project Fees Year 2013 Total
General Donations(Domestic)+(International)19,203,606
Specified Donations (international) 3,252,795
Withdrawn from Reserve Funds 9,013,568
Total 31,469,969
Funds Carried Over from Previous Year 9,086,795
Disaster Aid Funds 40,556,764

2. Aid Work for Stricken Areas
Projects (items of expenditure)

1) Support for churches in stricken areas
Fukushima Asahimachi Church child education support (2,485,494),
Special health support for pastors in stricken areas (330,000)
Total 2,815,494 (A)
2) Support for church projects in stricken areas
Temporary housing aid provided by churches in stricken areas (4,408,100),
Maintenance of vehicle specified to aid work (2,306,205)
Total 6,714,305 (B)

3. Support for stricken areas by Tono VC
Electricity, heating, maintenance for Tono VC (2,428,035),
Volunteer travel for non North East Japan churches (1,222,884),
Activity fees for local aid worker (5,328,448), miscellaneous (16,904).
Total 8,996,271 (C)

4. Projects dealing with the nuclear power issues
Fukushima Asahimachi & Koriyama Kosumosu Dori Christ Church children
relief project (1,936,155),
Health Checkups due to radiation (152,406),
Radiation measuring and decontamination (1,339,713),
Housing support for evacuees from radiation (500,000),
Expenses for conference meetings (681,691)
Total 4,609,965 (D)

5. East Japan Team
International correspondence (237,429),
Expenses to hold Theology Forum2 (1,628,913),
Cooperation with other organizations (235,700),
Officer Personnel expenses (2,554,177),
Expenses for conference meetings (678,026)
Total 5,334,245 (E)

6. Office Correspondence Fees 407,810 (F)

Year 2013 Expenditure (A)+(B)+(C)+(D)+(E)+(F) 28,878,090
Funds carried over to 2014 11,678,674


Special Notice
•Closing of Tono Volunteer Center: 31 March 2014
•Finishing of mission work (Chikayo Kaneko): 31 March 2014
•2014 media work for Great East Japan Earthquake Aid
Tohoku News Letter published every odd month
Bond of Prayer published every even month

A Bond of Prayer #25

26th March 2014　Issue #25
Great East Japan Earthquake Support Team Newsletter
A Bond of Prayer

Prayer Requests
1. That the physical and emotional health of those who are still living as evacuees will be protected.
2. That the removal of the nuclear fuel rods, and the disposal of contaminated water will be carried out smoothly.

Recent News
March 11, 2014, Koriyama Cosmos Path Christ Church was able to have a tea party at the Midorigaoka 7-chome temporary housing complex. We have been visiting Midorigaoka since the August of 2011. In this housing complex there are 110 households, consisting of 180 people. They are evacuees from Tomioka, a city that is within the 5-10 km radius of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. We heard that one of the members that had always joined our monthly tea party had died a lonely death, just a few days before. Many of her neighbors carried the guilt and responsibility of not having noticed her death. There were also those that worried about perhaps having a similar fate. Many spoke of how, even after 3 years, nothing had changed, and how they were unsure of if they could ever return. They didn’t know what awaited them in the future. Many confessed of their emotional and physical fatigue and of the anger they held, that they could not resolve.
At 2:46 pm we had a moment of silence. Afterwards I spoke a few words, but I found myself unable to hold my tears in and unable to find the words to speak. In the evening we had a gathering in remembrance of the disaster. This year, the head of the women’s convention Aiai Project, Jyunko Hirukawa and a 4 person working team from Mejirogaoka church came to help us set up from the morning. I was reminded that the support work we have carried out for the past 3 years has not been a sole effort, but one that has been supported by churches around the nation through prayer, donations, and aid.

March 11, Midorigaoka Temporary Housing Complex Tea Pearty









2. Visit by Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF)
We have continued to receive generous amounts of donations from CBF. To determine if further aid is needed, 2 individuals from CBF visited Otsuchichyo Koriyama City during March 20-21. During the 20th to the 21st, Tono, Kamaishi, Otsuchi were covered with heavy snowfall. In some areas the snow was knee high. It was the worst snow we had seen in 25 years. However even within this stormy weather, the people of Kozuchi Fourth Temporary Housing welcomed us with a cooked lunch. Ms. N, who always cooks the lunch for us, said with tears in her eyes, “This year, March 11 was really hard for me. I could keep myself from crying. Maybe it was the toughest year yet.” These words by Ms. N, who usually always has a smile, and always makes others laugh, depicts the reality that these people live in. The past 3 years, it has been one hardship after another. For 3 years our hearts have been strained.
“When will you visit us next? We will be waiting for you…” The people in the temporary housing waved us goodbye all the way until the car was out of sight. This reminded me of “Macedonia’s cry”.
“Lord, please allow this aid to continue”. “Please use our convention”. Leaving the drive, I could not help but cry. It reminded me that even now, people are in need of aid. It reminded me of the challenge still ahead of us.

Great East Japan Earthquake Aid Committee Team on the Nuclear Power Plant Issues
Column 16　
“Those who Tend the Land”　
- October 28 2013 Message Summary from Theology Studies -
Seinan Gakuin University Professor of Theology Studies
Ichiro Sudo

Recently there is not one day when we go without hearing some news about the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and its contaminated water. During the IOC session, when Tokyo was chosen as the 2020 Olympic host, Prime minister Abe stated, “The situation is under control”. However the situation is far from being under control. There is still contaminated water leaking into the ground water and into the ocean. This is, along with the Chernobyl event, the worst environmental disaster in history. How are we, as Christians supposed to face these issues?
1967, Lynn White Jr. wrote an article in “Science” magazine called “The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis”. He argues that at the root of the environmentally destructive scientific revolution is Christianity and it’s anthropocentric understanding of nature. He stated that way out of the ecological crisis in not the evolution of science and technology. We must condemn the concept that “no item in the physical creation [has] any purpose save to serve man's purposes” and “rethink and refeel our nature and destiny”. White brought about a great question for Christian Theologists. However he is a specialist in the history of Medieval Europe’s agricultural technology, and his interpretation of the Bible may be limited. Therefore it is necessary to critically reconsider his thesis.
Genesis 1:28, which White uses as the basis of his argument, does definitely say that man subdue the earth. However In Genesis 2:5 and 15, is tells man to “work” and “take care” of the earth.

Man Subdues Earth

Man Takes care of Earth

In the background of Genesis 1:26-28 is the imperialist ideology that said the king was god, and that he ruled over all the people. However, democracy states that all man is god and this has made man anthropocentric. To this, the Bible talks of how Adam was made out of the earth, and that he is to protect the land. It tells us that God created man and nature, and that we are, together, supposed to face God. The Bible gives us these seemingly opposite messages about how we are to live in the world. It is our choice to decide which to follow.

2013 Fundraising Target Amount (General Donations): 20,000000Yen

15,110,000yen (2,250,000yen from over seas)
Another 4,890,000Yen needed

*We have also received 3,250,000 Yen as specified donations, which has not been included in the total above.

Please continue to donate for the aid work in the devastated areas.
00140-9-180881
Religious Institution Japan Baptist Convention General Affairs Division

A Bond of Prayer #24

Prayer Requests
1. That the removal of the fuel rods from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant will be carried with no troubles
2. That the health of those working in the cleanup will be protected
3. That the physical and emotional health of the people living in temporary housing will be protected, and that they will find a new place to live.
4. That the churches serving in the local areas of snowy Tohoku will be protected.

1. Tono Volunteer Center
From the 23rd to the 19th of November, this year’s last team from Seinan Gakuin (13 people) came to Tono. During their visit, there were times when it would snow, and the stove that we provided for each room was probably not enough to keep the students from Kyushu warm. They volunteered at 6 temporary housing estates in 3 days. They worked from early morning till late afternoon. They helped in making Christmas wreathes, pancakes, and owl shaped scissor holders.








Pancake making

The students, for the first time, visited places such as Otsuchicho town hall and Kamaishishi disaster prevention center, where many people lost their lives. The students lost their words and shed tears as they read the letters that were left at the memorial sites. After this they visited Shiroyama Park where they could see all of Otsuchicho. However once we arrived at the temporary housing estate they forced on smiles. They worked really hard for those 3 days. The team this time was a little different from the rest. Many of them were slow paced and never rushed. There were even times when the students would not let go of the hands of the residents they met. I often had to rush them off saying, “It’s time to go!” But the residents that held the students hands shared smiles and tears and thanked the students. They would always wave their arms goodbye. When seeing this, I was reminded of the most important point of “living beside” someone. That is to lend an ear, and to open your heart.

Owl Shaped Scissor Holder


Christmas Wreathe



2. Otsuchicho
In Otsuchicho you can see mounds of dirt being piled everywhere. Due to the earthquake the whole city has sunken 1.5m and it is necessary to raise the ground by 2.2m. Akahama plans to deposit 6m worth of dirt. The plan is to reclaim the sunken ground by adding dirt to the sunken areas. Otsuchicho’s ward development project estimates that the amount of dirt needed for the ward will be 860,000m3. There is not enough dirt for this project, and the backyard of the Otsuchicho Junior High School contains 7 times the allowed amount of toxic substances. This requires the soil of the school to be swapped, making the completion of the reconstruction to be 8months later than first planned. Please remember and pray for those who must live in the cold temporary housing estates. They must live, still uncertain of when life will be restored again.

3. The Last Aid of 2013
From December 17th to 19th, we planned a Christmas party. This was our last aid activity this year. We had 7 volunteers from Yamagata Church, and 2 volunteers from Yokohama JOY church. The 2 from Yokohama JOY provided us with 3 big wreathes, and Yamagata church provided us with cookies and hand made hand cream. We distributed the cookies and hand cream with all the Hokkairo that were sent to us from ministry centers and churches all over Japan. We were able to hold a Christmas message at 3 estates, Ostuchi estate #4, Kozuchi estate #4 and #7. We were also able to sing hymns with the residents, and we were all filled with joy. It is the third winter after the devastation. Through the continual prayer of all the churches around Japan, and the continued volunteer work, the wall between the people in the estates, and Christianity is slowly being taken down. Thank you very much. Tono Volunteer Center will pause aid work for January and February because of needed constructions such as water works.





Great East Japan Earthquake Aid Committee Team on the Nuclear Power Plant Issues
Column 15
This New Years, a relative came to visit us from Brazil, and we were able to have a great gathering and fellowship. My 77year old grandfather migrated to Brazil about 50 years ago. After continued hard work, he was able to build a life for himself. Now his children have set their roots in Brazil, in the land that he acquired. I love my grandfather. Before the war, he moved to Manchuria. After losing the war my wife’s grandparents and their family fled back, only to find that their home, Amami, had become occupied by the US forces. They therefore had to settle in Ebi, in Miyazaki Prefecutre. Just as they had started settling down, the cultivated land was forcefully taken by the Japanese self-defense force to be made into a training ground. At that time the recommended “dream like policy” was to migrate.
However once my grandfather moved to Brazil, what awaited him was wasteland and harsh slave like labor. My grandfather said that the state sent out its citizens without providing any support after they left. This is a history of abandonment. The Japanese state has, since the Meiji period, continued to create this history of abandonment over and over again. And each time it has been in the name of “national policy”. The nuclear power policy has also been called a “dream like policy.” I have heard many national and prefectural governors talk about this “national policy”. However for whom and for what is this “policy”? We think about the Fukushima accident and the damage it caused to the nature, the animals, the ocean and the land. We think of the devastation that we must live with for tens of years to come, and the unwillingness of the power companies and the state to truly come to terms with the gravity of the devastation. We see how there is lack in the effort to compensate the damage. When we think about all of this, we are once again reminded of the word, “abandoned”. It makes us think of what it is that we must truly be looking toward.
“I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, ‘I have a dream! I have a dream!’” (Jeremiah 23:25)

2013 Fundraising Target Amount (General Donations): 20,000000Yen

12,170,000yen (2,250,000yen from over seas)
Another 7,830,000Yen needed

*We have also received 3,250,000 Yen as specified donations, which has not been included in the total above.
Please continue to donate for the aid work in the devastated areas.
00140-9-180881
Religious Institution Japan Baptist Convention General Affairs Division

A Bond of Prayer #23

Prayer Requests
1. That the removal of the fuel rods from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant will be carried out with no troubles
2. That the problem of dealing with the contaminated water will be solved
3. That the health of the children in Fukushima will be protected
4. That the health of the people living in temporary housing will protected

１．Tono Volunteer Center
Since August we have had students from Seinan Gakuin University volunteering twice a month in groups of 13. In August we also had volunteers from Kyoto Church who helped in weeding and in running the tea cafes. Furthermore in October we had two ladies from Meinohama Church and a group of theology students and teachers from Thailand who were lead by Ryuko Hidaka, our former missionary to Thailand(currently a pastor as Hiraoka Joyful Chapel). They seemed surprised at how cold it was in Tono. The volunteer work was carried out with the residents from Otuchichou and Kozuchi temporary housing. Because of the language barrier, we were initially slightly worried about how things would turn out, but there was no need. We were able to hear the local residents calling out “Khaawp khoon kah”(thank you) and “Sawatdeekah” (hello). We were able to see the smiles of the volunteers and the residents. The group from Thailand were taught how to count in Japanese by the residents of Kozuchi. The group from Thailand were able to chant the numbers and take part in stretching exercises together with the local residents. I was encouraged to see that with the strength of smiles and a willingness to help, people can communicate despite language barriers. When it was time for the Thailand group to leave, the residents of the temporary housings sent them off shouting “Khaawp khoon kah” and waving their hands goodbye. I could not help but shed a few tears. After seeing the hard work of the theology students from Thailand and seeing them head off to Amagi to join the Japan Baptist Women’s Union Assembly, I truly felt that though we have different nationalities, we are all one in God’s family. I was also filled with thanks that once they go back to Thailand, they will be telling the people at home about the current circumstances of the disaster.
Seminary Students from Thailand with church members from Meinohama Church


Volunteers from Seinan Gakuin University

During the 59th Regular General Meeting held in Amagi Sansou from the 13th ~15th of November we sold the hand made crafts made by the residents of Otuchichou and Kozuchi area, and the residents of Nodamura temporary housing. Thank you for supporting us in this. The wool and cloth that have been sent from all over Japan has been a great support both materially and emotionally.
It is being said that after the decision to hold the Tokyo Olympics, the prices of cement and metals have gone up. Also, many carpenters have left for the constructions for the Olympics and it is becoming difficult to find willing contractors. Furthermore, the aid from Otuchichou Office is to size down in 2014. This brings about problems such as having to find someone who will patrol for the people in the temporary housings.
From the 19th of November we will have our last group of visitation volunteers from Seinan Gakuin University. Tono is now winter and we have already had some snowy days. We ask for continued prayer. The aid work for Tono will be taking a new shape in 2014, and will be done once a month. The details of this will be informed at a later date.
Volunteers from Kyoto Church

2. Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant
On the 18th of November, the removal of nuclear fuel from the Unit 4 Pool is to begin. In this pool there are 3 damaged fuel rods, and along with this there are 70 damaged rods in the Unit 1 Pool, 3 in Unit 4, 3 in Unit 2, and 4 in Unit 3, making a total of 80 damaged fuel rods. TEPCO have said that they are considering methods such as manufacturing new transport vessel for these removed rods. It is said that to remove all the fuel rods, it will take at minimum 10years, so please continue to pray that some how all of these rods will be removed safely. The problem of the contaminated water, and the challenge of decontaminating a wide expanse of land still remain. In Fukushima, even 2 years and 7months after the earthquake people are unable to hang out their washing or their futons outside. Even small problems such as these can build up to great stress. Please pray for the health of the people living in Fukushima and also that the radiation level will decrease so that people can face a day when they can live without worry.



Removal of the fuel rods

Field Administrator Chikayo Kaneko

Great East Japan Earthquake Aid Committee Team on the Nuclear Power Plant Issues
Column 14 “The Removal of Spent Nuclear Fuel from Unit 4”
The TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident is an extremely serious issue. The building of the Unit 4 spent fuel storage pool was greatly damaged due to its explosion. The pool is placed approx. 30 meters above ground and there is a fear that this could collapse if there is a big earthquake. It was reported that the removal of the 1533 bodies of fuel could start from as early as the 8th of November, but this process itself is fraught with danger. (The actual process started on the 18th of November.) Within these 1544 bodies of fuel, there are 1331 bodies that contain spent fuel and 202 that have not been spent. The toxicity of these 202 rods are is extremely high. Harvey Wasserman, a famous anti-nuclear activist stated that the fuel rods (over 400tons) found in the unit 4 pool has a radio activity that is 15,000 times higher than that of Hiroshima.
TEPCO are planning to place a crane at a height of 5 stories. This crane is to place a metal container weighing up to 100 tons into the pool to collect 22 bodies of fuel. This is then lowered to the ground where it will be transported to another pool where it will be stored. Because of the explosion, it is not clearly known what state these bodies of fuels are in. Furthermore, if the containers used to carry the fuel were to be damaged during transportation, the spent fuels are in danger of being exposed to the open air. This would lead to further contamination. Let us keep our eyes on this process and pray that there will be no further damage. Also, let us keep in mind and pray for the works who must work under unknown circumstances.
Team on the Nuclear Power Plant Issues

Requests Concerning the Removal of the Fuel Rods from TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant Unit 4
From November 18th the operation of removing the fuel rods has started. This is an unprecedented operation and there are fears to how safe this operation actually is. We have received emails of prayer from Baptist World Aid, and there is much attention being put on this operation. We pray from our hearts that there will be no more accidents. It is said that if there is an accident, there will have to be an evacuation of the surrounding 250kilometers, which would include the evacuation of the people in Tokyo. In the churches in Fukushima, there is constant planning for smooth evacuation. This sort of awareness is needed not only in Fukushima but for further surrounding areas as well.
If evacuation becomes a necessity we call on churches and ministry centers to ready to accept those who have had to evacuate. Through this it will be possible for people that have to evacuate from their churches and ministry centers to first evacuate into another church or ministry center. This is one important way that churches can take part in cooperative evangelism. We continue to pray to the God of Peace.
Team on the Nuclear Power Plant Issues
Michio Hamano

9,450,000 yen (2,040,000 yen from overseas)
Another 10,055,000 yen needed

2013 Fundraising Target Amount (General Donations): 20,000,000 yen

*We have also received 3,250,000 yen in designated donations, which is not included in the total above.
Where the Donations Go
•Support for churches in the disaster areas (3,000,000 yen)
Support for the education of children in Fukushima
Support for local pastors involved in local aid work
•Support for church projects in the disaster areas (10,840,000 yen)
Providing maintenance costs for vehicles used in local aid work
Providing financial support for the relief work carried out by churches in disaster areas
•Support for the Tono Volunteer Center (9,070,000 yen)
Support for the Tono Volunteer Center projects
Maintenance of the Volunteer Center
•Projects related to nuclear power plant issues (6,000,000 yen)
Support for recreational projects for radiation-exposed children
Support for the relocation of residents to lower radiation areas
Support for decontamination
•Committee functions (4,500,000 yen)
Funds for holding Theological Forums
Costs of communication with other international organizations
Management fees for the East Japan Committee
•OtherFunds needed for “Bonds of Prayer,” leaflets, reports, blogs, etc.
Please continue to donate to relief work in the disaster areas.
00140-9-180881

A Litany in Remenberance of the 3.11 Disasters

Dear brothers and sisters around the World,

Greeting in the Name of Jesus Christ,

We reliese a Litany in Remenberance of the 3.11 Great Eastern Japan Disasters.
Thank you for your sincere prayer.

Makoto Kato
Exective Secretary
Japan Baptist Convention

⇒　A Prayer of Responsive Reading (Litany)
In Remembrance of the 3.11 Great Eastern Japan Disasters A Litany based on the Sermon on the Mount of Jesus Christ, from the 5th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew

Written by Rev. Kano Yoshitaka, Kurigasawa Baptist Church (Japan Baptist Convention)
Translated by Nicholas and Ai Akers, Tarami Christ Church (Japan Baptist Convention)

What is God Doing Now? ~ from Fukuoka, after March 11th ~

On My Visit to the Disaster Areas
What is God Doing Now? ~ from Fukuoka, after March 11th ~
Marina Matsufuji, Fukuoka Seibu Baptist Church

“What’s God doing now?” “Hey, where is God?”
“I am not God, so I cannot answer that. Only God knows the truth. But I believe that God is with the lives of many.”
“God knows everything? Why does He do such sad things?”

These are the voices of Fukuoka children. As I listened to them, I began to desire to stand there on my own legs and see it with my own eyes, the current situation of the disaster areas that I had seen on TV and in newspaper photos. I’ve always thought, “It would do no good for a powerless person like me to visit the disaster areas,” and blamed myself for being unable to do anything, but I felt a push on my back as people who had been there said, “You don’t need to do anything. Just go and see.” So I headed for Tohoku.

JBC: First Young Adult Volunteer Team (Tono 8/2–6)

Tono City, of Iwate Prefecture, as depicted in the “Tales of Tono,” is well known for being rich with nature, quiet and beautiful. But there are now many groups and individuals in this place. Because Tono is located in an inland area, the city stepped up soon after the disaster struck on March 11th, volunteering itself as a backup support base for the coastal areas. The JBC rented a former JA building from August, and opened up the Tono Volunteer Center. One of the first results was the gathering of a team of 11 volunteers, respondents to applications sent out across Japan as part of the JBC’s Young Adult Training Program. For the first two days, the team did volunteer activities through “Magokoro Net.” On the third day, the team distributed hot meals and set up a café at a shelter, organized mainly by Morioka Church.
As they cleaned up debris in Otsuchi-Cho and Rikuzen Takata City, they found a Hello Kitty pen, and some clothes that had turned jet black in the sludge-smelling mud. One young person remarked, “this soil’s full of blood,” but I cannot help but think of the many lives behind this. At a shelter, an elderly woman was sharing the names of her deceased family members with a young person. We came to feel the weight of life – different from the mere numbers that we hear on the news.
The young people’s faces were truly changed after spending 5 days together in the disaster area. Those faces tell me that they sincerely desire answers to questions like “How do we best use the lives we have been given by God?” and “How do we serve?” Also, 9 people from Kyoto, Kitayama, and Urawa Churches, and 3 sent by the Fukuoka Area Association slept and ate and worked together with us. The director of this Volunteer Center, Vice President Chikayo Kaneko sent them out each morning with a reading from the Bible, and lead a sharing time each evening. We spent those 5 days with encouragement from the Bible; we were directed in our paths as Christians. And we were encouraged richly by witnessing the warm help and work of Reverends Masato and Ayako Osuga of Morioka Church. We would like to continue thinking with young adults about how churches live, and what kind of churches we should aim for as we continue working together for disaster relief. And I strongly expect that the kind of bonding born in Tohoku will become an underlying power in our churches throughout Japan.

– Yasuaki Fukunaga, Sagami Chuo Church –

Report from a Visit to Nodamura Temporary Housing Units, by Rev. Fukuda

Tuesday, August 9th – Hakodate Mihara Church visited 2 temporary housing units in Nodamura.

Monday, August 8th – In the evening, we worshipped together with members of Same Church in Hachinohe and had a meeting. On Tuesday the 9th, first we first visited the temporary housing units (110 households) at Noda Middle School in Nodamura, and then we visited temporary housing units (about 30 households) at Farmers’ Park in the Izumisawa area and visited individual rooms, providing snow cones, iced coffee, cookies, etc.

It was an extremely hot day, so we provided about 150 snow cones, and served 30 cups of iced coffee. We were able to take time to talk with some of the residents, and connections made there will help with future activities.

On this occasion, Rev. Masayoshi Fukuda of Hakodate Mihara Church and 6 church members, Rev. Takashi Saito of Muroran Church and 2 church members, and Rev. Kenichi Hayashi of Same Church, totaling 11 people, participated.

Nodamura is a village located in the northern coastal area of Iwate Prefecture with a population of 5,000. It is about 1.5 hours from Hachinohe. The northern coastal area is made up of many small villages, and the tsunami damage is as serious there as in other areas. However, this area is not very often featured in broadcasts. My hope is to be able to continue to combine our efforts with nearby churches in these areas, though our work may be small.

The Volunteer Situation

1. Concerning goods-collecting and transportation volunteers
This work is almost completed. However, we will try to continue to meet needs as requests are made.


2. Concerning food distribution volunteers
We continue to provide hot meals in shelters on the Oshika Peninsula of Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, and in Ohtsuki Machi in Iwate Prefecture. Our plan is to continue this project until the beginning of August, when temporary houses will be completed.

3. Concerning mud-removing, sorting out, and cleaning volunteers
We did some of this volunteer work in Oshika Peninsula, Miyagi Prefecture, but due to the heavy damage in the area there are not many houses there that are likely to be reused, so we have stopped for the time being. We will try to find other areas where this type of work is needed, and we will send more volunteers.
In addition, the disaster relief headquarters secured a volunteer base (in which 30 people can be accommodated) in Tōno City, Iwate Prefecture. Repair work has begun and it should be ready for use by mid July. We will be involved in this type of relief work in tsunami stricken areas along the Sanriku coastline through the Tōno City volunteer network.
We will begin taking volunteers by mid July.

4. Concerning childcare volunteers
Kōriyama Cosmos Street Church in Fukushima has started caring for children living in shelters. They help the children with their studies, and provide snacks for them to enjoy.

Also, when we distribute hot meals, volunteers are needed to play with these children as well.

5. Concerning other volunteers

In addition, volunteers are needed for the work listed below:

☆ Repair work for the Tōno volunteer base
Repair work for the Tōno volunteer base will be carried out between late June and early July. It will require some painting and cleaning.

☆ Sorting out and organizing emergency rescue supplies
Volunteers are needed to sort out the massive amounts of support supplies that are taking up a great deal of space in shelters.

Update concerning food distribution in Ohtsuchi Machi on Saturday, June 11th

Rev. Osuga of Morioka Church has been in contact with a shelter at Ando Elementary School in Ohstuchi Machi, Iwate Prefecture, and as a result, we provided hot meals there for the first time on June 11th.

We grilled about 400 sanma (mackerel pikes), provided vegetable soup and seasoned daikon radishes. Also, since the 11th marked exactly three months since the disaster, we brought about 200 fresh flowers to the refugees, which they then displayed in various places throughout the shelter.



We left the four fish grills (propane type) with them for their daily use, in response to a request to that effect.
The Aomori/Iwate team, based in Morioka Church, will continue their support work for the stricken areas in Iwate Prefecture with the strong support of the Hokkaido Area Association.