There is so much work to be done all over the world, specifically, Japan needs us greatly now. According to 2012 figures, the horrific disaster took the lives of approximately 19,000 people, leaving thousands of others homeless. In addition, the whereabouts of 3,450 people are yet to be confirmed –many of which are believed to have been washed out to sea. The hunt for bodies continues even now. Northern Japan is in need of volunteers, they are in need of  [ Read More ]

The boy sitting between Chad and I in the truck is Yuki. We are driving to the house he once knew…
Around the age of 12 or 13, he struggles with a deep anger. I turn my eyes to him as he sits beside me while we drive down the jagged uneven roads in the little white pickup truck. The sun flickers in our faces with the bumpy pattern of the road. I see the resentment and bitterness in his eyes  [ Read More ]

Friends and family near and far,
We pulled out of the dojo parking lot this morning at 8:15 to begin the 12 hour drive south. I was fortunate to hitch a ride (expenses paid) with a van returning to Osaka for more volunteers. After volunteering two and a half weeks in the devastated area I felt emotionally drained and unable to adequately express my anguish and exhaustion….
There is nothing I can say to “make” you comprehend the destruction and the all  [ Read More ]

Hi!
Today, October 14th, the volunteers here spent all day cleaning the Be One mission house for the Huddleston family moving in this week. We put a bed together, cleaned, organized and made floor space in the guest house for another family that will be staying here this weekend. Afterwards, (around 5PM) there was a large gathering of nearly 20 people who came from near and far for a prayer meeting. We shared, prayed and worshiped together. It was wonderful meeting  [ Read More ]

During the summer, the great quantities of donations were distributed rather quickly. But as these different organizations (ie. CRASH, Healing Hands and Be One) headed into fall there were fewer volunteers, and still there are few. Since I’ve been here, I have unexpectedly been put into leadership positions; I was often asked to drive weekend-volunteer-groups to different work sites since I am now familiar with the area and the tasks needed done. There’s a high demand for volunteers.
Koichi and  [ Read More ]