Relief Work and Church Planting by Church of God in Japan
Since the Tohoku Earthquake, the Japan Church of God has supported several evacuees. We thank all who prayed and gave financial support to those suffering from the devastating earthquake. We could not have helped them without your support.
After the earthquake, we brought in 30 Filipino victims, providing them a place to stay and food; assisting them in finding work and housing; and also helping some return to their home country. We sent teams to the northeast area of Japan to help in the volunteer efforts there. We focused our efforts in Iwate Prefecture in the town of Otsuchi.
The population of Otsuchi was approximately 15,000, but 800 people were killed and 1,000 missing after the earthquake and tsunami. Nearly 9,000 of the residents had to stay in shelters after the earthquake.
Several of the local government officials were lost during the earthquake, including the mayor. Due to this, administrative offices were closed, and people could not receive support. Although a number of volunteers helped, more than 2,000 families still live in temporary housing.
Our volunteer teams helped in the removal of mud and debris; provided meals to those in the shelter; cleaned the gardens of some of the residents; delivered electrical appliances to temporary housing; joined in their restoration projects; and delivered children’s clothing and shoes to the kindergartens, along with Agape CGN, a Christian organization for disaster relief.
We met some of the victims and were able to talk to them about their situation and experiences. They shared their stories with us. Several of them, after the earthquake and tsunami, spent cold and dark nights without dry clothes, because no help could reach them. One of the survivors, with tears in his eyes, talked about all those who disappeared and died. We prayed God would give him comfort and peace.
During one of our volunteer efforts, we met a local community leader. After the earthquake, he immediately set up a community shelter to support the victims, and directed the help of disaster relief organizations, which was needed because of his familiarity with the Otsuchi. Although there is no church in Otsuchi, the same local community leader told us he used to attend a church in another prefecture. Thus, he is familiar with Christianity and the church. Please, keep him in your prayers, not only for his salvation, but also that through him we can better know the needs and struggles of those suffering in the local community. We pray God can use us and others, such as this local community leader, to shine the light of God in an area devastated by the earthquake and tsunami.
We are in the process of finding a place to build a community center to continue our relief work and a church to spread the Good News of Jesus. It is very difficult to find a place in Otsuchi-Town, because there is minimal flat land between the mountains and the ocean, and also because many land owners were killed by the earthquake and tsunami. But, our God is Provider! So, we believe and pray the Lord will provide a place to show His love and to spread His Good News through us.
We have done volunteer work 22 times with the body of Christ. We believe God is showing us how to be a light during these difficult times, through His love and wonderful message. We are so thankful to God for the love, prayer, and financial support you have given to the Japan Church of God and Japan. May God richly bless you and your family.
Recently, our Field Director Brother Ken Anderson and his friend pastor, Brother Alesandro Jordao, visited Otsuchi-Town. Two of the local leaders in the community were blessed to have them visit.
Eriya Yatsuzuka,
Overseer
© 2012 Church of God World Missions
