CRASH is currently using CAJ (Christian Academic Japan) as its head office, the school will start on April 1. Joshua Hari would like to thank each and everyone who had responded to the needs in Tohoku Relief, and sent relief goods to CRASH, yet, there is a need to clear out all the relief goods that we are storing at the CAJ canteen before April 1.
I know some of you had/are planning to send goods to CRASH office, now we would like to ask you to hold on at present.
To speed up the work in sending up goods to the afflicted areas, there are few things that are crucial: gasoline, vehicles, man power.
Need your prayers!
Tokyo Budokan
The shelters in Tokyo Budokan had not opened up for volunteers.
Working From Different Sites
In Akita, 5 pastors set up a team to help in facilitating donations of goods and cash, though differ from CRASH. Yet, these are all good news. There is a need to work from different sites, while the churches from the South and Central try to collaborates with CRASH in Tokyo, it would be redundant if the people from the north would need to come down to Tokyo and going back up to the north.
Tension
In some of our Facebook groups about Tohoku Relief, and people search, we have many participants/members who were not Christians that registered. At one particular group, where Japanese language was the domain, a Christian reporter reported his view and sorrow as he was alarmed by the other religious groups that were also working at the relief sites, and addressed them as "cult". The article was seen as inappropriate by some of the members, in consideration of the feelings of others. The arguments shed some lights about how we should pray, and how we should communicate.
In time of crisis such as this, we would see people who sacrifice themselves for others, and people who turn their backs away. And many times, those who work harder than others, are non-Christians. When my tutor in the Lodge 'advised' me to leave, he asked me one question, "Why are you not leaving?" I told him I am a Christian. He did not understand at all. And the fact is, many Christians left on the spot, and the other who had stayed with me, were not Christians at all. This is something that we need to reflect on.
How Should We Pray?
I would say for myself, probably the best prayers for now, is that :The Lord shall shine His LIGHT in the midst of the multitude who lost hope and family members. That His LOVE shall fill everyone in NEED, that they shall not WANT (Psalm 23). And that in the relief work and love that have shown, the Lord will GATHER his people, to the awesome knowledge of His sovereignty in OVERCOME crisis in our lives.
Do remember ONE thing, our prayers are conversation with the Lord. Our prayers reflect WHO we are, especially when we put it in words, and post it up on the wall. And remember, the world is WATCHING too!
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