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Tuesday 19 July 2011
Monday 18 July 2011
Read Latest Post-Tsunami Update by Rod & Glenda Thomas (OMF Missionaries in Sendai))
Click Here to Visit Rod and Glenda Thomas's July 16th update on post-tsunami ministry opportunities.
1. The shop we applied to rent as a preaching point/ relief centre has fallen through when the owner found out that we were going to have bible studies there . . . . [visit their website to read on]
Rod and Glenda Thomas are church-planting in NE Japan in a city called Sendai. This is their blog in the form of letters to their prayer partners.
Wednesday 13 July 2011
Martin & Ruth Ghent - True Heart Cafe 10 July 2011 (Iwate Tsunami Relief)
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| Micah Ghent (Luke's Cousin) Operating the Mobile Cafe in the Early Days (more recently the Mobile Cafe has been drawing increasingly large crowds) |
I could immedediately sense why it is one of Micah's favorite places to set up the cafe. The neighborhood grandpa's bantered away as they tried to figure out how to set up the tents and tables. They called out to anyone who passed on the street come and join us to which people readily obliged. A woman my age and her daughter Aaron's age were soon sitting near me. They had just picked up a few things from the grocery truck which comes around three mornings a week because the grocery store was washed away. She told how recently for the first time since the tsunami she had been able to go to a normal grocery store."I walked around the store in a amazement and thot oh yeah things like this did exist before but I just couldn't buy anything then. I just walked out still awestruck." I asked her where her house is. Oh it is closer to the water than here. For some reason when we saw the tsunami coming we locked our doors and stayed in our house. The windows broke; water and glass poured in. The tatami floor mats started to float so we tried to step on them to hold them down. The water left but then another tsunami came Still we stayed in our house. That night the police came round and we knew if they found us they would try and send us to a shelter so we hid but they found us anyway. We refused to leave because I wanted to be there to wait for my husband. I wanted him to be able to find me.
Fine full story on Martin Ghent's FaceBook page or
Fine full story on Martin Ghent's FaceBook page or
John Elliot - Post-Tsunami Update 9 July 2011
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| John Elliot Leading a Summer Craft Project for Junior High School Students in Iwate Who Lost Their School Building (and so much more) in the Tsunami |
Some people have no job and don't want to leave the shelters as they will get no food. Distribution centers are being shut down, but the personnel are unsure what to do next, as some people are still in need. Obviously, we need to shift to temp housing to find needs.
I went to see the place Kasumi Shimotomai (first recipiant of a table set in Ofunato) got by lottery (preferred way to move peole out by stages). She was happy until she saw how small it was, then phoned me in a panic Thursday night - "There's no place for the kids to sleep!". I went early the next morrning, drew up plans, bought wood and by noon built a bunk bed that fit the space available. She herself is taking a computer course, hoiping to get a job (single mom).
We worked outside, as there is no room inside (2, 4 1/2 mat rooms- only one window, a french door at one side). All the neighbours, just moving in, watched me working and were ready themselves to place orders for shelves, etc. Obviously, if we know one person in a temp housing area, we can soon get to know a lot more! This is what I will do next.
We spent one day teaching 60 Jr High kids to make chairs for their summer craft project. The school coundn't afford a project. I got to give each of them a copy of the Jesus manga! I am to go back in Sept. to help assemble the chairs. This is Kessen HJr. High in Rikuzen Takada.
Micah is doing a mobile cafe, and lots of people want him to come regularly to their temp housing projects. Lots of opportunities.
As some peole recover, others fall behind. Some complaining about unfairness- why do those who lost their houses get free appliances, while those who lost their appliances but not their house (first floor flooded)don't? etc. "The temp houses are too small, they are already getting unlevel, they leak", etc. Long way to go.
John Elliot - Post-Tsunami Blog Updates
Highly Recommended - Click Here to view John Elliot's blog "Jimoto no Gaijin"
(be sure to read all the back-posts . . . there are some great posts dating back to the early days of post-tsunami relief and recovery work)
Who am I? Since 1985,a resident of Ajigasawa, a small town on the west coast of Honshu, Japan- yes, way up there near the top, in Aomori Prefecture. Problem? I've got the wrong face (Canadian Celt). People still give a start when they round the supermarket aisle and see me. So, who am I? Jimoto no Gaijin- the local foreigner.
(be sure to read all the back-posts . . . there are some great posts dating back to the early days of post-tsunami relief and recovery work)
Jimoto no Gaijin
David & Lorna Ferguson (OMF Missionaries) - Post-Tsunami Blog Updates
Click here to read about the Ferguson's recent tsunami relief trip to Iwate.
David and Lorna Ferguson working with OMF International in Sapporo in the northernmost island of Japan. They have worked in Japan since 1998 and are presently living in an area of the city called Hiragishi aiming by God's grace to plant a church here. They have 4 boys who are an invaluable asset to their ministry.
Impressions of Iwate - Day 6
Impressions of Iwate - Day 5
Impressions of Iwate - Day 4
Impressions of Iwate - Day 3
Impressions of Iwate - Day 2
Impressions of Iwate - Day 1
Rod & Glenda Thomas in Sendai - Blog Update 6 July 2011
Click Here to Visit Rod and Glenda Thomas's Blog and read about their most recent post-tsunami ministry opportunities.
Rod and Glenda Thomas are church-planting in NE Japan in a city called Sendai. This is their blog in the form of letters to their prayer partners.
Martin & Ruth Ghent - True Heart Cafe June 8, 2011
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| Ruth Ghent (OMF Missionary, Itayanagi/Luke's Aunt) and Heike Messer (OMF Missionary, Kanagi) e in Post-Tsunami Ministry in Iwate |
Highly Recommended - Follow Martin Ghent on FaceBook
June 8, 2011
My fingers were covered with bread dough as I wound my way through the people, under the tent of the outdoor cafe and into the prefab kitchen. A hose was pulled through a window into the sink. The two grannies welcomed me to use the makeshift sink and try their Japanese pickles. I asked if they were originally from Otsuchi. "Oh yes" they said "just from over there. We both lost our houses Pah! Just like that we lost everything and we are poor. We only have the clothes on our backs."
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