Seven Years Later: Word and Deed Continue in Japan

Shaking starts as Resonate missionary Larry Spalink sits in his office in Tokyo. “I feel a little seasick and it continues for a little over a minute,” he recalls.

It’s 2018, almost seven years after “the big one” that hit in March 2011—the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown that killed nearly 18,000 people—and Japan is still plagued by aftershocks from that earthquake.

The 2011 quake was the strongest in Japan’s recorded history. But the Christian Reformed Church mounted a historic response to the disaster, partnering with donors and using agency resources and networks to bring relief to survivors.

This effort by World Renew, Resonate Global Mission, and other churches from around the world has been a powerful witness in this country where less than one percent of the people are Christians.

“‘Ministry in word and deed’ was no cliché, as water, food, clothing, and many other commodities were distributed and people of all ages and from many nations joined together,” says Spalink.

Although the disaster response officially ended in 2017, gifts to the CRC’s mission agencies are still having a reverberating effect. The leaders have been equipped and encouraged are now getting involved in ministry.

A ‘Spark Plug’ Coordinator

Yui was the key staff member at the Nozomi (Hope) Center, a relief center that coordinates volunteer teams that come to the area from churches around the world.

Located approximately 1.5 km west of the eastern coast of mainland Japan, in a small town called Yamamoto, this was once the site of a dental clinic that served more than 1,000 regular patients. It was destroyed by the tsunami and the Nozomi Center has been built in its place.

Spalink calls Yui a “spark plug” for the work because of the way she energized volunteers as well as community people and made Nozomi Center a true place of hope.

A retired bank worker

Mr. Ohno was at a crossroads when the disaster hit. He had recently retired and wasn’t sure what his place in the world now was.

But Spalink encouraged him to continue using his gifts in finance management to serve the mission. With this encouragement and urging, he began serving as the account manager for the Nozomi Center, helping to ensure that gifts were used effectively. Ohno, an elder, and his wife, a deacon, both serve as part-time staff at Nozomi Center.

A young pastor

Rev. Akira Tateishi was a pastor of a local church whom Spalink has known and discipled since he was only 12 years old. He found his niche in serving the victims and helping with relief work.

His vision, energy, and zeal led to his establishment and ongoing operation of Sakura House, a ministry center along the coast that serves not only the community members there but also residents of a local temporary housing villages.

https://www.resonateglobalmission.org/blog/word-and-deed-during-disaster-japan