We are grateful that $9,124.07 was given here at Harvest Barrie for the Churches
Helping Churches effort in Japan. Praise God. And may he use this for
his purposes there.
A word from Executive Director Tom Kim:
The challenges we faced during our
trip are some of the obstacles that people in northeastern Japan face
everyday these days. The main expressways have been closed off to
civilian travel. There are gas shortages on the east side of the
country. Long lines form at kerosene depots in the hopes that they can
cook a warm meal at home. Most cars are either parked with empty gas
tanks or waiting in gas station lines a mile long.
These obstacles impede the Japanese people’s commutes to school and
work, and therein a return to normalcy in their lives. Moreover, they’re
slowing down the distribution of food and water. Grocery stores in
downtown Sendai have 100 bags of rice, while people along the coast just
six miles away struggle to find adequate food and supplies.
We saw the need firsthand when we stumbled upon a middle school
gymnasium in Shiogama, now acting as an evacuation shelter. After
delivering a few boxes of feminine care products, a girl rushed over to
Andrew, a volunteer with our partners,
CRASH, and hugged him. This, in a country where public displays of affection are non-existent, especially between strangers.
The physical needs persist but not alone. As people move away from
day-to-day to week-to-week and month-to-month, the needs begin to shift.
When the basic things in life can’t be trusted – such as the ground
beneath your feet, the air that touches your skin, or the seaside view
that you’ve always enjoyed – it does something to the mind and emotions.
We need 10 times more physical relief, and 20 times more spiritual
relief.
Ministering to the pastors of Japan
We’re beginning plans for Churches Helping Pastors,
a retreat that provides crisis counseling that’s gospel-centered and
Biblical to pastors. The curriculum is designed to both treat and train
pastors. If there’s one thing that every Japanese pastor cannot afford
to be less than excellent at right now, it’s crisis counseling. The
retreat will take place in May, led by a team of Japanese and foreign
teachers. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our
affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any
affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by
God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) If you know any pastors who would benefit
from this retreat in northern Japan, please have them contact us.
Meanwhile, we are exploring options for new church buildings. As far
as we know, there were not many churches along the coast within
striking distance of the tsunami. We are currently aware of four, which
we plan to rebuild or repair. There will be a correct time for
reconstruction, in pace with the rest of community restoration.
For now, we continue to be reminded that the church is not a building but the people of God. As we saw in Haiti, though the church buildings were lost, the church grew. And it’s that church that needs our attention and care now.