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May 2011
| Japan Relief Update
from CB Southern California
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More than six weeks have passed since the massive earthquake and tsunami ravaged Japan's northeastern coast, leaving 26,000 missing or dead. To assist our CB churches in Japan, CB Southern California (its churches and individuals), has contributed over $30,000 to CB Japan! Over $150,000 has been sent to Japan from other CB Global regions to help these churches and their communities start to get a foothold on their new lives. Please continue to keep them in your thoughts and prayers. The road will be long.
Thank you for your gifts and prayers that have already been felt in Japan.
 Jim Smith
Executive Director
CB Southern California
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 | Easter Celebration in Japan's ravaged area |
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Associated Press Report
 As the AP reported, this Easter, the CB Kesennuma Bible Baptist Church had a little more than 20 people gathered to celebrate the risen Savior. The white wooden church, one of a handful in this devastated fishing town, sits atop a hill. It escaped physical damage, but its members lost homes, jobs and neighbors.
The picture to the left is another church in Kesennuma. It was carried away by the tsunami, and they now worship at a member's house. Volunteers cleaned up the debris and set up a cross on the site. The cross stands in the midst of the ruins and brings hope. The Associated Press wrote.. KESENNUMA, Japan -" This Easter, the story of resurrection carried a deeply personal message for the small community of Christians in disaster-hit Japan. Christians represent a tiny minority in Japan - less than 1 percent of the population by most estimates. Although Christianity has centuries-old roots in the country, the religion has struggled to gain momentum as it has in neighboring South Korea and China. The disaster has further bound the country's tight-knit Christian community. Groups like CRASH Japan, short for "Christian Relief, Assistance, Support and Hope," sent teams throughout the north to deliver supplies and clean damaged churches. A Catholic group, Caritas Japan, also mobilized volunteers and money. Pastor Hitotsugu Chiba's church in Kesennuma serves as a center for relief goods and volunteers, as well as worship. In the weeks after the disaster, help arrived from around Japan and the world. Boxes of clothes and toiletries lined the first floor, while Easter eggs and flowers decorated the main church hall upstairs." |
| Insights from some Pastors in Japan |
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Posted on YouTube
Pastor Kondo from a nearby town, 100 meters away from the major damage, visited the tsunami/earthquake area and shared his thoughts on this YouTube video.
 Pastor's Blog from Fukushima
This report is from Pastor Akira Sato, who is the pastor for the Fukushima First Baptist Church, near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. He is the pastor of the church where the project leader Mr. Sato is a member. Please pray for this congregation. It is translated into English.
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| CB Japan Report |
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Pastor Keiichi Mori
Chairman of CB Japan
 It is still amazing to see the damage. In the tsunami strickened area, debris is slow to be cleaned up. People would like to live as before, to work, and go to school, but they have noticed that we are standing on a fragile foundation. There are still aftershocks every day. Sometimes, they are very strong. Here are updates of some of our churches:
The Kesennuma-church was washed away by the tsunami and the church is now worshipping at a member's house. Under Japanese law, until the new town plan is decided, we have to wait before we build a new church. They may move the whole town to higher ground.
The Fukushima-Daiichi-church, has been forced to evacuate because of the nuclear accident. More than 200 members have scattered to begin life in many towns. The pastor, with 50 members, moved to the Christian Camp in suburban Tokyo. For now, we do not know if they will ever return to their original homes. The church is located just about two kilometers from nuclear power plants.
We have started to financially support other churches that have been affected. We are helping the church in Shiogama with a new foundation. The church in Izumi may need rebuilding. Foundational issues also affect the church in Kooriyama. The church in Oohunato managed to survive the onslaught of the tsumami, but the walls and pillars need restoration. The Furukawa church had a wall that came down and needs repair. The Midorino church sustained ceiling and light fixture damage. A partition wall is broken at the Utsunomiya church, and part of the plumming is damaged. The Kesennuma church is completely destroyed.
Reconstruction efforts are just getting started. We do not lose courage. We do not lose hope. We believe "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)
 In three weeks, we will hold the general meeting of Japan CBA. Because pastors are struggling and working on earthquake disaster reconstruction, there is not much surplus energy to attend the meetings and the means of transportation are still unstable. Nonetheless, we long to hold a general meeting. We will gather together, praise God together and pray together. We feel that it is necessary to do so. Or it may be just to cry together. However, we believe that when drained, the tears will become the foundation of our faith, because there are people loving each other.
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| How You Can Donate |
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Please mark your gift "Japan Earthquake."
1. Check
If you would like to donate you may send a check to:
CB Southern California
2520 North Euclid Avenue
Upland, CA 91784
2. Online
Donate to CB Japan thorough CBAmerica by clicking this link.
3. Direct Deposit
Pastor Keiichi Mori, Chairman of CB Japan, has provided this information for those who would like to directly transmit financial help through the CB Japan account:
Bank Name: The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd.
Branch Name: Tsudanuma-Higashi Branch
Bank Address:
1-10-51
Tsudanuma
Narashino Chiba Japan
#275-0016
Swift Code: BOTKJPJT
Account No.: 0248852
Account Name:
ShuukyouhoujinHoshubaputesutotsudanumakyoukai
Address:
3-11-16
Tsudanuma Narashino
Chiba Japan #275-0016
For proper monitoring, please inform them by email:
Keiichi-mori@nifty.com
reneatienza@yahoo.com
as to when and how much you donated.
Stan Rieb, CBAmerica National Facilitator would also appreciate receiving a copy of your email. (stan.rieb@cbamerica.org)
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