The churches in Kesennuma and Oofunato have been heavily damaged by the tsunami. The Kesennuma First Baptist Church was completely washed away. A roof and wall were left in the Oofunato church, but the inside was damaged by the tsunami. It will be necessary for both to rebuild. There is another church in Kesennuma, but this was saved because it was a chapel located on a hill.

Churches in the following cities have been damaged:
Kesennuma / Oofunato / Ishinomaki / Shiogama / Natori / Sendai / Iwaki / Hitachi / Okuma. 

Fukushima Bible Baptist church is in the neighborhood of the nuclear power plant. It is the biggest church in the Conservative Baptist Association of Japan. The whole town has been forcibly evacuated and the members have been dispersed to various places. Approximately 50 members have taken refuge in a Yamagata church with Pastor Akira Sato. Their refugee situation may become long term.

Pastor Minegishi lived in the church at Kesennuma which was located 100 meters from the shore, but was able to flee the disaster and the whole family survived. However, all their belongings were lost.

     Unfortunately many members of these churches have perished and there are many members who have not been accounted for yet. Please continue to pray.  

Five days after the earthquake, the first relief car went to the Miyagi District with supplies from Tokyo. A supply truck from the Tokyo area and Yamagata went to several churches. The volunteers who distributed relief supplies slowly began to move through towns that are covered in debris. The government wrestles with clearing roads and airports that have been covered by debris. 

The Shiogama church is becoming a good foothold for the volunteers, and although the church in Shiogama took huge damage, they are serving the hurting people powerfully. The CB Alliance wrestles with sending relief supplies. They intend to support the efforts of each church as they start to rebuild. 

Right now the Japanese people are sunk in sorrow. The CB churches are going to send the hope and comfort of God to these people. Pray for the reconstruction of the towns; courage in the hearts of hurting people; the church to be given power to bring hope and encouragement, the nuclear power station accident to be fixed; and the health of the Japanese people.

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