Japanese house churches and the earthquake

187270_100000722562901_3365031_n Its mind-boggling, this catastrophe in Japan. Massive earthquake, then powerful tsunami, then nuclear meltdowns, then volcanic activity . . . its like a Godzilla movie come to life! Its tragic beyond the scope of my imagnation because nothing on this scale has every happened in my life-time.

During my time in Japan some years ago, one of the things that struck me was how very similar to me where the Japanese. They were like me. I didnt feel like a foreigner in Japan. And I met people doing fresh expressions [we used to call it 'emerging church'] of church that were inspirational to us in other countries. In fact, a few days ago in Christchurch meeting, I told Christchurch house church leaders the story of what young Japanese were doing with their "house parties" and they were amazed. 

One of my Japanese friends is Mika who asked for prayer on this blog when the earthquake happened. I have an update from her.

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Hi, Andrew …
Our friends from church (Luke Cummings, Joey Millard, Hiroyuki Kosaka) left for Sendai (Tohoku Area near earthquake center), yesterday with some goods,on a trolley, right after getting the permission from the local administration in Tohoku. (roads are closed, you need official permission papers to go through.) Luke's paretns are in Sendai, and found their parents safe.

There are [part of] an org called CRASH TOHOKU QUAKE RELIEF. Our church, Osaka house church and some other churches are getting involved. This organization started to send some teams for start up research, and [are] planning to send volunteers from next week. Dai Fukuda told me that you can read their meeting memo on facebook. (You remember Dai Fukuda, dont you?)
 
Dai told me that, Osaka house church network, invited Crash for workshop about a week before this earth quake, because they took the prophesy seriously, the prophesy that japan would be hit by a [h]uge earthquake.  So, this time, Osaka house church will be involved in this org.
 
As I heard from friends around, churches are trying to respond, rather individually, but I m not really sure how it will be from now. NGOs, NPOs, and many individuals are trying to do something, and I recieved lots of mails about those things. At the same time, there are [fake] fund-raising, spam mailing all around…
 
Well, then, as for your kind suggestion about which org or activity people can donate For now, I have no specific org or activities to suggest, just because there are so many, and at this stage of disaster,  it is not really clear which org will do what and where they do that. 
 
I will update, as stuation proceeds, and as I got more useful info. 
  
Tokyo area got influenced by this earthquake, rather in panic because of breakdown of infrastructure system, fear of next earthquake, tragedy in Tohoku. But we are trying to get economy/business runnning. (I m going back to work for now…)
 
Thanks for your prayers!!
Mika Goto
Thanks Mika, Crash is here on the web and they accepting donations for Japan. Blog readers, please let me know if you are supporting them.
Pray for Japan, and Mission Japan on Facebook

Andrew

Andrew Jones launched his first internet space in 1997 and has been teaching on related issues for the past 20 years. He travels all the time but lives between Wellington, San Francisco and a hobbit home in Prague.

10 Comments

  • Joanna says:

    One thing I would like to know is, beside the massive loss of life and destruction in the tsunami areas, and the possible meltdown of the reactor, what else has happened in the area? Did many of the buildings survive the actual earthquake? Were many lives lost from the earthquake itself or was it mainly the tsunami areas affected? I know Japan have taken great strides to protect their populations through the design of their buildings and so perhaps there is not as much destruction as would be thought from such a massive quake, but due to the ridiculous focus on the economy, and the fears of the reactor there is not much else coming out without watching all the videos which I don’t tend to do, I prefer to read my news. I would like to read how the people are coping, not what money the Japanese Government have had to inject to offset the speculators.

  • JJ says:

    CRASH is doing really good stuff. I’ll hopefully be heading up north with them next week too. The initial earthquake was bad, but it didn’t have near the destructive impact of the tsunami. Japanese building codes are among the strictest in the world, and compared to other nations quakes, death tolls are relatively low. But the tsunami is a whole other sort of destruction. Right now, even in Japan, the focus on the dangers at the reactor are overshadowing everything else. I live south of Tokyo and I’ve hardly heard anything about the refugees, other than they are mostly hanging tight in gymnasiums etc. And now with the reactor fears, news on the panic in Tokyo is becoming a big focus. The worst part is, just as in any crisis, it’s really hard to sort out what is true or not. Lots of foreigners are leaving the country, but no is sure if there is even such a need.

  • Joanna says:

    Thanks J.J. that really helps to put things in perspective. It seemed so strange not to have accounts of survivors and what they are going through but if the reactor is the focus of the Japanese then it is more understandable.
    I do pray for peace for that nation

  • Will K. says:

    My friend Heather’s family are missionaries with Japan Alliance Mission in Tokyo (her blog is at http://hezcultureshock.blogspot.com/) and they are involved with Crash – for me, if Heather is working with Crash then they are a good organization getting things done.

  • Thanks for sharing about the ongoing tragedies going on in Japan. An incredibly frightening time right now. I was just curious about more information in regards to the nuclear fallout/crisis going on. I know very little about this subject. Just curious, thanks!

  • Tim says:

    Thanks for doing your part to get the word out. I grew up as an MK in Japan, and was actually friends with the Cummings family (Luke’s fam). The past week has been absolutely heart-wrenching for me. FB and other sites has been an incredible tool as so many of my old friends and I have been reconnecting, praying, and updating each other on what is going on. Many of my friends are still there, and are involved in a variety of ways, from translating for CNN to meeting with the Prime Minister.
    point is, while Bell’s book is newsworthy (read it last night), I’m glad that so many people are continuing to keep their focus on praying for and tangibly loving the people of Japan.

  • B Mac says:

    How does one contact the Osaka House Church via email? Thanks!

  • Andrew says:

    emailing you now with details

  • point is, while Bell’s book is newsworthy (read it last night), I’m glad that so many people are continuing to keep their focus on praying for and tangibly loving the people of Japan.

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