matcha with me…

Today did not turn out as expected. Yesterday Tim asked me to go with him to Costco to finish up details on the large order of goods to be trucked up to Fukushima (the area near the reactors). These goods will be distributed through surviving churches to very needy people. Since the nuclear crisis, people still left within 30 kilometers of the plants were told to stay indoors, but many don’t have heat and most companies are not shipping things into that area any more. Since we had to go to Costco anyway, I thought that it might be a good chance to become a member and buy a few things to help us if we are going to dig in here for a while. We have a mission prayer meeting at our house on Tuesday, and since one family has a baby, I hoped to buy some bottled water to share since it is generally unavailable and from day to day there are concerns about the level of radioactive elements in the drinking water, particularly for babies.

The whole northern end of the Kanto area must have had the same idea, since it took us 40 minutes to inch down the off ramp towards the road in front of Costco. Tim finally got out and walked since he had a time certain to meet with the trucking company and the Costco marketing agent.  A long time later I managed to find parking at a completely different shopping complex. Costco was a zoo. Sky needed lunch since it was already 1:30, and by the time we bought it and found a place to eat, it was 2:30. I tried to shop, but there was no room to push a cart since all the aisles back from the cash registers were filled with lines of people waiting for check out. These lines went all the way to the very back of the store and didn’t seem to be moving much. I noticed that most of the shoppers either had small children with them, or seemed to be shopping with small children in mind- most carts included bottled water, diapers, etc. Finally Tim and I decided that since the main purpose of our trip was fulfilled- food, clothing, and useful paper products were paid for and loaded on a 4 ton truck which had been sent off- we were better off  heading home even if our own cart was empty.

On the way back, what I had thought was merely bad allergies took a turn for the worse, and I ended up with a terrible cold and low fever. I hoped it would respond to all my home remedies of prayer, strong raw ginger tea, raw green onions and Chinese herbal medicines, but  this morning Tim and I decided that it would be better for everyone if I stayed home in bed and he took my place at the Isesaki worship. Tim reported a really good time of worship and fellowship together.

Today the news is darker than usual. In a funny-if-it-weren’t-so-serious vein, the lack of open and clear communication between Tokyo Power Co., the Japanese government, and the people of Japan has come to a head. Apparently Tokyo Power Co. knew that there were high levels of radiation in the reactors where workers were sent in to repair the power cables, but did not adequately inform the workers or the government of the risks. (…not to mention that the workers’ outfits were inadequate for the level of radiation….) Today it has become almost undeniable that there is a crack in the protective covering around the core of reactor #2 from which very high levels of radiation are being released. Scientists on the news are carefully wording their personal opinion that the current official Japanese rating of this nuclear crisis is not accurate and does not reflect either the level of radiation released to date or the lack of viable plan for containment. I’m not the only one who wishes they had more trustworthy information available.

In the midst of this, Exodus 17 rings in my ears. The Israelites complain to their leader Moses about their legitimate need for water. God meets their needs, but it is obvious that the people haven’t learned to approach God first. Instead their panic pushes them to blaming, anger and doubt in the character of God. Most of my Japanese friends don’t yet know that the God of heaven really cares about them, so I take this passage as directed at me rather than them.  Lord, hear my prayer for the needs of all around. I believe you hear the prayers of the oppressed, of the hungry, of the thirsty, of the lonely and discouraged, and you desire to draw all of us closer to you. Strengthen Japanese Christians in shelters and houses with no heat or food tonight, and help them to believe and see your care for them. Use them as channels of strength, encouragement and blessing to all around them.