Japan church helping earthquake victims
Sendai, Japan
(April 19) Shouei Abe, pastor of the Sendai Tomizawa Church of the Nazarene, opened the doors of the church to the community right after the earthquake and subsequent tsunami struck northeastern Japan on March 11.
The church was one of the few stable structures with running water and other utilities. People began to take baths at the church, and soon, 200 people used the church regularly.
Abe met with other pastors in Sendai and he started a support network, Tohoku HELP. He keeps busy each day as one of the main members of the network.
Gathering volunteers
District Superintendent Manabu Ishida, pastor of Oyama Church of the Nazarene, visited and distributed supplies in Sendai, one of the areas where the tsunami came ashore. Then, Pastor Shunichiro Shinozawa and Pastor Atsushi Kume went there as Japan Nazarene Compassionate Ministry volunteer leaders.
They had contact with the administration of Higashi Matsushima city, one of the areas damaged by the earthquake and started considering a concrete plan to send volunteers from the Japan Church of the Nazarene.
As a result of this consultation, they decided that Mr. Sueoka from Japan NCM and Pastor Kume would lead the first volunteer group during Golden Week in May. They have a plan to clean muddy houses and serve people staying in shelters, while volunteers stay at a Christian guest house. They will try to start with two volunteer groups of about 10 people, and gather many volunteers from Nazarene Youth International this summer.
Prayers and donations from abroad
The Global Church of the Nazarene will send Japan US$50,000 through Nazarene Compassionate Ministries and offer medical and other support.
General Superintendent J.K. Warrick and Verne Ward, director of the Church of the Nazarene's Asia-Pacific Region, will visit Sendai and also a building of the Japan Church of the Nazarene in Tokyo from April 25 to 27.
Nazarene families from all over the world are sending prayers and donations. For example, students from North Carolina on the USA/Canada Region sent letters and Japanese-Americans sent small articles. The letters and articles were then sent to shelters via Sendai Tomizawa church.
Measures of Japan Church of the Nazarene
Japan Church of the Nazarene also is supporting reconstruction of interdenominational churches around the stricken area.
Donations were made to Tohoku HELP for Akira Sato, pastor of the Fukushima First Bible Baptist church, next to the atomic power plant, and six other churches - Wesleyan Holiness, Brotherhood of Christ Church, Christ Seikyodan, Jesus Christ church in Japan, Japan Free Methodist Church, and Japan Holiness church.
Pastor Sato remains in a shelter.
At the head office in Tokyo, the Committee for Measures is discussing the need for earthquake-proof construction of a Nazarene headquarters building in Japan.
JNCM has increased the staff and gathering of volunteers for working, translation, and other duties. Pastor Abe wishes to be involved with people living in temporary housing near Sendai Tomizawa church. Pastors of the Kanto area, as a partner, decided to send donations for work around Sendai Tomizawa church.
The Japan church received more than 1.7 million yen from 30 Nazarene churches in three weeks, and the board of directors and JNCM office are grateful for all the prayer and support.
Persons and churches wishing to make a donation for Tsunami/Earthquake Relief 2011 can do so online through Nazarene Compassionate Ministries at ncm.org. Checks can be marked "ACM1762" and mailed to Global Treasury Services, PO Box 843116 Kansas City, MO 64184. In Canada, checks should be made payable and sent to the Church of the Nazarene Canada, 20 Regan Road, Unit 9, Brampton, Ontario L7A 1C3.
--Japan Nazarene Compassionate Ministries