"Food for Soul & Body"-How to become a "Samaritan" in Japan

How to respond

"In the worst case scenario, the reactor's core would completely melt down, a disaster that would spew large amounts of radioactivity into the atmosphere."

These and similar words actually keep people tense and uncertainty adds to make people increasingly nervous about the unknown. Therefore, we stay calm and look at the facts. 

Thanks to God we did not have problems with the waves of the tsunami in Japan, the high waves went into another direction. The radiation in Taipei is unchanged and did not increase. In contrast Tokyo reported slightly elevated radiation levels, but officials said the increase was too small to threaten the 39 million people in and around the capital, about 170 miles (270 kilometers) away. This Increased radiation seems to be caused by the fire rather than by power plant leakage. Closer to the stricken nuclear complex, the streets in the coastal city of Soma were empty as the few residents who remained there heeded the government's warning to stay indoors. 

Officials just south of Fukushima reported up to 100 times the normal levels of radiation Tuesday morning, Kyodo News agency reported. While those figures are worrying if there is prolonged exposure, they are far from fatal. These conditions due to strong aftershocks can quickly worsen. At the moment no one has an idea whether a string of crisis measures to stabilize the situation will pay off.  

A Japanese Church 

After forwarding some information from Lin, Ling Ting our Taiwan sent missionary from SEND Taiwan, to CCEA and CCRA (Chinese Christian Evangelistic and Chinese Christian Relief Association) for review and prayer CCRA already is thinking in cooperation with the government and SEND somehow to head a project of assistance for Japan. SEND Japan has set up a website with helpful information under:   http://www.send.org/japan-earthquake-recovery , 

for related information about CCRA plans and project (in Chinese) see: http://www.1919.org.tw/2011/earthquake311/index.htm

As bad as what happens in Japan is, in thinking about what we went through almost 12 years ago when un earthquake struck us in Puli, I was reminded, CCRA was about 11 month in age, but through the relief work they did the local evangelism in whole Taiwan got a long-lasting push until today! The more social and existential need - linked testimony of Jesus made an impact in Taiwan. The government in the meantime has learned from CCRA and begun to do more for socially less privileged citizens beyond disaster relief times only. Today, CCEA /CCRA runs 28 types of ministries many of them geared to help families, kids in educational needs, counseling etc and established more than 550 self help centers locally since 2002! CCEA/CCRA was invited to introduce its Taiwan model of Christian relief on various other places (Central China, Hongkong, Malaysia, Indonesia etc). There is a need for the right way of helping. This is not easy. Pray for these relief efforts and the details of preparing adequate funding and resourcing in cooperation with new partners in Japan (for CCRA).

What we know for certain are the following things:

• Help is needed and especially people who can give out "food for the soul" and share about the real meaning of life are rare in Japan. 
• We know the Japanese evangelical churches, also the Chinese evangelical churches are few compared to the large size of the population and the thousands in need for the way CCRA and other Christian organizations can help.
• At the same time it is vital to keep the tender heart before God in prayer for those hard hit people of Japan! 

How to Respond?How to reponds