Folks:
"Be still, and know that I am thy God."
Thank you for your prayer for us at this time of chaos in Japan. Nevertheless, His unshaken Cross stands firmly on the earth pointing to the gracious Creator who over rules whole realm of His own creation.
Apart from the Magnitude 9.0 earth quake (plus over 200 aftershocks that still keep coming) and the huge tsunami tidal waves, four Nuke plants in Fukushima have added different kind of threat to the devastated area, both natural disasters plus man made one. Still most of the roads on land as well as rail roads are still badly damaged for rescue vehicles to go through, while ports are filled with floating cars, trucks, fire engines, wood materials form the thousands of crushed houses...so much that no rescue ships can reach the shore. A CoC preacher this morning reported to me that by the Hitachi harbor over 200 brand new Mercedes Benz are floating.
Over 12,000 people are still either missing or found dead by the shore, while 450,000 refugees are gathering at school gymnasiums on top of hills without heat, electric power, means of communication to the outside world, food, fresh water, gasoline, fuel, stoves and their kerosene, napkins, toilet facilities, tooth brushes, towels, warm clothes and shoes or dried underwear., etc.,
As for CoC in the area, as gradually I am getting reports from preachers or key church leaders as electric power slowly reaching them one by one, at least as I know of today, there has been no lost lives nor church buildings perished completely. Roof tiles, furniture, china wares,. etc., are of course damaged, but so far the folks are OK. But preachers and leaders do not have sufficient amount of gasoline in their cars to drive around to see how the members are, and still much of the roads are filled with broken houses or cars or whatever, they can not visit all of their members.
Most of them say they lack water, gasoline, kerosene and stoves, food, etc., the minimum and basic needs for their lives.
Today I was able to fill up our small 660 c.c. car with gasoline, costing me slightly over 600 yen per a gallon or close to $8 dollars. You folks in America complain about the gas price hike, but you will feel better if you come over here. The preachers and key leaders find it very fortunate if they can get rationed 10 liters for close to $20.
We have tried to send some materials to Mito, he capital city of Ibaraki, but we found out that roads still closed for Japan counter partner of USP, the Black Cat trucking service.
Our son, Makoto, serving for the mental patients in a mental clinic in Mito, reports that the day before yesterday he and his crew cooked available rice outside in open field to make minimum amount of rice balls for the patients. ... rice balls with salt topping. That was all what they could do for the patients.
In Japan, among various kinds of disabled people, those with mental problem suffer most the social discrimination. We are proud of him serving for the least ones in a difficult situation. His wife, an oral-dental worker / school teacher, also serves for the senior citizens and down's syndrome children, is doing her best.
Our house was without electric power supply for about three hours this evening as power companies ration their energy supply to save the power due to both earth quake / tsunami and the Nuke problem
Last night we experienced a Magnitude 4.2 shake here in Yamanashi-Shizuoka area, and it has nothing to do with the big earth quakes that hit northeastern Pacific coastal line. We also live on another different earth quake nest or rift or fault dislocation .. whatever scholars call it... from the Sea of Japan to the Pacific Ocean side along the Japan Alps ranges west of Mt. Fuji.
I hope to bring you a bit brighter report if possible in my next one.
God is our Refuge, our Mighty Fortress, and in His name,
Moto
PS: what you and I really need actually is our preparation for His Coming Back in His time.
Motoyuki Nomura, Bethany Home
The Women's Desk
