Like many of you, I’ve been heartbroken over the Japanese Earthquake and the consequent aftermath of the Tsunamis and complexities of the nuclear reactors.
I came home late Thursday night and saw the Twitter feed noting the earthquake. I immediately turned on CNN and watched – helplessly and in horror – the tsunamis pound the Japanese coast and it’s people.
By now, you’ve heard, seen, or read most of the increasing stories and statistics of the earthquake that has now been categorized as a 9.0 – the 5th strongest earthquake in the world since records were kept beginning in 1900.
This was, by far, the most amazing and horrific first person video (below) of the power of the tsunamis and nature. This was taken in Kesennuma, in the Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. When the footage begins, it seems like a harmless trickle of water and then in a matter of couple minutes, it transforms into raging chaos.
It is unbelievable:
Please keep the people and country of Japan in your prayers.
The dangers of the earthquake’s aftermath is far from being over. At our church, several congregants have family in Japan and I have numerous friends and colleagues in Japan as well.
Some analysts are expecting the damage to exceed 100 billion dollars and more tragically, I fear that the death toll will exceed our worst predictions.
And while the Japanese government have yet to specify how or if they will need help, I think it’s safe that the global community needs to respond – even while tending to the other numerous areas of grave need and attention. While our initial response is to just give, I also think there’s great wisdom in being prepared to give so that you can give prudently and efficiently.
While giving to some of the huge organizations such as Red Cross and World Vision are solid options, I am personally recommending our church to prepare, plan, and partner with local Japanese churches in the relief efforts. The relief response needs to be varied and diverse but I think the local Japanese churches have a very unique perspective and role in the relief efforts and I hope that many churches consider these kinds of partnerships.
If you want to give to organizations, I would highly encourage that you give directly to Japanese NGOs.
Simple question:
How are you praying and/or responding?
It’s horrendous. I am a part of a team that will go there in June. The focus of the trip, obviously has turned into a new direction. Please, everyone pray for Japan! Pray for the people, of whom less then 1% claim Christ, that they run to Him with open arms.
Remember that God is still God, and God is still good.
With Love,
Garrett
When I first heard the horrific news, I immediately went to e-mail / Facebook to contact people I know who live in Japan to check in and see if they were OK. Praise God we live in a modern age, with technology that allows people to communicate in even a dire situation like this.
At the moment, I continue to pray for Japan and for the friends/fam that I know that live there, but wish there was more that I could do besides just donate $$$. I wonder if organizations like JEMS will be organizing teams to help out…
http://www.jems.org/about_us.html
gar:
u interested in helping co-host some sort of benefit fundraiser?
would love to see several throughout 206, 253, and 425.
i’m hoping to work together w/ some b-boys in putting on another benefit for japan.
Though I’m woefully inadequate, I’m most definitely interested in doing whatever I can to raise awareness and $$$ to help folks in Japan. E-mail me with the particulars!
E-if you do fundraiser, Let me know how I can promote
thanks. i’m wrestling if we’ll start an ODW relief fund or not. need to let the initial emotions and urge to just give to subside and hear from the government about what kind of help they need.
oh my gosh. in less than 7 minutes, we just saw that place get destroyed.
Eugene..thanks so much for posting this. Will ODW be partnering with any Japanese churches…if so I want to pass along that info to others. We thank the Lord for the work He is doing through the ministry He has given you. Blessing to the family.
phil: quest will likely partner with some of our covenant churches in japan.
as for ODW, we’re still mulling over the decision. if we do start a relief fund, it will be with a japanese NGO and not western based.
You can now give online to Covenant World Relief Japan relief fund. They will be working in partnership with the Japan Covenant Church. Covenant World Relief is responding to the devastating earthquake and tsunami in northeast Japan with our sister denomination, the Japan Covenant Church. Thank you for your support and prayers for those who are suffering in northeast Japan.
http://www.covchurch.org/relief/projects/disasters/japan/
[...] is completely unnatural to see a giant building float down a street. I just watched a video (found here) of the Tsunami hitting a town somewhere in Japan and I couldn’t help but gasp and even at [...]
[...] HT: Eugene Cho [...]
I am so thankful for odw, covenant world relief and world concern. I do not plan to contribute to any other orgs!
I am a student at Oklahoma state University and I want to know what OSU can do to help. Please email me all the possible ways!
[...] Amazing First Person Video of the Japanese Tsunami, by Eugene Cho — “The relief response needs to be varied and diverse but I think the local Japanese churches have a very unique perspective and role in the relief efforts and I hope that many churches consider these kinds of partnerships.” [...]
[...] Older » [...]
We sat transfixed watching the video while repeating, “Oh wow. Oh, wow.”
[...] and speed of nature, and how quickly it can obliterate structures that seem so strong and sturdy. Six minutes was all it took in this video for the water to turn from a trickle into a raging river, …. And now what remains is debris, mud, cars stacked up in the middle of the road or on top of [...]
Do you know of any Japanese churches we can give to?
[...] HT: Eugene Cho [...]