Another update from Tokyo

At church this morning, there was a definite feeling of shock and of needing to talk about our experiences. Actually it was hard to have a group conversation because everyone had something to say, to add to the conversation. Listening patiently was hard (even harder than usual, in my case!). All the missionaries are experiencing a great deal of email/internet/phone action from overseas. We ourselves have received more than 100 emails pertaining to the earthquakes and tsunamis. It is rather overwhelming. It's been overwhelming to our relatives too - as others have phoned them asking for news. I'm just glad we were able to give them good news to pass on.

One missionary friend was woken this morning with a phone call from her mother-in-law who was panicking about a nuclear disaster. It was a bad start to the morning!

One of my regular jobs is to answer emails from the OMF Japan website - it too has received a number of emails in the last few days with various queries and offers of help. The most touching are those from supporters of OMF missionaries in Sendai. The missionaries there have no power and no much internet, so it has been hard for them to get out information about their well being. However, we now know that they are all safe and well.

Aftershocks continue to strike, one happened during church, and sometimes we feel like something is shaking, when it isn't really. This especially seems to happen when lying down. That is unsettling.

There is conflicting reports about the nuclear power plants. It is easier to try to ignore the various reports. Many rumours are flying around - how many are true, we don't know. What we do know is that the power plant is more than 250 kilometres away and so we are in no immediate danger. 

However we haven't seen any panic buying in the shops here in Tokyo. The only thing that seems to be largely missing from the shelves is batteries - we've been warned that we might have power blackouts. Last night we didn't have any, but things don't seem to have gotten any better at the power plants, so that is still a possibility. So, we have torches and candles and lots of blankets ready. It is winter - something Aussies might not remember. Temperatures up north are cold enough for snow to fall immediately after the earthquake on Friday. Many people have no power or gas, so many are cold.

Just down the road a meeting is happening right now. It is the CRASH group I posted about here. They are planning strategy for the coming weeks and months. They are not planning to go in and do immediate rescue missions, it is more about helping recovery and getting the region back on its feet. They will especially be looking at the less "dramatic" areas - the areas where the media doesn't get to. We saw that in the Brisbane disaster - there was much assistance in some areas, but other less accessible areas were ignored.

Here is what one mission leader wrote on Facebook:

Immediate relief and rescue efforts are being done by trained professionals. CRASH Japan will be spending the next few weeks organizing task forces and committees to handle finances, communications, work teams, etc., and will primarily be involved in secondary response and service throughout the Tohoku area (the north-east of the island of Honshu).

We're feeling like we have a ministry of "presence". Though we are neither victims nor able to go to those who are affected, we, by merely being in Japan, have raised the awareness of this disaster by being here. Because those who know us or who know people who know us are praying for this nation right now and paying closer attention to the news. That is amazing.

Soon I'll have dinner to prepare and boys to bathe and put to bed. We're not sure if there is school tomorrow, but we should know soon. UPDATE: From the headmaster: "Most international schools that are more reliant on public transportation and run the risk of having students stranded are closing." Therefore no school for the kids tomorrow. David still has to be at work.

Otherwise life is going on pretty much as per normal. We're a bit extra tired from the emotional shock, but otherwise okay. Our eldest son is exhausted - the emotional ups and downs of the earthquake - the retreat is off, then on again and delayed, then modified, then off and modified again - it has been a hard thing for him to take. We've had to order him to rest on bed a few times.

I'm sorry if you've emailed and we haven't replied personally, it hasn't been possible to reply to each one - so great has people's concern been. Please know that we've read your mail and are thankful for your concern and prayers.