It is really hard to describe in words
the devastation caused by the earthquake and tsunami. I put together
a quick video to show some of the damage. I had to cut it down to a
reasonable length but what I showed was only part of a 20 or so
minute drive though the area that the previous video showed getting
inundated by the tsunami. There are only a handful of buildings
left standing. In this city alone around 6,000 people lost their
lives.
A car on top of a 3 story building
This showed the tsunami evacuation route.
The beach where the wave came ashore and took 6000 lives
The best description is it looks like a nuclear bomb went off
One of many trash piles in the city
I included a quick clip of fireworks
because there is always hope in the Lord. The devastation is hard to
comprehend and the stories we hear from virtually everyone we meet
are even harder. Our interpreter, Noel, has been a missionary in
Japan for 23 years and is an all around great guy. He really
understands the people and genuinely wants to hear about their
stories.
Pretty much everyone we have meet has a
terrifying story about the tsunami. Our neighbor watched from the
cliffs we live on as the wave came in and destroyed the nearby town
that is hidden from view. She had to stop half way though as she
described the sounds of destruction. The man who sold us our
microwave lost 8 family members. The one who sold us our coffee
maker 4.
Perhaps the most chilling story belongs
to a man who I meet yesterday who we are in the process of rebuilding
his house. When the wave hit he was in the street in front of his
house with his wife and 9 month pregnant daughter. His wife managed
to hang on to a metal fence across the street and he pointed out the
dent in it caused by her holding on to it for two hours as the wave
came in and left. He managed to find a part of the roof to hold on
to. His daughter ended up drowning just out of his reach as she
cried “Daddy! Daddy!”. We were talking to him in the exact spot
where this happened.
The cheap words of comfort that we
often spew out when we hear about others struggles really serve no
purpose for times like this. All we really have to give is the hope
that the Lord will use this terrible tragedy to further his purposes.
And he is starting to answer those prayers.
I’m told that in this country with less
than 6% Christians they are starting to question the idols they
worship. Most houses I’ve been in have small shrines for ancestors
and places for all sorts of man made gods to sit on. I’ve yet to see
one intact. The people are beginning to look for answers and their
hearts are open to the Lord. We met with a pastor this week and
heard the story of a lady who was baptized today after becoming a
christian at her husband’s funeral, who while he was not one had
requested a christian funeral before his death.
The local pastor told us that before
the tsunami, Japanese Christians have neglected this area calling it
too difficult. He then said that God would never called any area too
hard, so they have repented of this and begun to share with the
people here the only hope that lasts. Noel has said that in the two
weeks since he began working here he has had just as many
opportunities to share the gospel an in his previous twenty. While
this may be a bit of an exaggeration one this is clear. The harvest
is plentiful and the workers are few.
I can see the hope and life that is in
the area where several houses are nearing completion and I’m told
that in the days before we started working there everyone walked
around with their heads down and looked mostly dead. I’m thrilled
about being part of the work here.
This week I spent most of my time
making bunk beds for the future volunteers and hauling the lumber and
mattresses up to the cabins. The road is really tough, but the go
kart sized K-trucks are really good vehicles. To get the truck up to
two of the cabins about 1/3 of the trip has to be done in reverse
because the road is too narrow and the cutbacks too sharp to turn
around.
Tomorrow we are going out with a pastor
to try to find houses close to here to work on. Please pray for us
that we might find people willing to let us love them.
Lastly, if you feel called to come here
please do so. I made lots of bunks that will need to be filled
during the next 6 months. Volunteer teams usually stay for 2 weeks
at a time and work on insulation, sub-floor and sheet rock. I really
have no idea of the costs, but I think that SP covers all the costs
of the volunteers, at least once they are in the country. If you
have some construction skills, you can sign up at
http://spvolunteernetwork.org/
by registering for the Japan home rebuild project.
No trick photography here there really was that many fireworks going off at once
