Modeling God’s Love in Japan

The Reformed Church in Japan continues, with the help of the Christian Reformed Church and many other church organizations, to do the hard work of obtaining resources and then using them to help rebuild lives and buildings devastated by the March 11 earthquake and subsequent tsunami.

Most of the work is occurring in northeastern Japan, where a nuclear power plant was damaged by the earthquake and rush of water and debris that swept in from the ocean.

Despite all of the work and pain involved in the earthquake’s aftermath, it has become a time of opportunity to tell the gospel story, in words and in actions.

Here is a look at some of the work being done and reflections from people of faith who are involved in the largest relief and reconstruction effort to occur in Japan since the end of World War II.

"We are focusing our volunteer activities in the Touna area of Higashi Matsushima," writes Pastor Akira Tateishi, pastor of the Higashi Sendai Church .

Sendai is located near the ocean and was the largest city impacted by the chaotic force of the earthquake and tsunami.

An area with about 200-300 homes, Touna experienced extensive damage from the tsunami. There may be less than 100 homes still standing.

"At present, about half the population has either moved away, or they are waiting to be housed in temporary housing that might become available," writes Pastor Tateishi in a report translated by Larry Spalink, Japan country director for Christian Reformed World Missions.

"As they wait to see if their names are picked to make them eligible for the temporary housing, they are either staying in shelters or living with relatives . . . "

The pastor and other young adult volunteers arrived in the Touna area in April and began to help cleaning mud out of drainage gutters along the roads as well as helping to clean out and partially refurbish, under the oversight of carpenters, some of the houses that were damaged by the disaster.

At first, writes Tateishi, they thought of the people of the area as "victims."

"But as we worked day by day continuing our activities in the homes, we were able to talk about many things, we learned their names, we became friends, and we were able to comprehend that day’s experience with the tsunami and the reality they are facing with life now, and what had been remote has come into clear focus in our hearts," he writes.

Tateishi said he hopes that he and others can find ways to continue the friendships that they have made "for their tomorrow and their day after tomorrow."

Donations for relief work have come into the RCJ from such sources as The European Japanese Christian Youth Retreat, Open Eyes Mission (Philippines), The Washington, D.C. Japanese Church, Reformed Church INALA (Australia), Woodlawn Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., and also from individuals in Cambodia and Australia.

Among the others who have donated are the Japan Presbyterian Church and Kobe Reformed Presbyterian Christian Church. The RCJ reports that it is carefully keeping track of all of the donations and has established a process by which the funds are properly distributed.

"Damage from this earthquake is spread over a wide geographical area, and besides the physical damage, the psychological pain is even greater. As we are able to deliver financial assistance, we desire also to communicate the prayers and desire to offer assistance from brothers and sisters throughout Japan and from around the world,” writes a diaconal committee in a report to the RCJ officials.

Rev. Shuji Toyokawa, an RCJ pastor, writes there have been profound moments of being able to share the grace and goodness of God with others in the process of the clean-up effort.

He says he and other volunteers were cleaning out a house in Matsushima when the wife, in whose home they were working, broke down in tears. "Why are you doing this?" she asked.

The team working in the house formed a circle around the wife, who said to them, “Thank you so much,” and repeated once more, "Why are all of you doing this?"

Immediately Rev. Yamanaka, an RCJ pastor, replied: "The only reason I can give is that I’m a pastor, and these are all Christians." At that, Rev. Yamanaka led the group in deep prayer.

The wife said through her sobs, "Since the earthquake, I haven't been able to cry even once. But today I have been able to express my tears from the bottom of my heart."

Meanwhile, Rev. Shigeo Hayashi, who serves the Watari Evangelistic Station, has connected with volunteers from the Tohoku University who have helped to deliver assistance to people from the vicinity of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. These are people who are not in shelters and to whom relief supplies are not being delivered.

In a prayer letter sent to their supporters, Jeong and MiSook Gho described the work that they are doing as Christian Reformed World Missions missionaries in the town of Toyosenko out of their church, Too Senko, which is located in the Nerima Ward of Tokyo.

Despite the damage from the earthquake, they focus on telling the people that “Jesus loves them, and wants to see them saved from their sins.”

They say they are "trying to bring people to church and showing the love of Jesus Christ by serving them in many different ways . . . We keep praying for them, so that someday they would come to church because they know Jesus as the Savior."

They hold special events, such as cooking classes, help in leadership training, offer English classes, and hold regular worship services, even though their church sustained nearly $20,000 in damage in the disaster. They are requesting $6,700 for repair from CRWM and the rest of the repair cost is being sought from other sources.

Despite challenges, they continue to share the story of Jesus Christ, even if it is to small groups. Because of a heavy rain, they had only a few visitors, including children, for their Easter Celebration. Once the worshippers had arrived, they spent time "listening to the Easter Bible story, hunting eggs, eating snacks, coloring Easter story pictures and playing fun games," the Ghos write.

"After the children finished coloring, I put all of the pictures on the white board, and explained the story of Easter one more time," writes Jeong Gho.