It’s been ten months since my last trip to Tohoku. Every time I return to the 3.11 disaster zone my heart grieves again, and yet each time there is so much that has changed since the last visit. Today was …
missions
Ryori Village Coming Back!
I’m back in Japan after spending six months in the U.S. visiting supporting churches. Other than being separated from the rest of the family for a couple months, it feels good to be back in Japan. After spending six months …
Conspicuous Blanks
Today was the culmination of a very long process for our family; at least for Miles, Kendra and me. We went to the Tachikawa branch of the immigration bureau and received our new status as “permanent residents” here in Japan. …
So Many Things To Do
Thursday was our last full day in Tohoku. We split up into four teams. One group went back to carpentry work at the temporary housing area. Another group spent the morning visiting with elderly women at another temporary housing area …
Opportunities in Ofunato
Today our team split up into three groups. Six of us went to a temporary housing area and did carpentry work. The government supplied temporary housing units are pretty simple but need people’s basic needs. When they first moved in …
Learning to Serve
Today we woke up in Morioka and made our departure for the coast by 10AM. Just before noon we pulled into Ofunato and when to the temporary housing area in the small fishing port of Nochinoiri, on the north side …
Feeling Connected
You know that sensation of meeting someone for the first time but still feeling like you know them from somewhere? After a bit you work up the courage to start asking questions. “Where did you go to school? Have you …
Feeding the Multitudes
After arriving at the 3.11 Iwate Church Network base camp the night before, we spent Saturday in Ofunato working at a one day event called “Summer Festival”. The base camp is a medium sized home that suffered significant tsunami damage …
Newsong, on the move!
I missed a day so I’ll begin with yesterday. We had another busy day of working on the same house. The owners were gone in the morning but returned after lunch so we were able to connect with them again. …
Old Stories and New Stories
Today we worked on a house in the town of Minamisanriku. It was a beautiful home in an idylic location. On March 11, 2011 the owners felt the earthquake, heard the tsunami warning sirens and even though their house sat …
