SENDAI, Japan (ABP) — The first Texas Baptist disaster-response team to arrive in Japan after the March 11 earthquake delivered a load of kerosene and food to three churches in one of the major cities affected by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami.
Debris from the tsunami that struck northern Japan March 11. (TBM Photo)
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Yukata Takarada, pastor of Japanese Baptist Church of North Texas in Dallas and a Texas Baptist disaster-response team member, said the supplies should provide great help for families suffering in the region.
“As we came here, we realized that to get gas, you must wait in a long line,” Takarada said. “The same for kerosene. After consulting with (Japan Baptist Convention) leaders, it was determined that taking kerosene and some easily prepared food to the people in the Sendai area would meet an immediate need. It was received with great joy.”
The advance team — Takarada and Texas Baptist Men veteran disaster-relief leaders Gary Smith and John LaNoue, together with Texas Baptist videographer Rex Campbell — spent a week in Japan assisting leaders of the Japan Baptist Convention in the relief effort there. The Texas and Japanese Baptist leaders discussed ways the faith groups can work together in the relief effort.
In addition to providing kerosene and food, the Texas team also brought Geiger counters with them to help people know their level of radiation exposure.
The Texas team witnessed the tremendous damage done by the earthquake and tsunami. Team members saw a car that was pushed through the wall of a school, as well as buildings turned into rubble. Much of the debris remains untouched, and in many places, a strong stench remains.
John LaNoue (2nd from right) and Gary Smith (right) pray with rescue workers in Japan.
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“We had a successful time of going to some of the churches in the Japan Baptist Convention and helped them see the possibilities,” Smith said. “They don’t have a lot of experience dealing with this sort of thing.”
The team heard numerous stories of harrowing heroics and tragic death. One woman told the story of her parents’ death from the perspective of people who watched it happen from on top of a hill. The people on the hill called to her parents and tried to warn them, but her parents could not drive fast enough out of the tsunami’s path. One of her parents has been found dead, and the other is presumed to have died.
The Texans met an 81-year-old pastor who is trying to revitalize a church that has dwindled down to one member. Despite its size, the pastor remains confident God will grow the congregation.
The team also met a pastor who was inside his house when the earthquake struck. His family rushed outside, but his son was too afraid to move. Instead, he crouched beneath a table, trembling in fear.
The pastor ran back into the shaking building, held his hand and used his body to protect his son from anything that might fall. Both the pastor and his son survived, an image that reminded Takarada of Christ’s love for humanity.
“This father’s love reminds me of the love of God demonstrated toward us. He himself gave up his life in order to deliver us from the final judgment,” Takarada wrote. “Because Jesus voluntarily came down to this troublesome world knowing that people would reject him, because he willingly gave up his life to die on the cross on behalf of us sinners, we now have peace in God. And no matter what might trouble our hearts, we don’t worry for tomorrow.
Texas Baptist Men John LaNoue (center) and Gary Smith (right) visit with Japan Baptist Convention leaders to discover ways Texas Baptists can help meet needs after disasters hit the island nation. (TBM Photos)
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“Even today, Jesus is with us holding our hands, saying, ‘Son, I am with you always.’ My prayer is that people who are in trouble out of this tragic event come to know that Jesus is searching for them and calling them out saying, ‘Where are you?’ If anyone says: ‘I am here, Jesus. I am scared,’ then I am very sure that Jesus will approach those who are crying out to him and stretch his hand out and hold his hand and say, ‘Do not be troubled, my son, because I am here with you, and I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”
While the team was overseas, Texas Baptist Men stateside loaded 2,000 water filters on a crate filled with medical supplies shipped by Baylor Health Care System to aid people affected by the Japan disasters.
The supplies are being sent to the University of Tokyo Institute of Medicine and the Japan Baptist Convention for distribution, said Don Sewell, director of Baylor’s Faith in Action Initiative. Estimated arrival date is May 2.
The water filters will be able to filter out dirt and all but 0.2 microns of radiation from the water, making it drinkable again.
“Many people cannot get water over there right now,” said Dick Talley, Texas Baptist Men state disaster-relief coordinator. “There is even a shortage of bottled water, and in many areas, the water is completely contaminated. If we can get these filters in the hands of the churches there in Japan and let them distribute them to the people who need water, then we will be able to help a lot of people over there.”
When the disaster-relief team was in Japan, LaNoue and Smith trained some of the convention leaders how to use the filters so that they would be ready to teach others once the filters arrive. Through providing water filters, Texas Baptist Men hope that the Japanese people not only will be able to have clean water, but also realize that Jesus can clean their hearts, Talley said.
“The dirt in the water is like the sin in our lives, and Jesus is our filter, ” Talley said. “If you take that sin, Jesus can filter it out. When people understand that the filter is just like him, that water filter becomes a tool to lead people to the Lord.”
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John Hall writes for Texas Baptist communications, with additional reporting by Kaitlin Warrington and Ken Camp.