March 22, 2011

Hi! (from Ruth)                                                               March 22, 2011

Thanks so much for continuing to pray for us here. The situation at the power plant is still a big concern but appears to be reasonably stable at present. Our hearts are encouraged that there are Christians working there who are seeking the Lord's help and mercy.

We still have evacuation bags ready and bottles of water lined up on our kitchen counter in the event of something more dire happening. So we are still a bit uptight but endeavouring to get on with life and ministry.

Rolling blackouts continue and as I write this I am wrapped up well against the cold until the power comes back on (we only have electric heaters). Unchanged too is our need to use the car very sparingly because of gasoline shortages but we hear that the supply should be back to normal in a few days.

It's still a bit of a challenge to get milk, yoghurt, bread and eggs but we have managed to get some and consider this a very small inconvenience indeed compared to the suffering of our friends in the north who have to line up in the snow for hours and then are only able to purchase a few items.

Aftershocks seem fewer and less strong. (Editor’s note: The latest unnerving one was last Saturday but we have had several since Ruth wrote this!). For this reason we are generally sleeping better. I say "generally" because this is the season for strong winds and one raged loudly all night on Sunday keeping us awake. We had a better sleep last night, so have caught up a bit.

Some expats have left the country but W.H.O. has issued a statement saying that the levels of radiation outside the 30km zone don't pose a health threat and so evacuation is not necessary for those further away from the plant. We are about 200km away.

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“Keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:5

Hi! (from Gary)

I am often praying asking God to help us communicate His amazing peace. I think many people need His peace right now. There is a lot of realistic, understandable tension and anxiety in many peoples' hearts because of the triple tragedy: earthquake/tsunami/reactor. The death toll and the destruction and the suffering even now are too big for me to really understand. I am overwhelmed. And I think many people here are feeling the same as me and worse under their calm exteriors. I know God understands and He is active. He is working. But 99% of the Japanese people have no clue about God. Please pray that God will minister His supernatural peace to the people of this terribly bruised and bewildered land.

It is encouraging to know He is using many, many people, who are buying as much as they can, packing trucks as full as they can and then driving to Tohoku (the region of the earthquake) to give away to the needy people there to help meet their desperate needs. Missionaries. Christians. My friends. Please pray for them. Pray they will be kept safe. Pray they will have God’s love and wisdom.

The Sendai Earthquake Relief Fund, an OMF Japan project, has been created to channel funds for this effort. Anyone wishing to contribute to this project may do so through the OMF office in their country. (Working through your local OMF office is faster, less expensive and less complicated than arranging international bank transfers to Japan). Please quote project number L60500.

         The Australian OMF office advises us that the relevant bank details in Australia are: 

“O.M.F. International Federal”

062 263

0090 3892

Specify L60500 on the internet entry.

Use your client number if you are already a donor to OMF. New donors, please confirm your gift by e-mail to accrcvble@gmail.com

         The nuclear power plant is very dangerous. Pray for the brave Fukushima power plant workers. Will the radioactivity come as far as Chiba? There are still a lot of unanswered questions. This is another source of strain and anxiety in everybody around here. They don’t know the Father’s protective care.

We don't have a lot of petrol but we are offering to drive anyone who is stuck. Ruth and I have been walking more. It is good exercise. 

We have stopped heating two rooms. Now we try to do everything: get dressed, eat, study, etc in just one room whenever we can. In this way we save electricity.

         So that we don't boil water too often, we save the hot water we don't use in a thermos bottle. We can drink that later and it is still hot without re-boiling fresh water.

Of course our minor inconveniences are nothing compared to the misery of the Tohoku people. I can’t complain. We don't know if anyone will come, but we have contacted a Christian relief organization “CRASH” and offered our guest room to any one who needs a place to stay. It must be better than the cold gymnasiums some people are living in now!

Due to petrol shortages and the uncertain rolling power outages, many of my students are canceling their English classes and Bible studies. Each day has to be taken as it comes. We had a fairly fluid schedule before. Now it is even more so!

I am still hoping to have a cherry blossom viewing picnic on Sunday the 3^rd of April. Who knows what our situation will be then? I hope it will help our friends to relax, get their minds off the difficulties and begin returning their lives to “normal”. If there are enough church people then this will be another opportunity for the not-yet-believers to meet Christians and have a good time. Please pray for 1. Good weather 2. The cherry blossoms to bloom just in time 3. Many people to come and 4. Good friendships to form.

Thank you for praying for us.