Field Reports: Telling their stories

posted by field worker, on August 18th, 2011
tagged in: earthquake, Japan, nuclear crisis, tsunami

by field worker

Twenty-three boats out of 800 are left in one port along the east coast of Japan. Thousands of houses have been destroyed, possessions washed out to sea or left in a pile of rubble stinking from the decaying fish and food items stored in warehouses along the pier. With the death of loved ones, Japanese who have survived the tsunami and earthquake are sober, hopeless and grieving in the midst of intense cleanup and decisions for their future.

One young woman working in a pharmacy shared how she was thankful no one had died in her family. She moved to another city to find work because her home and job was gone. Another young man also moved and is working as a gas attendant and is living in a temporary apartment with his mom. His father died in the tsunami wave. Stories abound as each individual shares where they were when the tsunami hit and how they escaped or watched others die trying to escape.

In one port city a mother heard the siren and screamed for her two children to run up to the hills. She turned to help two elderly neighbors. The wave rushed in with great force and the two elderly neighbors could not hold on and were swept away. She was able to fight the water and get to an area where the current was not strong and climb up on top of a roof. Later she discovered her two children did not escape to safety and had died. Guilt fills her heart as she wonders what would have happened if she had helped her children instead of the elderly neighbors.

One dead shark and two live sharks were left in one home distant from the shore. A few fishing boats headed straight into the tsumani and were saved. One lone house stands with damage but is repairable while the rest of the street is totally destroyed. No one can explain any of this and the people who live in the midst can hardly think about a future that is bright and hopeful.

Listening to those grieving is important; more important is knowing the One who is able to meet every need, give hope for the tomorrows and can save and heal all who come to Him. We look forward to a day when the stories being told will reflect how He has brought new life and a bright future to each one.

The people of the Land of the Rising Sun, as Japan is so fondly called, can become a people of the Risen Son, Jesus Christ.

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