Martin Ghent Info - Tsunami Aftermath in Iwate, Japan - Update from April 8

Luke's Uncle Martin and Aunt Ruth Mae Ghent (OMF Missionaries)
Delivering Supplies in the Disaster Zone

Updated Prayer Request from 12 April 2011

We discovered that many of the shelters have no kitchens so they cannot cook hot food and people have been eating cold rice balls 3 times a day. We are trying to figure out how to help set up kitchens so that people in the shelters can cook for themselves. Right now the city is delivering 10000 rice balls 3 times a day. So many things to think about. Long term we want to contribute in a way that will lead to churches that will remain but we need to respond to some short term needs . . . . 

. . . . .  Todays main request is for land that can be used to set up 2 tents in each of the 4 places that we would like to focus on short and long term.  Thanks for praying, Martin and Ruth Mae 

Original Post:

Please pray for Martin Ghent as he searches for facilities that will be suitable as a long-term relief base camp for OMF's relief work in the northern half of the disaster zone.  He has already tried an empty restaurant (which had already been rented out the day before) and a little factory (which had also already been rented out the day before).  At last report he was still awaiting word on a Farmer's Co-op building.  He has continued the search this week.

Please also pray for wisdom as he discusses plans for future work with the mission.

The following is an exert from the prayer update sent out by Luke's Aunt Ruth Mae Ghent following the largest after-shock since March 11th.  It gives an idea of how the earthquakes have been affecting life for OMF missionaries in Aomori Prefecture bordering the northern edge of the disaster area.

Our electricty was gone again-no connection to the outside world. While Martin was driving the world went black again-the cities and roads dark. But he made it home safely. This morning our grocery store decided to operate anyway so a clerk greets each customer at the door and walks with them through the dark aisles and writes down each item. It too is a somewhat eerie atmosphere but it's one of those things we just have to get used to in our new life since 3/11.