Relief Updates
ENJ アップデート Update 6/15
It doesn’t seem like it, but it’s only been 3 months since the earthquake, tsunami and reactor meltdown devastated the north eastern shores of Japan. Many people I’ve talked to tell me that time has lost its calibration. In a matter of days we’ve witnessed and experienced what most would never see in a life time. So a weeks seems like months now.
We visited 3 areas of Tohoku. Ishinomaki, Minamisanriku and Rikuzen Takata.
Most of us have seen a lot of photos and video of Ishinomaki. Its probably the most photographed, videoed and talk about places in Tohoku. Which is one of the reasons why the city has been cleaned up so quickly. I want to clarify that it has only been cleaned up and not rebuilt. The aftermath and debris have been cleared but the area is still inhabitable. More on that later.
When we arrived in Ishinomaki town we were immediately astonished by the level of clean up that took place on the outskirts of the town. This was mostly water damage (not as destructive as the force of the tsunami but major damage and mud was everywhere 3 months ago. Now it was hard to tell there was major damage.
As we traveled down the main street it was so amazing. But if you looked closer, only a handful of stores were able to re-open. We saw portable 7-11′s. They parked a van in an empty lot and threw up a 7-11 sign.
We met up with Brock Kreitzberg of Samaritan’s Purse. He’s the onsite manager working in Ishinomaki. Great guy and I would love it if we could work together in Aug. He told us the clean up teams are evolving. They went from cleaning gutters and removing debris from yards to cleaning and gutting houses. We learned from Brock that even if the house is still standing and structurally safe, all the floors and walls have to be removed, then washed down with bleach to prevent mold from growing in the water soaked wood. Even the underneath the house has to be cleaned to stop the profoundly smelly mud from invading the neighborhood. Pastor Ted called it “seafood mud”. I would add “Rotten, Seafood Mud”. It’s everywhere…
Next we traveled north through Minamisanriku on our way to Rikuzen Takata to see Pastor Kawamata’s friend who lost his house and car in the Tsunami. He’s been living in a shelter with his 4 children for the last 3 months. Recently he was moved into temporary (pre-hab) housing. Through the Donations coming in from Every Nation and locally here in Japan we were able to replace his car, laptop and even provide jerseys for his daughters volleyball team. They all seemed very happy and grateful to see us, but I can’t imagine what its like to live in a gym with 120 others only separated by chest-high cardboard as many of them still are.
The next day we headed over to meet pastor Dean Bengston… A local Presbyterian pastor from Sendai. Pastor Steve Murrel would relate to Dean. He came to Japan 20 years ago on a 3 month mission… I don’t think he’ll leave any time soon.
He is also working with Samaritan’s Purse. Looks like he kind of fell into the foreman’s role there too. Both Dean and Brock told us that volunteers are getting fewer and fewer. They need bodies and they also could use some skilled labors as well. basic carpentry, heavy machine operators… people who know how to pull of wall coverings and flooring.
So here’s my observations in a nut shell.
• A lot of work has been done, but so much remains to be done.
• The initial push of volunteers has greatly fallen off
• Lots of bodies can be utilized (everyone can do something there) but some skilled workers are needed to help supervise and oversee.
• The further north you go, you see that not much has been done to clear debris.
• Christians have a great witness in the affected areas. Pastor Dean told us, the relationships he has built in 7 weeks would have taken him years to develop in a normal church planting situation.
Teams sent up so far…
As of July 2nd we have sent up 14 trucks loads of relief goods (we are still going thanks to Pastor Rick Justus and the members of Living Water Fellowship Shimada and surrounding community who continue to generously give towards the relief efforts in Tohoku.
4 work teams, 2 scouting trips and a ton of prayer and finances have been sent to the people of Tohoku.
This Summer…
Starting in August we will be sending work team to Tohoku. if you are interested please let me know.
PJ
新エブリネイションビデオレポート Every Nation Video Report
This is a very good video report on the crisis in Japan. Well produced and capsulizes our efforts so far.
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I was asked by the Manila staff to send in my footage and photos so they could produce a report for the churches in the Philippines. I knew the production would be great but I had no idea that my name would be mentioned so prominently.
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Honestly it was pastor EN Rick Justice of Living Water Fellowship that really started this whole process of relief response. Thank you pastor Rick!
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Our response was an church family response. The pastors and members of our ENJ churches together responded with great compassion and determination and continue to do so.
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Thank you everyone for praying, giving, sending loved ones, driving and sacrificing to meet the needs of the people of Sendai.
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PJ
ENJ アップデート Update 4/2
ENJのみなさんへ
私達は先日、「CRASH」（クラッシュ）という地域教会が土台となっている救援活動グループのミーティングに参加しました。このグループは日本で始められた活動です。
ENJエブリネイションジャパンは2日午後4時ごろ6回目のチームを仙台に送り出しました。メンバーは横須賀グレースバイブルチャーチのジマーさん、岩上さん、ジェームスマーサー君です。
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今回のチームはまず永井先生の教会に行き、救援物資の一部と灯油を渡しました。永井先生の教会に一泊し、次の日は女川に行きました。ここでは必要な物がたくさんありましたが物資を渡すことができました。どうか続けて仙台の人々のためにもお祈りください。
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ENJアップデート：現在までに16トンの物資を5つのトラックで送りました。また牧師たちも車で現地に行くことができました。
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旅程：現地までの道は許可証なしで通れるようになりました。警察署に許可証を求めても与えてくれないでしょう。もし、個人的に東北地方に行かれる場合、または皆さんの教会でチームとして行かれる場合は是非、どこに誰といつ行くのかを知らせて頂ければと思います。そうすることでENJ教会の状況を確認することができます。
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次に必要なこと：支援活動も新しい側面に入っているように見えます。今後は食べ物や水などから自転車や日常的に必要な家電製品などが必要となってくるでしょう。私達は次に何を持って行くべきか、まだ具体的には分かりませんが、私達にできることで人々の必要に応えたいと思っています。
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チーム派遣：現在、たくさんのボランティアが仙台にいますが、何もすることが無い状況です。彼らの多くはボランティアにするべき仕事を与える団体とつながっていないためです。ENJではチームを送り効果的に働くことのできる可能性のある場所を調べています。そのような場所が決まりましたら皆さんに追って連絡します。
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ジェームス牧師より
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Attended the CRASH meeting last night. They are a local churched base relief group. Looks like it started right here in Japan (I think). You’ll here more about CRASH after I download with P Scott.
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ENJ Team 6 left this afternoon around 4 pm. Mr Zimmer, Iwagami san, and James (the younger) of Yokosuka Grace Bible Church.
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The team will spend the night at pastor Nagai’s place. Then they’ll drop off some supplies and kerosene there. The next morning they will head to Onagawa in Miyagi Ken to droop off their supplies
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ENJ Update: So far we have sent out 7 trucks with 16 tons of supplies and 1 van full of pastors.
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Traveling: The roads are open now so there is no need to get any special passes. In fact the police stations will not give you even if you ask. If you want to go up on your own to see for yourself or your leadership teams, please let me know so we can keep track of who’s going to and to where.
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What next: It looks like we are heading into a new phase. As the need for necessities like food and water come to and end, they’re saying that the people will need things like bicycles and small appliances… We really don’t know exactly what the next phase will bring. But we will respond to the needs that we can meet
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When can we send in teams? Right now in Sendai there are a lot of volunteers that have nothing to because they aren’t connected to an organization that can find jobs for them to do. Currently we are looking into several possibilities that will allow us to bring in teams and make good use of their service.
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We’ll keep you posted.
PJ
チーム６今日出発 Team #6 (EN6)
Pastor Ray, Steve, James and Iwagami
Pastor Ray, Steve, James and Iwagami
Team #6 is leaving today with about 800 liters (200 gallons) of kerosene oil and a two-ton truck full of food and supplies. They will spend the night at a church in Sendai and then board a ship in Ishinomaki city and deliver much needed supplies to 100 people stranded on a nearby island. Please pray for the three-man team from Yokosuka Grace Bible Church. They are Kazuo Iwagami, Stephen Zimmer and James Mercer.
チーム６は760リットルの灯油、食料や物資を2トントラックに載せて出発しました。仙台の教会に一泊し、石巻市から孤立している島に船で異動し物資を届けます。横須賀グレイスバイブルチャーチの3人の為にお祈りください。岩上和夫、スティーブン・ジマー、ジェームス・マーサーです。
