Hospital Journal 入院日記

Nov 4, 2011 (Friday)
I spent an overnight in the office so that I could work while waiting for mom. Needed to get her at the airport by 7.30am, needed to get a train by 6.10am at Ueno.


Nov 5, 2011 (Saturday)
Still working...
grabbed last piece of note from the printer at 5.30am, and ran to Ueno station, cutting through the University Hospital... gate was closed. I looked at the board helplessly, it said, "Gate open at 6am". No time to run back for another way... I climbed over the fence, and started running. I didn't know the shortcut cutting through the Ueno Park, so I decided to use the long way... fearing missing train, I ran my lung out.
My record from my department to Ueno station, 20 minutes. I got on to the train.

Mom arrived Narita.
The luggage was fulled with herbs and things for me. We pulled the heavy luggage home, reached home by about 11am.

We both tried to rest for a while. Then we went out for a gathering with friends, the theme was ART Therapy that evening. T went with us. I had a long chat with T that day. Friends made some special Japanese candies for mom. Mom loves that gathering, it was indeed fruitful evening.

mom's first painting

T's first painting

My first painting

  


Nov 6-7, 2011 (Sunday - Monday)
Mom and me went outing.
The Lord blessed us with amazing sceneries that even the tour guide was amazed for he seen it for the first time after so many trips. The rainy weather drew out hundreds of waterfalls, and amazing huge rainbows. When we reached the mountain top, the usual misty view became clear, and we were able to see miles away. The grumpy tour guide became excited.

rainbow in the morning at Nagano

立山

Nov 8, 2011 (Tuesday)
I went back to school to work. Mom stayed at home to rest. I had seminar presentation the next day, confused, feared, terrible experience. Again another untouched new field. Getting sick....
There was one more thing that I wanted to do, even though I couldn't make hikikomori as my PhD, I wanted to present my work on hikikomori, I wanted my colleagues to know, and I wanted to call on people's attention of what should be done.


Nov 9, 2011 (Wednesday)
Prof. thrown me harsh questions in the morning session. I didn't understand what he really want. But I felt that I needed to correct something in the presentation, praying, working, praying... mom was there with me. She began to witness the process of the making of the presentation. Maki tried to comfort me, I couldn't stop my tears. It must be the fault of the medication.

I did a successful presentation, according to my colleagues, through not much updates or practical procedures. I was amazed of my appeared calmness during presentation. God must have been there with me. We had a celebration party after that, for the birthday stars, the pregnant moms, the finished of my presentation, and so many others... I was like a dead fish after that, Mieko rewarded me with a great massage.


Nov 10 - 12, 2011 (Thursday - Saturday)
In Tokushima for the Child Mental Health conference.
I learned so much.
Yet, still in depression.
Got in touch with a few great teachers, yet I couldn't write anything.
Received an email replied by Prof. Osada, became clearer with some set in ideas. Grateful.

A river that runs through Tokushima City, reminded me about Melaka.

The Statue of Awa Odori (Awa Dance)

Nov 12, 2011 (Saturday)
Reached home at about 8pm. Mom cooked.
Still depressed.


Nov 13, 2011 (Sunday)
Brought mom to school again, get ready some notes to study during my leave.
Took pictures, made maps for mom, trying the best to secure her not to get lost.
Felt so uncertain, took courage to send an email to a few friends from Malaysia, hoping that some may be nice enough to offer help in taking care of mom while I am hospitalized.
Michael responded immediately, thanks God.

We took a walk to Ueno Park and Ameyoko.

mom at Ueno Park

Nov 14, 2011 (Monday)
Admitting to hospital.
So many procedures... briefing, discussions with doctors and nurses.
I began to learn that this is a rare chance to learn about procedures for admitting into a hospital, operations etc, as first hand experience.

I continued to paint, as a part of the art therapy experience. If it would be effective, I would introduce this to my peers in Akita. The medical staffs were very surprised at my drawings.

Michael came to visit me in the evening, helped mom with a place to stay while waiting for my procedure tomorrow. I had more peace in mind.


Nov 15, 2011 (Tuesday)
At 6am, the nurse woke us up.
While waiting, I drew another two pictures.
Michael came with my mom at 7.30am.
The doctor pushed me to the operation room, Mom and Michael bid me goodbye.

I remembered that the doctor put an oxygen mask on me, in a few breathe, I was back to the ward.
The time in the operation room was lost.
Without knowing when and how they opened up on me, it was finished with pain.
The medical staffs tried to talk to me, I couldn't remember much.
But I guess I saw mom, she was worried, and probably some friends was around her.
Pain, was all I could remember.

the ward

Nov 16, 2011 (Wednesday)
The nurse practiced walking with me... pain... yet we tried...
We managed to walk for 4 meters.
The nurse was very caring and kind, she praised my effort, and gave me comfortable words.
When we returned to the bed, she removed the drainage. I had to learn to urine by myself.

I tried to go to the toilet every two hours, knowing that it was always slow for me in re-adapt.
Pain, continued...

The next thing to do after urine was to wait for the gas.
Pain, continued...
Thirst....... no water until the gas escapes successfully from my bowel.
Pain...
Thirst....




I thought I saw Midori at the door, praying for me.




Nov 17, 2011 (Thrusday)
About 10am, I finally farted. Relieved.
I had my first drip of water. Cough began.

I went to talk to the girl next to my bed, hope that she wouldn't get nervous as she saw a terrible me.
Brought her the origami flowers and swan that Midori made.

They brought me my first food, porridge water with miso soup, and an ice-cream!!!
It was the best porridge that I ever had. Guess I finished my food so fast, that I got stomach pain...

pain, continued...

a bouquet of flowers

I began to have visitors.
A friend that I made during the outpatient visit, brought another friend to visit me. Both of them brought me a bouquet of flowers.

All visitors only stayed for about 5-10 minutes.
Even the shortest stay brightened up my life in each visit.

I was able to talk to Midori this time. It was a good time of sharing. She also explained to me how the origami works.

Midori with her origami

Cough continued, the pain continued.....

In midnight, the cough was worse.... I woke up with coughing in every two hours.



Nov 19, 2011 (Friday)
The doctor explained to me what kind of procedures that they have done.
Because of the volume and the size of the fibroid, it was a difficult procedure, but it was a very successful one. (I later learned from another patient that she had an assisted Laparoscopic as hers was 8cm big. I could not hold my praise to the Lord, for mine was shrink to 7cm big, and another one 5cm big)

More people came and visit me. I was happy.

My condition was more stable too. They still brought lunch to my bed.
Friends from Kashiwa came,
Colleagues from my department came,
Friends came,
Juniors came,
In the evening, Jun-kun came too. お久しぶりに~
we had long chat.

My Malaysian friends were all super kind, in helping me to take care of my mom!!! Bringing her back, bringing her for meals, encouraging her with kind words.... what more can I ask?


The cough continued, getting worse.
I realized that the cough was caused by the irritation of the throat, and the location was deeper everytime. It seemed to me that the muscle of my throat was waking up little by little.



Nov 19, 2011 (Saturday)
The cough was really really bad...
I got tired really easily, but I finished another painting.

Subha came to visit, it was a fine good catch up. :-)
Friends from Kashiwa came with a lot of fruits. I was really glad for the time to catch up.

Would discharge tomorrow.
I began to pray for friendship that I built in this place will grow and become fruitful.
May the love of the Lord shines.

Scenery from the hospital canteen

Nov 20, 2011 (Sunday)
Two friends came to help me for discharge.
Zhang and T .
Mom had heavy dose of caffeine last night, and was late this morning. :-)
I took a bath, washed my  hair before discharged.

We took a taxi home.
Zhang helped us to get a taxi.
T came back with us to help out with luggage.
T stayed for lunch.
We chatted more, and began to discover more of his potentials.
T went home in peace.



Nov 21, 2011 (Monday)
Mom urged me to take a walk.
I walked out from the room, made a circle, still feeling pain. Had to go on pills.
The cough finally stopped.

Praise God.



Nov 22, 2011 (Tuesday)
The day of follow up visit in the hospital. (huh? two days after discharged?)
Mom was afraid that I couldn't walk much, she was preparing to call a taxi.
I prayed, and felt that I could handle the walk. Anywhere, I needed to start walking.

The doctor expected me to be fine.
Prof. expected me to hand in the proposal in the beginning of Dec, I needed to be fine.
Able to walk to the train stations by myself was good sign!

The doctor said my wound healed amazingly (非常にきれい).
No trace of remaining fibroid, no water retaining in my stomach.
I past the test.
Plasters were removed. I saw my wounds for the first time.


Now
Now, I am settled to rest at home, work from home, until the next class/seminar on Nov 29.
On Nov 29, another 2 friends that I made in the hospital would be admitted, and have their operation dealed.
Thank you God for granting me fast healing.
Lord, I pray for comfort and peace in the hearts of my 2 friends too.

My depression gets better after the surgery. Now I understood that the pressure and stress while waiting for the procedures made people nervous and depressed unknowingly.


At the end, I deeply felt in debt to whom who had helped us in this journey, including prayers and practical help. Especially to my Malaysian friends who had responded to the appeal, signed up a volunteer sheet to assist my mom in finding her way home: Michael, Lew Ah, Cheryl, Ken, Lin Hui Jeng kae, Keoh Serne, Sofiah, Subha and some others that names that I did not know. May God bless each one of them richly!!!

Updates - November 2011

Concerning Surgery


Thank you for your love and concern and prayers!
The fibroids were reduced in size (13cm - 9cm; 9cm - 7cm), it looks like Laparoscopic itself is enough.
They will poke 4 holes at my tummy.

I donated 400ml blood for myself on Wednesday, and it was the first time that I was put on drips after the blood donation. The doctor said that the drip was to help me to recover asap before the procedure.


Very soon, on Nov 14, I will be admitted.
And on Nov 15, there will be the operation.

A testimony to glorify the Lord! I believe that the Lord is preserving and preparing me for the operation as I find myself at perfect health, blood pressure normal, and no anemic response. (my bp tend to fall on the low side in previous check ups). The doctor thinks that I will be fine in one month. :-)

(with attached is the picture of me after drawing blood on Wednesday)


New Opportunity to Serve

The Lord is opening new door for me to meet up with Christian Academic Scholars! This had been a long yield. I finally get to meet up with a senior of my department, now a professor in Oita prefecture, majoring in mental health, Christian. I am taking the new opportunity to attend the mental health conference in Saga, which is 1.5 hr flight from Toky from Dec 08-12. I am also given an opportunity to share with a church in Saga (Saga and Oita are one of the least reached prefectures in Japan, where people gathered from far for Sunday Service). I will also attend a citizen conference about hikikomori (the social withdrawal). I will be sharing about the outreach support that our church back home had provided for hikikomori, the exploratory intervention (2010 Jan, T-san; and 2010 Dec - 2011 Jan, Y-san). I sense that the Lord is preparing me for this day, and he is preparing me to work with the local churches slowly to assist them in dealing with mental care for their members and neighbors. It will be a slow long process, yet exciting.
Oh yeah... I had a great time in Akita conference! I presented in Japanese. :-) and got a lot of feedback from the field workers. That also led me to the Christian professor that I mentioned above.





Glorifying the Lord!

Another great news to glorify the Lord!
My professor promised to fund for my PhD project(if I managed to satisfy him with the work proposal). Although I still need to bare my own expenses for conferences and hikikomori outreach, yet having a research fund is certainly very much helpful!!! (only one person in a year will get the funding)

Peace
I realize my workload and the schedule do not seem to fit with the preparation for scholarship application, which almost all have the deadlines in Nov and Dec. Anyhow most scholarships limits age below 35, which I have just exceeded, that left me very limited choice. Although a lot of "noises" crept in sometimes on how to get support, monthly or yearly, yet there is no time to waste in thinking about it, for I sense that the Lord is encouraging me to serve more by continuing with my work with the mental distressed, and preparing for new study. Yeah, though I am doing nothing in actively raising support, there is peace, it is like there is an assurance.

Prayer Request:
1. Mom's flight to Tokyo: safe journey.
2. Mom's health in Tokyo, despite of taking care of me.
3. I will extend invitation to friends to visit me in the hospital, so I wouldn't get boring. It will be an exciting trial, as my and a friend had planned to give out origami adding a word of the Lord, to every visitor, staffs and patients in the same room.
4. Pat (from Austria) is having fun, we will have a study group on next Tuesday, Nov 1, he will speak about his hikikomori lifestyle in the past.
5. The due date of my first review report on the new project on Nov 2 morning.
6. My presentation on PhD thesis on Nov 9. (I am hoping to incorporate some personal work, eg. reasoning of my work on hikikomori and church outreach, in the presentation.)
7. Please pray for good encounter during another Children Mental Health Conference in Tokushima prefecture from Nov 10-12.

Me and mom will also attend a mental peer support group on Nov 5.
I am sorry to put mom to work more than just taking care of me, yet she will be a part of the ministry during her whole visit in Japan.

Please pray for Lord's covering on her! Thanks!

Introducing Incubator Ministry HK

Heart4Japan member, Ah Fu is entering her full time ministry from this month. To find out more about the organization that she is serving with, I decided to explore Incubator Ministry on Friday evening, Sep 23. Enjoy!

VIP 国際交流 Watadori & VIP Asia Connection & ISI

CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNITY


2011.09.23 (Fri) 18:00-20:00
Tokyo Musashino Evangelical Free Church


1. Leadership Initiative
2. Introduction with New Issue in the Marketplace

The talk would be in both Japanese and English, international students are welcomed. VIP club provides opportunities to expand your perspectives of the needs and talents wanted in global market. 

Quoting from the very first part of VIP forwarded message:
"Many important changes, especially in the frameworks of politics, technology, and the economy are occurring at a fast pace in our international society. Nations and individuals seem to be trying to find a new basis for their world view, value system, and lifestyle, etc. In this changing age, the International VIP Club provides you with the opportunity to seek eternal truth and chart the future direction of your life and work."

VIP - You are precious in my eyes - Isaiah 43:4

I was personal impressed by the word of Mr. Masaru Aoki, which will be the first presenter on Sep23. He said, "We aim not only to share with you what we need in business world, but we want to hear from the students, what they want, their desires even worries, that could challenge us to think more globally, and thus help to tailor the kind of leadership development program that will in return help the students to bring the constructive ideas and work back to their homeland."

I had an opportunity to overlook the program, it's amazing!
I wouldn't be around in Tokyo at that time, but I would encourage you to go!

Those who are interested, feel free to register with Mr. Aoki, masaru.aoki@dnjonline.org, or Miss Kazue, kazue1486@gmail.com.

About Christian Funeral in Japan.

Throughout the years, many Christian pastors and families in Japan had sufferred the course in having to deal with funerals especially with their church members who are Christians, but the status changed had yet to be accepted by their family members who are non-believers. Limited choices of funeral services, as in Japan, it had been a custom that the temples would handle the funeral. Many missionaries had shared about their concerns and wish to have Christians organization that would help them to take care of the funeral, including negotiating, land of burial, ceremony etc.

A friend had started this ministry called, "Shinai Ceremony神愛セレモニー". The ministry focuses on christians wedding and funeral servies. Looking at the packages that they offer, I realized that this could be the answer to the prayers that people had been praying for.The ministry base in Saitama, they have several connection with people who could offer this service in Kanto area. It would be wise to ask them if they could expand their services to your local areas.

An highlight of their services is berieved/grief counseling, which we often find it difficult with the death of our beloved. My advice is do take a look at their webpage (though in Japanese), get your members who need the service to look at it, I believe it will helps, and much soul comforting. God bless. http://www.shinai-ceremony.org/

A Short Report from Team 10 to Ishinomaki (sponsored by KBF)

On Friday, July 15, we put up a team of ten (Kashiwa Lodge members + friends) to join a volunteer effort up to Ishinomaki with KBF, forming a team of 25 people in total.

The drive took about seven to eight hours with a several stops at the highway rest. I was put in a van with Celine and Bruce and Takahiro so that I have more freedom to stop for washroom in the highway. It was a very nice thought of Eric. 

We didn't sleep but kept each other up by chatting a lot in the vehicle, and that seriously took effect on the second day while we began working. :-)

Before we started working, we drove by the destructed area, and spent sometime there. A huge sign 『がんばろう！石巻』had been set up at the site, and flowers, cans of beers and drinks were placed to remember the dead, and I found a wooden cross was placed there too. I was really glad that Takahiro was able to come along, and while he mentioned to me that what went through his mind at that moment, was the daily life of the people and families that were supposedly there, I was almost sure that this trip would leave an impact in his life and a beneficial one. I hope that he would share this experience to others.

I splited up with the group in Ishinomaki, where they were sent to work at a field above the river, and I spent my time in the volunteer center, trying to find out more about ways to cooperate with the city officials in long term outreach of kokoro no care (mental health care). Even as we considered the Ishinomaki volunteer center as the best organized city effort, I was surprised to find that the volunteers were mostly non locals. The volunteer center explained to me some work that had been done by the local communities and the volunteer organization from Tokyo named Recovery for Japan. I see some certain trace of follow up and work of mental health care. Some of the work that I am planning do repeat with some of the self-initiated events of the locals too. We agreed with each other that in a long term, we do need to pull effort with other volunteer organizations in considering the impact of what we could make out of the limited resource, and the impact of unnecessary retraumatization to the victims in every effort that we do. The unreleased information keeps the kokoro no care for the disaster victims much more difficult. My concern would be if our care would truly reach the disaster victims that were being assigned to the temporary houses. (noted that the people who gets the priority to move into temporary houses are from these areas.  where houses and families were supposed to be located at the mess you see in this picture.)

Again, the information of how many temporary housing were built, the general information of residents, the specific needs are not in link with the volunteer center. It was released in the news around June that there would be about 18 blocks of temporary houses for the disaster victims that could hold about 100 people in Ishinomaki. However, by driving around, and talking with the locals, it seems that there are far more than that. The person in charge advised that I may try to find these information with the city official website, but I am still far from locating the necessary information. Because of the limitation of the information, I hold back my proposal, and was not able to discuss more until I am connected to others who are doing more practical works in the field. 

The taxi driver that drove me from the volunteer center to a nearby shopping mall expressed to me his concern of the elderly people who stay in the temporary houses may not have access to the facilities for daily living especially for those without cars. It was true that if I have to pay 2,180 yen from the volunteer center to the nearby shopping mall, and along the way, with the many temp. housing that I have seen along the way may have serious difficulties pertaining to this issue.  

Jusco, now named AEON, was located at another side of the location in the picture above. According to the locals, it had turned into an evacuee center in the time of tsunami. The taxi driver playfully told me that the place is so huge, and that I would probably lost my way in it. The kind driver spoke in a tohoku dialect, which I could only understand 60% of it when it comes to unfamiliar topics. 

The place was indeed big, and with words around like, "ガンバッペ石巻!" I walked around the shops, to get a feel of the customer flow, and the utilization of the facilities in the mall. The sales girl told me that they certainly have a huge customer flow, especially during the weekend. Then I realized that people from Kesennuma 気仙沼 came over to this shopping mall because this is the nearest mall that they could get after the destruction of the Kesennuma city. The mall gets a lot of residents from surrounding too as the young and old were trying to escape from the heat. 

I was then tired and exhausted, and decided to take a rest at one of the sofa located at the corridors and walk ways, opposite a nail polish store. I dozed off quickly until an old woman sat beside me. I guess I behaved very local, like a school girl, waiting for my parents to come and pick me up in the store. We smiled to each other. Although the mall is with air-conditioning, we were still feeling exhausted from the heat outside the building at the place where we sat. Then, the old woman began to talk to me, complaining about the weather, feeling pity for my exhaustion. And she asked me what I was doing, and I told her I was waiting for my team to come and pick me up after their volunteer work at the other side of the river. After she found that I was from Tokyo, she looked at me unbelievingly and said, "oh... it is really terrible that you have to travel up here for this work at this weather! " Then she made an remark, "it is worse in Tokyo, right? the heat must be more terrible there."  

The old woman told me that her sister and brother in-law who were staying at the site (refer to the picture above) were still missing, and she herself went to AEON for refuge during the 10 days course. She illustrated to me how it was in the mall when it was turned into evacuee center, all the walking lanes were filled with people, and what they were given for food during the ten days. Her husband ran up to the hill. She has two adult boys who are not staying with her, but everyone is safe in her family. Now a relative of her, a form 2 girl was the only survivor in her family in the tsunami. All the while when she tells her story, she remained calm and good humor. During our conversation, another woman sat down beside us, and listened to our conversation. Then she asked the old woman if she was from Ishinomaki. And she introduced herself that she was from Kesennuma. They then described the terrible event, tracing to the evacuation warning of tsunami. This woman from Kesennuma stays at the hill side. When the alarm sounds and the evacuation warning was announced, she mentioned that the announcement was "It looks like the tsunami is coming" rather than "The tsunami is coming", which had probably caused many people to ignore the warning, and when the tsunami came, it was too late to escape. She illustrated how the water rushed to the foot of her house, and the people were screaming for help, and she was afraid to help anyone for the fear of being pulled into the fierce water. I began to imagine even if the people have run, they would not probably had stopped at the hillside, or need to take a break at the foot of the hill. I guess there could be a proportion of healthy elderly people may run faster that me, but I suppose there are more elderly people who are just like the person sitting in front of me, suffering body and muscle aches with their long hours of laboring in rice field or sea. The woman's grandson was trapped in the school, and they were saved by the helicopter after three days. 

After about an hour talking to each other, we bid each other goodbye, and I went to food court to have my lunch, and began to put down my thoughts from all these observations. 

I began to realize that most of the local people who mingle at the mall are probably not so much concern with volunteer work nor people who are assigned to temporary houses. Most are probably affected by the tragedy, but not the one that I am targeting at. No posters or related leaflets of volunteer informations or events that were created for the disaster victims, and it would be difficult to classify nor measure the loss of the victims. This observation tells us that there is a huge challenge in how to reach out and disseminate information to people in need.

The team came to pick me up after their sweat labors in the hot sun. :-) Then we got them McDonalds for dinner in bus... (Thanks, Eric and Tsunoda-san!)

It was even best, that due to an unforeseen traffic jam, we were far behind schedule in reaching Tokyo, and based on the large number of volunteers we have this round, Tsunoda-san sent eight of us back to Kashiwanoha campus. Although this was an unusual measure at an unusual situation, I was really glad that everyone had been patient and gracious enough to get us home. 

At the end of this, I would like to express my deepest gratitude the student team: Celine, Zoli, Erik, Rob, Nic, Gareth, Tuba, Baron and Suzuki. Thank you so much, and I hope that you had a wonderful time in your labor and friendship building with one another! Most of all, thank you for being patient and generous with me, for the frequent washroom stops that I made and my "sneaking out" from the hot sun labor. ^^ Looking forward to have more fun with you guys!!!

more about my health

An unusual ten days had past since my visit to the Tokyo University Hospital emergency ward on July 8 afternoon for a surprise attack of pain. The doctors prescribed Acetaminophen IV trying to reduce the course of the pain, and CT scan with contrast to look for infection or inflammation that was not discovered by the radiography imaging. The acetaminophen took a while to suppress the pain, together with the contrast injection, caused me to be more nausea, and vomiting.

The doctors and nurses surrounded me kept throwing me tons of questions, and one thing that they were really concerned was if I have any family members in Tokyo, and if there is any friend that will be with me for the whole course. That prompted me to think if I really need an operation, or warded. I began to imagine the inconvenience and difficulties without someone being by my side.

Maki, my best friend who accompanied me to the emergency was left alone outside the cold and dark corridor while all these were happening inside the little emergency ward. Poor and kind Maki was having so many datelines, and she herself was suffering bladder infection too. As they moved me to CT scan, I realized that I might need to be warded, and I wanted to tell Maki to go back to the lab. Maki rushed to my side as she saw them pushed me out from the emergency room, thinking if they were sending me for operation. She then heard me murmuring to the doctors (doctors from different specialties came at different time, repeating the same questions, some doubts if I was able to understand and answer them in Japanese,  I was trying my best effort to answer the questions although I was numbed by the pain) with my eyes closed, and she felt relieved and laughed, no one talks as much as Roseline, she thought... then while I was pushed inside the CT scan room, I started to vomit. Maki heard it from afar, and she went back to the place and saw no one, and she knew it must be Roseline that was vomiting. This part of the story became one of our favorite, or Maki's favorite when she illustrates my situations to our colleagues. I love it too, it becomes a good laugh in our miseries.

When they released from the emergency ward, it was almost seven in the evening. It was so dramatic as after 4 hours of struggling with such severe pain, and I was released from the ward, as if the pain was a put of of a show in order for a thorough investigation. Then the doctor explained to me with the CT, that my pain was due to nothing else but the compression of two large myoma (fibroids) in my womb. That seems to explain many things: seemingly bladder infection that was not getting better with antibiotics, heaviness and pelvic pain, pressure in lower abdomen, heavy menstruation etc. She prescribed Acetaminophen to suppress the pain for the weekend, and advised me to ring the hospital if I have sudden and uncontrollable pain again, then return to the clinic for further check up on Monday.

Fearing that I might get into trouble again by traveling in the cramped train, Maki insisted if there could be someone to accompany me back to Kashiwa from Hongo, which takes almost an hour and a half ride.  Thank God we found Liu Feng, another friend who commute in between both campus, was still in Hongo at that time. He accompanied me back to Kashiwa, and though I thought it was not very much necessary in the beginning, had turned out to be an incredible help for me to get back to the place where I stay. Then only after that I realized that Liu Feng actually had an appointment in Tokyo in the evening, which after he sent me back, he went back to Tokyo again. I am in great gratitude towards my friends for their great love and that they had really sacrificed their time to help me.

Another terrible two days had gone, and I began to find the rhythm of the pain and possible trigger factors to it. On monday, the doctor prescribed me a MRI scan, and changed the Acetaminophen to Ibuprofen. To prevent any possible serious pain, I began to pop Ibuprofen like sweets, 3 times a day, as long as I uncomfortable with the compression. On Wednesday, I did a urography with dye to detect obstruction and the size and shape of the bladder. The IV drip this time did not cause nausea, but the wound caused by the fat needle that hooked on the vein of my antecubital fossa took more than 4 days to recover this time. After the scan, the doctor made an effort to see me, and explained to me about the results of the MRI and urography imaging. It was confirmed that the large myoma had taken the whole space and the uterus expanded so much that had causing the compression to the stomach and pelvic bones, where another myoma had grown side way, and pressed on the ureter that caused this swelling of the kidney. However to our surprise, the size of the myoma were far bigger than she thought, and now she was worried if I could have the microscopic surgery in due course.

Hormone therapy is prescribed and will take place on July 27. Surgery is scheduled in November, and we will see how much the fibroids would shrink until then. :-)

Some friends had expressed their concerns about my situation, and I guess that the prayer had been more fervent since. I would wish to express my thankfulness to everyone who is concern. Some had said, do not worry about the fibroids, well... aside of being astonished by the event, and the traumatized feelings of imagining surgery with more readings, in fact I am happy and relieved to find out the causes of all these ill feelings that I have been bearing for a while. Especially when I find out that the extra weight that I am carrying is reducible :-) and I would probably be in a better shape after the removal of the fibroids ^^. My concerns are more about the pain and inconvenience that caused by the fibroids and the following treatment course, that affects my mobility. I have to take leave from school to reduce the physical stress of traveling. So far, God had always proved his generosity in giving me extra grace and strength when there is a mission going on. The trip to the volunteer work in Ishinomaki was successful on Saturday, and when the team decided to send us back to the Kashiwa Lodge on Saturday midnight definitely helped my situation too.

The reason that I disclose all these information was not to seek pity from you, nor to humiliate myself.  As I always trust that being a missionary should be transparent enough in everything that I do if possible, and as this blog had always remained a site of experience learning for future missionaries, as well as a part of my spiritual journey. It will be great if you would like to pray for me, and knowing what exactly I am facing, so that you enjoy being a partner in this spiritual battle of a global mission. Shalom.

Aside from praying for the healing and reduce of the impacts of side effect, there are several things that I am working on and need His grace upon me:

1. the transfer of lodge, from Chiba prefecture back to Tokyo. (hopefully within walkable distance to school/hospital)
2. the completion of the social phobia paper.
3. the completion of application of ethical approval for new projects on hikikomori.
4. my work with the young people (somehow I have been delaying in replying emails, looking into things as I used to be... I am much slower these days, and not being very concentrate of things)
5. the possible and best fulfillment in discussion and working with young people in Akita.
6. the possible fulfillment of studies in Suicide prevention center in Beijing in September prior or post conference.
7. the possible reconnect with the students/young people that I had been working with in Hong Kong after the Beijing trip.
8. I need to start writing my hikikomori paper again as soon as possible.

Prayer Request of 2nd part of 2011

Since Mar 11, we have entered the fifth month after disaster. 

After working with various people while serving the disaster areas, 

I began to step back in May, slowly adjusting my pace,

thinking and readjusting my thoughts, my position, and most importantly, 

the will of the Lord in this entire work.

Current Work and Expansion

It was almost the same time, 

few things happened in Tokyo:

1. I am finding hard to catching up with my studies and thesis after a long "vacation" away from school;

2. My work in Tokyo expanded, where I have now a new group of hikikomori or young people to work with;

3. My health getting worse, with the seemingly frequent pain that associate with frequent urine. 

On another hand, the work in the disaster areas had made new contacts, and new people to follow up with.

In the effort of one of our partner in Heart4Japan, Ps. Sakae Makita had established an NPO for East Japan Disaster Recovery, http://ejdrf.weebly.com/

I am expected to contribute my biblical disaster mental health experience in this group.

I am expecting and excited to expand my hikikomori service to Akita, where I put my main effort in community approach suicide prevention, and to link both Akita youths and Tokyo youths together, by sharing their knowledge and experience together.

Source of Support

A church in Brunei that I had never met approached me about three months ago, about adopting me into their missions board, although nothing had been said nor decided, the work of the Lord no doubt encouraged me deeply. Knowing that the difficulties in getting church support, I took up a 2 months part time job to help out a professor in Chiba University on his English assignment. This work takes another 1.5 hour for one way commute. 

There are several courses that I need to take from now, conferences to attend, I pray for strength and His light to guide me in this work. 

Would you pray for me with what the following?

Schedule

July 16   Volunteer to Disaster Area: Ishinomaki 石巻

July 22   Fieldwork to Special School in Tokyo - Showa Gakuenhttp://www.showa-gakuen.net/index.htm 

July 31   Fireworks with young people from Seisa (Hikikomori Freespace)

Aug 6-7   Social Disparity and Health International Conference in Tokyo - Presenter

Aug 21-29  Fieldwork to Akita, working with young people on hikikomori

Sep 6-7  Fieldwork in Tokyo: Special school and Hospital

Sep 9-28  Missions Trip to China/International Suicide Prevention Conference in Beijing

Oct 1   Study Group (Schizo) - Presenter

Oct 19-21  Public Health Conference in Akita - Presenter

Nov 3    Department Seminar - Presenter

Nov 9-11  Child and Adult Mental Health Conference in Tokushima

(highlighted in yellow are the events that I need to prepare as a presenter)

I am planning for the new season of hIkikomori study group from October, but I am yet to apply for ethical approval as well as grant. Grant is not so often available, yet my young people would need the funds to help them to travel to Tokyo for the study group.

My health Condition

I had a dramatic weekend last week. :-)

I was admitted to the emergency ward in Tokyo University Hospital last Friday due to a severe pain. After a few good hours, I was told that instead of appendicitis, the CT scan confirmed that I have two big uterus fibroids (10cm and 5cm) that pressed on my right ureter, causing thickening of the wall, which suspect to contributed to the frequent pain and urine that i had suffered a while. I am given pain killer to control the pain. As the compression also caused stomach discomfort, reflux and nausea, I do have some difficult times.... ><

Because of the expansion of work in Tokyo, and the condition of my health, moving to Tokyo seems to be the best option at this moment. I am looking forward to move. 

Surgery would be scheduled in October or November. 

Hormone therapy would be needed prior to the operation to shrink the fibroids. 

First Session: July 27

Second Session: Aug 31

I went for MRI on Monday, it was terrible....... >< the sound was so loud!!! They put this earphone on my head, and surprisingly.... I thought I heard worship songs..... probably because I was warned before I went through the procedure, I was well prepared with prayers. The Lord seemed to be citing Psalm 91 to my ears... it was a lot of comfort. 

I am going for the nephro test tomorrow :-)

Oh yeah, I am also attending a youth mental health seminar in the evening tomorrow! :-) Let's pray for all the best!

Please pray for HIs provision of strength, comfort and finance on all the work that need to be done! May the peace of the Lord to be upon me, and you who are at the same frontal line of this intense battle.

July Relief Effort in Ishinomaki 石巻救援活動 ～ ７月

All
皆様

この最近の２週間のKBF東北救援活動に参加してくださった皆様、ありがとうございました。大勢の方が参加してくだいました。エリックさんがレクルととにがんばって、このいい結果になった。参加して下さった方の皆様が、自分の観点からのレポートを書いて下されば、ほかの参加しようとしている人たち参考になります。色々面でこの活動をサッポットして下さっている方々にもはげましになるとおもいます。あわせて、そのレポートと私が撮った写真をフェイスブックで公開します。レポートを書いたら、このメールのreply-allで返事を下さい。もし、何か改善してほしいポイントもあれば、別状で、私とリーダーにそれについて知らせて下さい。http://www.facebook.com/pages/KBF-Tohoku-Relief-Team/212751098757354


A big thank you to all those who participated in the KBF Tohoku Volunteers activities for the last 2 weekends, June 4 and 10. We had the largest number of particiates to date on the 10, thanks to Eric`s great recruiting work. If possible, can those who participated please write a report of what they did and saw from their own perspective. I think such reports will be useful references for those that are thinking of participating, and an encouragement to those that continue to support this work in many ways. We will upload both the reports and the photos I took onto to the team`s Facebook page.　And if you have any comments on what we could have done better, please let me or the leadership know in a seperate email

http://www.facebook.com/pages/KBF-Tohoku-Relief-Team/212751098757354



七月／八月のスケジュル

ボランテイア委員会でデイスカションの結果で、七月（５週末）と八月（１週末）をボランテイィア活動を続くことに決めました。その後の月についてはまだきめていません。各週の活動にについては、その週に連絡しますがdoodleでの七月のサインアップはもうできていますのサインアップしてください七月の活動のために一つ一つのイベントをリッドしたいと思っているひとを募集します。委員会はそのインフラのすべてを（車、など）よいします。イベントのリーダはその日のイベントのかつどを管理する。一つの週末のイベントに２人をセットし、その一人できれば前に一回、KBFのボランテイアかつ参加した経験のあるひとにしたい。それは絶対の条件ではないけど。是非、是非この機会をもって、そろて募集ください。下記の委員会のメンバーにご連絡ください。



JULY/AUGUST SCHEDULE
After a number of discussions within the Volunteer Committee, we have decide to extend the KBF Tohoku Volunteers program into July for the whole month and August for at least 1 weekend in August. Dates for later months will be decided in due course. More details on each weekend`s trip will be given in the week of the trip, but we already have July dates on doogle so please sign up. 　We do urgently need your help. We are looking for people who will commit themselves to to lead at least one weekend. Committee members will provide all infrastructural support including cars etc. Event leaders will take care of managing the actual volunteer day`s events. We are hoping that we can get at least 2 leaders for each event with on leader being someone who has been on at least one of the Tohoku visits. But this is not essential. Please do very much consider helping in this way. If you can help please do contact one of the committee members in the list below. Your help will be much appreciated.


Doodleを投資てオンラインで参加登録をおすすめしています。メールアドレス　（連絡のため）と運転免許お持ちかと他の参考になると思う情報をコメント部分にのこしてください。参加の興味のある友人や家族にもこのメールを転送してください。その人が参加を希望する場合、彼ら自分でかあなたがその人のためにオンライン登録をすることも可能です。どちらの場合でも、その人の名前とメールアドレスをわすれずに！！

http://doodle.com/qb9xcsu28aage87s
We continue to encourage people to sign-up through doodle. Please leave your email address and whether you can drive in the comments section. In addition include any other information that you think would be useful for us. We continue to look for people willing to drive. If you have a driver`s license please let us know in the comments section! Please feel free to forward this email to friends and family who might be interested in signing-up. They can sign up themselves or you can sign up for them. In the latter case dont forget to include their name and address！！

http://doodle.com/qb9xcsu28aage87s


質問があれば、遠慮なくご連絡ください。この救援活動に賛同していただき、感謝しています。この活動を通して、私たちは、被災者の方々の復興をお手伝いさせていただくだけでなく、悲しむ人と共に涙を流し、生活を立て直そうと努力する人たちと共に働き、東北の兄弟姉妹の助け人として成長させていただく機会が与えられています。運転できる人募集してます。もし日本の免許書があれば、コメントのセクションにそれをかいてください！！みなさんが活動に参加してくださることを期待しています。ニーズと比べて、私たちのしていることは僅かですが、そのほんの少しでも、被害者の痛みを軽くできればと思っています。

皆さんからのアイデアを依然として、募集しています。活動を被災者のニーズを必要に応じてひろげたいとねがっています。


Please let us know if you have any questions. Again thanks for agreeing to be part of this work of compassion. Our sincere hope is that in addition to helping the people who have experienced disaster on a epic scale, you will find yourself enriched by the experience of weeping with those that weep, standing together with those that seek to rebuild their lives again, and being your brother`s keeper and helper. Compare to the needs, what we are doing is not much. However our hope is that we can lessen, even a little bit, the pain of the victims on this disaster.


Here is the general schedule that we will follow for each weekend:

金曜日Friday :9pm - 12midnight : CAJから出発。leave Christian Academy in Japan (near Higashi Kurume station) between 9pm and 12 midnight. Please try to come at 9pm and let us know if you will be unavoidably late. We leave as soon as all signed up are on-site. We stop at rest stops along the way

土曜日Saturday: 4am: 石せんしゅ大学ボラていアセンターに着く。すこしねる。Arrive at Ishinomaki Senshu University around 4am and sleep in car

Saturday : 7am - 8am: すきやで朝食breakfast at Sukiya (about 500 yen a person)

Saturday : 8am-9am: ボランテイア登録。災害保険を申し込む。Volunteer Registration at Volunteer center - includes getting disaster insurance if you dont have any

Saturday : 9am - 12noon : ボランテイィア活動。Volunteer work

Saturday : 12noon - 1pm: 昼食ーファミリレストランなど。Lunch break - family restaurant etc

Saturday : 1pm - 4pm : ボランテイィア活動。Volunteer work

Saturday : 4pm - 5pm : ボランテイィアセンタにもどるReturn to Volunteer center to end day`s activities

Saturday : 5pm - 6pm : 東京への出発。RAで休暇をとる。leave for Tokyo between 5pm - 6pm, stop in rest stops along the way

土曜日Saturday : 夜中１２時：12midnight : CAJに到着。家に帰れないひとは作本さんのいえでねる。Arrive at CAJ, those with no means to get home can spend the night at Kelvin Sakumoto`s house




持参するもの

現在の活動方法ですが、10-12人乗りの車2台を使っています車一台、運転手２人。一人の運転手は帰る道で疲れないために、あまりボランティア仕事しないようにする。ボランティア参加者は、交通費(往復5000円程度)と食費を自己負担してください。学生は無料です。また、参加費を払えないという方はご相談ください。そういう方の参加費を支援するための予算を確保してあります

私たちの活動は石巻ボランティアセンターと協力しておこなっています。このセンターは、世界でもまれにみる、組織がしっかりとしたボランティアセンターだと思います。決して官僚的ではないのに効率的、という日本の良さが発揮されていて、その働きは一見に値します。もしボランティアセンターの運営について学びたいという方があれば、石巻センターに行くことをおすすめします。センターのホームページは以下のとおりです。

http://msv3151.c-bosai.jp/group.php?gid=10163

当日は、汚れてもよい作業服を用意してください。耐水ブーツ（鉄のインソルあればもっといい）、耐水手袋、ゴーグル、ヘルメット、丈夫なマスク、水筒、長いパンツ、長袖の仕事用のシャツなどはを自分でもってきてください。センターにありますし、私たちのほうでもいくつかお貸しすることができますが原則として各自後持参。できるだけ自分のものをもってきて下さい。


What to bring:
The way we are working is that we have 2 cars carrying 10-12 people, and at least 2 drivers a car. One driver will not do much physical work so they are able to drive back in full strength. All working people are encouraged to pay their own way - transport costs - about 5000yen per trip + and the cost of whatever you eat. Students are free. Restaurants are generally back in business so there should be no problem here. In addition, finance is not to be the reason you cant come. We have a small fund that will finance anyone else who is having issues with costs.

The work involves working with with the Ishinomaki City Volunteer Center, who have the best organized workplace of any volunteer center of, I dare say, anywhere in the world. Japanese efficiency without the bureaucracy!! Its a sight to see - and for anyone wanting to learn how to run a volunteer center - this is the place to go...they have a website, that does not do justice to what this center is doing -

http://msv3151.c-bosai.jp/group.php?gid=10163

You should bring work clothes that you dont mind getting dirty. Basically you need waterproof boots(with metal insoles, if possible), waterproof gloves, goggles, a helmet, a water bottle, a work mask (not surgical mask) and long pants and long sleeved shirt that you dont mind getting dirty. The center will lend you some of these things and we also have some to lend but as much as possible please bring your own.


We continue to actively seek ideas from every on how we can expand our activities to meet the needs of the victims of the victims of the disaster.

God bless

神様の恵みがあるように

Lawrence Mutenda (on behalf of the KBF Volunteer Committee,KBFボランティア委員会を代表して)

A message from the KBF Volunteer Committee KBFボランティア委員会

重要な知らせ
KBF東北救援隊は、名前のとおり、東久留米にある久留米バイブルフェローシップの働きとしておこなわれています。けれども、活動には、KBFのメンバー の方も、そうでない方も、クリスチャンの方も、そうではない方も参加することができます。私たちの活動は、イエスキリストへの愛に基づくものですが、救援 隊の活動は、「宗教」活動ではありません。私たちは、お手伝いさせていただく東北の方々にも、救援隊の活動に参加してくださる方々にも、聖書を読んだり、 祈ったりすることを求めたりはしません。祈りたい方は自由に祈ることができますし、そうではない方は、祈らなくてもかまいません。助けを必要としている東 北の方々を手伝いたいという心からの思いをもち、さまざまな新しい友人と出会いたいという願っていること。救援活動への参加資格は、それだけです。
このEメールは、救援活動に関心のあるお知り合いの方に自由に転送してください。

An Important Message
The KBF Tohoku Disaster Volunteers Corps, as the name implies, is part of the work of Kurume Bible Fellowship, in Higashi Kurume.  However we welcome anyone who wants to participate, Christian and non-Christian, KBF member and non-KBF member.  We are not ashamed to say that this work is driven by our love for Jesus Christ, but neither do we consider our activity a "religious" activity.  We will not be asking those we help or those who participate to read Bibles, or to pray.  Those who want to pray will be free pray, those who do not will be free not to.  All we ask for is a sincere desire to help those in need in the Tohoku area and a desire to make new friends with all kinds of new people - that is the only qualification!!! Needless to say please feel to forward this email to any of your friends who may be interested.  


Message from KBF Volunteer Team

皆様
All

5月27日・28日のKBF東北救援活動に参加してくださった皆様、ありがとうございました。7名の方が参加してくださり、寺上さんという方の自宅清掃（泥出し）をお手伝いしてきました。参加して下さった方の皆様が、自分の観点からのレポートを書いて下されば、ほかの参加しようとしている人たち参考になります。色々面でこの活動をサッポットして下さっている方々にもはげましになるとおもいます。あわせて、そのレポートと私が撮った写真をフェイスブックで公開します。レポートを書いたら、このメールのreply-allで返事を下さい。もし、何か改善してほしいポイントもあれば、別状で、私とリーダーにそれについて知らせて下さい。

http://www.facebook.com/pages/KBF-Tohoku-Relief-Team/212751098757354
A big thank you to all those who participated in the KBF Tohoku Volunteers activities on 27/28 May.  We had seven participants. If possible, can those who partipated please write a report of what they did and saw from their own perspective. I think such reports will be useful references for those that are thinking of participating, and an encouragement to those that continue to support this work in many ways. We will upload both the reports and the photos I took onto to the team`s Facebook page.　And if you have any comments on what we could have done better, please let me or the leadership know in a seperate email

 http://www.facebook.com/pages/KBF-Tohoku-Relief-Team/212751098757354

Doodleを投資てオンラインで参加登録をおすすめしています。メールアドレス　（連絡のため）と運転免許お持ちかと他の参考になると思う情報をコメント部分にのこしてください。参加の興味のある友人や家族にもこのメールを転送してください。その人が参加を希望する場合、彼ら自分でかあなたがその人のためにオンライン登録をすることも可能です。どちらの場合でも、その人の名前とメールアドレスをわすれずに！！

http://doodle.com/qb9xcsu28aage87s

We continue to encourage people to sign-up through doodle. Please leave your email address and whether you can drive in the comments section. In addition include any other information that you think would be useful for us. Please feel free to foward this email to friends and family who might be interested in signing-up. They can sign up themselves or you can sign up for them. In the latter case dont forget to include their name and address！！

http://doodle.com/qb9xcsu28aage87s

質問があれば、遠慮なくご連絡ください。この救援活動に賛同していただき、感謝しています。この活動を通して、私たちは、被災者の方々の復興をお手伝いさせていただくだけでなく、悲しむ人と共に涙を流し、生活を立て直そうと努力する人たちと共に働き、東北の兄弟姉妹の助け人として成長させていただく機会が与えられています。みなさんが活動に参加してくださることを期待しています。ニーズと比べて、私たちのしていることは僅かですが、そのほんの少しでも、被害者の痛みを軽くできればと思っています。

皆さんからのアイデアを依然として、募集しています。活動を被災者のニーズを必要に応じてひろげたいとねがっています。


Please let us know if you have any questions.  Again thanks for agreeing to be part of this work of compassion.  Our sincere hope is that in addition to helping the people who have experienced disaster on a epic scale, you will find yourself enriched by the experience of weeping with those that weep, standing together with those that seek to rebuild their lives again, and being your brother`s keeper and helper. Compare to the needs, what we are doing is not much. However our hope is that we can lessen, even a little bit, the pain of the victims on this disaster

We continue to actively seek ideas from every on how we can expand our activities to meet the needs of the victims of the victims of the disaster.

God bless
神様の恵みがあるように

Lawrence Mutenda (on behalf of the KBF Volunteer Committee,KBFボランティア委員会を代表して)

Biju Paul  (paulbiju@gmail.com, 090 9398 7049)
Lawrence Mutenda (lawrence.mutenda@gmail.com, 080 5647 4848) 
Eric Fandrich - (eric@fandrich.net - 090-4002-6525)
Jun Tanaka - (jt51h20@hotmail.com, 090-9395-8283)
Steve Iijima (our sage! Whats Sage in Japanese?)

Weekends Tohoku Relief Effort (KBF)

これからも6月末までは、最低週に一度の東北での活動を続ける予定です。また、今後も必要があるかぎり、そして参加を希望するボランティアの方がいるかぎり、この活動を続けようという声もあがっています。

現在の活動方法ですが、10-12人乗りの車2台を使っています。ボランティア参加者は、交通費(往復5000円程度)と食費を自己負担してください。学生は無料です。また、参加費を払えないという方はご相談ください。そういう方の参加費を支援するための予算を確保してあります。

私たちの活動は石巻ボランティアセンターと協力しておこなっています。このセンターは、世界でもまれにみる、組織がしっかりとしたボランティアセンターだと思います。決して官僚的ではないのに効率的、という日本の良さが発揮されていて、その働きは一見に値します。もしボランティアセンターの運営について学びたいという方があれば、石巻センターに行くことをおすすめします。センターのホームページは以下のとおりです。
http://msv3151.c-bosai.jp/group.php?gid=10163

当日は、汚れてもよい作業服を用意してください。ブーツ、手袋、ゴーグルなどは、センターにありますし、私たちのほうでもいくつかお貸しすることができます。

毎週末のスケジュールとしては、金曜日の夜9時から12時にＣＡＪを出発して、夜通し運転し、土曜の早朝に石巻に到着します。9時ごろから作業をはじめて、昼食をはさみ、4時ごろまで作業を続けます。夕方の6時に石巻を出発し、どこかで夕食の休憩をとり、土曜の真夜中12時ごろにＣＡＪに戻ります。

ウェブページからの登録: 名前を入力した後、参加希望の日時にチェックを入れてください。(5月28日から6月末までの間で選択することができます。) http://doodle.com/qb9xcsu28aage87s   連絡先がわかるように、コメント欄にEメールのアドレスを記入してください。質問があるときには、それもコメント欄に記入してください。友人や家族にもこのメールを転送してください。その人が参加を希望する場合、あなたがその人のためにオンライン登録をすることも可能です。すでに口伝え、携帯、スカイプ、Eメールなどで、参加希望を連絡してくださっている方々も、再度オンラインでの登録をお願いします。お手数をおかけして申し訳ありませんが、事務手続きを簡単にするために、ご協力をお願いします。その代わり、交通費を5円割引することをお約束します。

フェイスブックのリンクからもDoodleで登録することが可能です。（ http://www.facebook.com/pages/KBF-Tohoku-Relief-Team/212751098757354 ) -私たちのフェイスブックは立ち上げたばかりですので、より使いやすいものにするためのアドバイスがあれば、ぜひ教えてください。

今週末の活動に参加を希望するかたは、水曜日までに連絡してください。ただ、登録した後も、急にキャンセルする人もありますので、水曜日以降も柔軟に対応する予定です。突然のキャンセルというのは、対応に困るところがあるのですが、こうした救援活動は、強制的になるようなところがあってはならないので、一人ひとりの誠意を信頼したいと思います。

これまで、参加者の集合と解散はＣＡＪで行ってきたのですが、参加者は東京中から集まっているので、真夜中に移動する交通手段がない、という方々もおられます。そこで帰るときには、車で送ることも試してみたのですが、これは簡単なことではありません。でも帰る手段がないから救援活動に参加することができないという人がでるのは本意ではありませんので、車で送るのは最後の手段に残しておき、土曜日の活動の後、それぞれが帰宅できるよい方法を考えていきたいと思います。

みなさんにお願いしたいことがあります。

１．    運転手を募集しています。交代で運転するために、一台につき二名の運転手が必要です。

２．    最低6人の人が、ゆったりと座れるようなバンや車を提供してくださる方を募集しています。

ボランティア委員会(Lawrence Mutenda, Jun Tanaka, Biju Paul, Eric Fandrich, Steve Iijima)では、東北までの運転を一人の運転手が担うことを懸念しています。日本には、救援活動を続けていくのに十分な数の運転手がいると思いますので、東北までの運転を一人が担うというようなことは、なるべく避けたいと願っています。

みなさんに覚えておいていただきたい大切なことがあります。KBF東北救援隊は、名前のとおり、東久留米にある久留米バイブルフェローシップの働きとしておこなわれています。けれども、活動には、KBFのメンバーの方も、そうでない方も、クリスチャンの方も、そうではない方も参加することができます。私たちの活動は、イエスキリストへの愛に基づくものですが、救援隊の活動は、「宗教」活動ではありません。私たちは、お手伝いさせていただく東北の方々にも、救援隊の活動に参加してくださる方々にも、聖書を読んだり、祈ったりすることを求めたりはしません。祈りたい方は自由に祈ることができますし、そうではない方は、祈らなくてもかまいません。助けを必要としている東北の方々を手伝いたい
という心からの思いをもち、さまざまな新しい友人と出会いたいという願っていること。救援活動への参加資格は、それだけです。

このEメールは、救援活動に関心のあるお知り合いの方に自由に転送してください。

なかには、週末二日間を活動したい、もっと東北に長く滞在して救援活動をおこないたいという意見もあります。また、冬の間の救援活動の進め方についての意見もあります。今後の活動について、意見があれば、ぜひお知らせください。現在、具体的な検討をおこなっているのは、アイロン、電子レンジ、冷蔵庫、洗濯機など、家財道後を失った方への支援です。詳細については、また連絡いたします。救援活動をよりよいものにしていくための新しいアイデアがあれば、遠慮なくお知らせください。

May the Lord bless you.

Lawrence Mutenda (ボランティア委員会を代表して)

We continue to be committed to visiting Tohoku at least once a week until end of June and there is already talk of doing so for as long as it is required and there are volunteers willing to go....

The way we are working is that we have 2 cars carrying 10-12 people. All working people are encouraged to pay their own way - transport costs - about 5000yen per trip + food costs. Students are free. In addition, finance is not to be the reason you cant come.  We have a small fund that will finance anyone else who is having issues with costs. 

The work involves working with with the Ishinomaki City Volunteer Center, who have the best organized workplace of any volunteer center of, I dare say, anywhere in the world.  Japanese efficiency without the bureaucracy!! Its a sight to see - and for anyone wanting to learn how to run a volunteer center - this is the place to go...they have a website, that does not do justice to what this center is doing -

http://msv3151.c-bosai.jp/group.php?gid=10163

You should bring work clothes that  you dont mind getting dirty. The center has boots, gloves, goggles etc and we also have some to lend.

The plan for every weekend is to leave CAJ between 9pm - 12 midnight Friday, drive throughout the night, get to Ishinomaki Saturday early morning, begin working around 9am finishing around 4pm, with a lunch break in-between.  We start driving back around 6pm, with a break for dinner, aiming to arrive back at CAJ around 12 midnight Saturday.

1.  Web-based sign-up : Thanks to Jeannie Johnson, a techie, if ever there was one! We now can sign on for the KBF Tohoku Relief Volunteer activitiues on-line. 
a. Please clink the folllowing doodle link: http://doodle.com/qb9xcsu28aage87s
b. Type in your name and tick-off the dates for which you want to participate. ( we have set-up dates for 28 May - end of June)
c. To help us fully identify you fully, please leave your email address in the comments field. Of course if you have questions you can leave them in the comment field as well.
d. You can also sign-up for friends and family, or you can forward them this email.
The Doodle sign-on link is available via our facebook link ( http://www.facebook.com/pages/KBF-Tohoku-Relief-Team/212751098757354 ) - our face book is still rudimentary - if you have ideas on how to make it better please let us know.

Please do let us know by Wednesday this week if you can participate this weekend. However we are keeping this flexible enough that people can sign in or withdraw at the last minute.  That has its problems, but we believe the work of compassion cannot be forced on people in any way shape or form. People can be trusted to make good faith efforts to promote compassion.

Until now we have been thinking of picking up and dropping off people at CAJ, but we are now seeing people coming from all over Tokyo who will have a non-trivial problem of finding transportation at 12midnight.  We tried driving people around the city after coming back but that proved a significant challenge.  We will keep that as a last resort so that house distance from CAJ does not become a reason you cannot come, whilst we look for better ways to ensure that you get home, after a hard day`s work!!

Things we would like to request:
1. We need drivers, at least 2 per car who can share driving
2. We need offers of cars, preferably vans comfortably sitting at least 6 people.

The Volunteer Committee ( Lawrence Mutenda, Jun Tanaka, Biju Paul, Eric Fandrich, Steve Iijima) and  expressed concern yesterday about the risk of having just one driver driving to Tohoku and back and decided we are going to avoid this at all costs going forward - in the belief there are enough drivers in Japan to sustain this program for the forseeable future!!

An important detail we would like everyone to know. The KBF Tohoku Disaster Volunteers Corps, as the name implies, is part of the work of Kurume Bible Fellowship, in Higashi Kurume.  However we welcome anyone who wants to participate, Christian and non-Christian, KBF memmber and non-KBF member.  We are not ashamed to say that this work is driven by our love for Jesus Christ, but neither do we consider our activity a "religious" activity.  We will not be asking those we help or those who particapte to read Bibles, or to pray.  Those who want to pray will be free pray, those who do not will be free not to.  All we ask for is a sincere desire to help those in need in the Tohoku area and a desire to make new friends with all kinds of new people - that is the only qualification!!!

Needless to say please feel to forward this email to any of your friends who may be interested. 

Some people have expressed in full weekend or longer work visits. Others have talked about efforts to help people in winter.  We welcome more ideas on how this can be done. One effort that is currently taking shape is providing people who have lost their home appliances, with irons, microwaves, fridges, washing machines.  More about that in the next update.  But this work is free to expand in any and every good direction!!

May the Lord bless you.

Lawrence Mutenda (on behalf of the volunteer committee)

被災者のこころのケア 2011.04.17那須ベースに行ったセミナー

 http://www.heart4japan.net/FaithWorks/Kokoro_no_Care_for_Disaster_Victim.html

Seminar: "Post-traumatic healing in Tohoku crisis: counseling and prayer"

Date: Tuesday, April 26th

Location: The Wesley Center in Shibuya 

http://www.en.wesleycenterjp.com/ourlocation.html

Time: The seminar is offered 3 times (choose one of the listed times):

Morning:  11 am to 1 pm

Afternoon:  3 pm to 5 pm

Evening:  7 to 9 pm  

Dr. Joe Ozawa, is a psychologist residing in Singapore. Dr. Ozawa has  done post-trauma training at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, and with World Vision, International. He has done post-crisis interventions / training in such countries as Rwanda, South Africa, Indonesia and Cambodia. The emphasis of this seminar would be on a Christian response which includes healing and  intercession in a Christian context.  (See his bio below.)

This event is open to the public and is free.  However, a basket in the back of the room will be placed if anyone wants to donate to earthquake relief efforts at the Wesley Center. This seminar will be conducted in English - Japanese.   

Please RSVP to Wesley Center at 03 6427 4696 or sarah.oba@ib-shadan.com 

Sign up by sending us:

Name:

Church or organization (if any):

Email:

Your Home or Cell #:

Time of seminar: e.g.Morning, afternoon, evening session

( If you cannot make this day, Dr. Ozawa will be speaking at a Aoyama university on April 27. He is possibly available for other talks and sessions  until April 30th. Email him directly to schedule a  presentation.)

Detailed information and photo of Dr. Joseph Ozawa 

Email: hippopostman@gmail.com 

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY:

With two degrees from Harvard University and a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California, Dr. Ozawa has been a licensed clinical psychologist for over 26 years in the United States and Singapore.  In the USA, Dr. Ozawa had been in private practice for over 20 years dealing with diverse forms of psychopathology.  Dr. Ozawa has also been Director of Behavioral Health Services for a U. S.  Sect 330 Federal Health Center where he oversaw psychiatric and psychological care and was a supervisor and trainer for psychology interns from Tripler Army Medical Center. 

In Singapore, Dr. Ozawa is currently Senior Consultant Psychologist of the Subordinate Courts.  He has also been the Senior Director of the Family and Juvenile Justice Centre, Director of Psychological Services at the Subordinate Courts of Singapore as well as Head of the Psychological Services Unit at the Ministry of Community Development.  Prior to that, he was a psychological consultant to Singapore Boys Home and to Pertapis (Islamic social welfare society).  In his work with the governments of USA　and　Singapore, he dealt with abused and neglected children, battered wives, juvenile delinquents and offenders with mental disorders.

Dr. Ozawa has also been a consultant to World Vision, Intl. for over 10 years in over 18 nations, especially dealing with counseling trauma, reconciliation and crises.

ACTIVITIES IN JAPAN:

2004  Dr. Ozawa was the plenary speaker (on “relational distress”) at the Japan Society of Social Psychiatry in Morioka.  　

1994-2007- Dr. Ozawa gave seminars and workshops in many areas, (including Osaka, Aichi-ken, Tokyo, Sapporo) on dealing with depression, suicidal thoughts, stress and trauma, and “hikikomori.”

2008　– Dr Ozawa  was a course instructor on “juvenile justice” at the United Nations Asia and Far East Institute (UNAFEI), affiliated with the Ministry of Justice of Japan. Greeted by then Minister of Justice Hatoyama.

2010　– Dr Ozawa presented a workshop on “Post-traumatic Stress Disorders in Caring Professionals” to the staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

CHRISTIAN HISTORY:

Dr. Ozawa has been Director of Counseling and Healing at Mt Soledad Presbyterian Church (California) and a licensed Anglican pastor (not ordained) at Saint Andrew’s Cathedral (Anglican) of Singapore.  He has been on the core faculty (since 1994) of Bethany International University of Singapore (branch of Bethany in Minneapolis, Minn, USA), a missions training organization for pastors from Asia and Africa.  He has also been a consultant to World Vision, Intl for over 10 years in over 18 nations, especially dealing with counseling, trauma, reconciliation, and crises.

Directions to Wesley Center: 

From the green bus terminal on the East Side of Shibuya Station, take Bus 1 which heads toward Roppongi Hills or Shimbashi Station.

FROM SHIBUYA: Take the 01 Bus from the East Exit of Shibuya Station.  The bus is headed for Shimbashi Station.  Please ride until the first bus stop which is Aoyama Chutobumae. Turn right as you exit the bus and walk no more than 2 minutes in the direction toward Roppongi along the expressway.  (On the opposite side of the expressway, notice Eneos Gas Station) On your side of the street which is the left side are several tall buildings.  The 2nd from the expressway has a dark grey brick signboard that says Wesley Center.

FROM OMOTE SANDO: EXIT B3   Go left on Koto dori  4th stop light also see HUNTING WORLD store on right  then at stop light turn right then a few meters left again, then see bldg.

Wesley Center Business Office

6-10-11-Room 301 Minami Aoyama

Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062

Tel: 03 6427 4696 (Wesley Center's office)

Sarah Oba's cell # 090-4752-9302

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 2011/4/10

Subject: セミナーのご案内

＜セミナーのご案内＞

東日本大災害のPTSD（心的外傷後ストレス症候群）の癒し：カウンセリングと祈り～クリスチャンの見方から～

●日時：２０１１年４月２６日（火）

●講師：Dr. Joseph Ozawa　小沢・ジョセフ・ポール　博士

A.B., M.A.T. (ハーバード大学);  Ph.D. (南カリフォルニア大学)

認定心理学者 (カリフォルニア＆ハワイ, 米国)

●場所：Wesley Centre　東京都港区南青山6-10-11

　http://www.en.wesleycenterjp.com/ourlocation.html

●料金：無料（Wesley Centreの救援活動のため、自由献金箱を部屋の後ろに置きます）

●時間帯： １．午前１１時～午後１時まで

 　 ２．午後３時～５時まで

 　 ３．午後７時～９時まで

セミナーの内容は３回とも同じです。いずれか一つの時間帯を選んでください。

●申し込み方法：電話かメールでご連絡ください。名前、所属教会／団体、電話、メールアドレス、参加時間帯をお知らせください。

電話 03-6427-4696

e-mail sarah.oba@ib-shadan.com 

＜申し込み＞

名前：

所属教会／団体：

電話：

メールアドレス：

参加時間帯：

■講師紹介■

小沢博士はハーバード大学の2つの学位、南カリフォルニア大学博士号を取得。

認定臨床心理学者として、26年間米国とシンガポールで勤務。

米国では多岐におよぶ心理学的問題を取り扱う開業医として20年以上の経験を持ち、米国国立政府保険機関である問題行動医療サービス機関の理事として、また軍医のインターンのトレーニングを行う。

シンガポールでは裁判所（Subordinate Courts）所属の主任心理コンサルタントとして働いている。

国際ワールドビジョン（World Vision, Intl）のコンサルタントを10年以上、18ヶ国にわたって続けており、特にトラウマ、和解と危機を取り扱っている。

日系アメリカ人３世で、父方が静岡、母方が熊本の出身。米国在住の３人の子供と２人の孫がいる。

■日本での活動■

2004年 「関係の窮状」についての基調講演、日本社会心理学学会（盛岡）

1994-2007年 「欝、自殺願望、ストレス、トラウマ、ひきこもりに関するセミナーおよびワークショップ」（大阪、愛知県、東京、札幌）

2008年 国際連合アジアおよび極東機関（UNAFEI）に少年裁判を導入した一人として法務省を訪問、当時の鳩山大臣を表敬訪問

2010年 日本外務省のスタッフに対し、「介護専門職のトラウマ的ストレス」についてワークショップ開催