| ||||||||
 | | | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
![His [God's] intent was that](../Resources/v1a.gif){kind=small}
At 10:13 AM on Monday, July 16, 2007 (Japan time), a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck the Japan Sea off the western coast of Japan. It was followed by a 6.6 aftershock. The quake hit a relatively urban area of Japan. Most of the heavy damage occurred in Kashiwazaki city, Niigata Prefecture. In that city over 340 homes collapsed. Over a thousand homes were rendered unusable. Basic services such as water, electricity and city gas were unavailable in many areas even two weeks after the quake. At one point, over 12,000 people were crowded into shelters. Two weeks after the quake, that number still stood at 2100. Radiation leaks from the nearby nuclear power station (perhaps one of the largest in the world) were also a concern. Amazingly only 10 people died in this quake.
One church building, a Japan Holiness church, was destroyed. The pastor, his wife, and the church people were safe because they were all away at a conference at the time of the quake. The buildings and campground of the Niigata Bible Institute (TEAM - The Evangelical Alliance Mission) were also damaged. The camp cancelled much of its summer program.
CRASH Japan (www.crashjapan.blogspot.com) mobilized Christian volunteers/ missionaries from within Japan to share the love of Christ with the city of Kashiwazaki through acts of service as well as to help the churches and ministries in the quake zone regain their ability to minister to their neighbors. CRASH Japan is a voluntary relief organization affiliated with the reputable Japan Evangelical Missionary Association - JEMA (www.jema.org).
Dale led one relief team of 15 people from Tokyo to the earthquake site from July 23-28. Bryan, Matthew, and Kristy were on the team. At the site, we were joined be several other teams from within Japan. We transported people/ supplies, hauled away debris, cooked, distributed water, set up storage sheds for people to move their belongings into (from their destroyed houses), helped with child care in order to free up parents, etc.
We started an Earthquake Relief Project which is still accepting donations. Click here for information about how to give to that project.
Updated in Tokyo on Sep 8, 2007
Pics at right taken from various news sources. Click to enlarge.
LInks offering further information on the quake:
CRASH Japan (Christian relief organization in Japan)