Schools start back up on Monday, May 9, following Golden
Week holidays. Since most shelters are in schools, they will close at that
time. Those who cannot return to their homes will be moved to other shelters,
which will remain open an undetermined period of time. Earthquakes currently
occur about every 2 hours, so people are still fearful. Water is running in
most areas, but many water pipes broke (no wonder when you see the above
picture!) contaminating the water supply for the foreseeable future. Food and
water is being delivered to grocery stores but run out within hours. Gasoline
is available in many areas. Quite a few older people have not been able to
clean up their homes, because they are not strong enough and need help. At our
four concerts this week, we passed out fliers with contact info for the Kyushu
Christian Relief Center at Harvest Church, where volunteers are pouring in from
around the country and around the world to meet such needs. At one shelter, we
passed out mats to people who were only sleeping on a blue tarp or blanket.
There are reports of the Noro virus spreading through shelters. There are
reports of radioactivity coming up through cracks in the ground.
Needs are greater in rural areas but harder to get to.
The Kyushu Christian Relief Center is sending out teams well over 2 hours each
way to these areas with supplies and able hands to move debris. There were over
40 volunteers staying at the Relief Center (with limited running water and only
two bathrooms!) but many others stayed in nearby hotels. The hotel we stayed in
had running water but no drinking water in the building. There were cracks
throughout the walls in our hotel room.
Pastors from all over Kumamoto gathered at the Relief
Center this week for the first time since the earthquake to talk about needs in
their churches and communities. I sat in for part of the meeting, hearing one
pastor talk about his home being severely damaged and his family now living in
a shelter. It gave me renewed vision to connect with the artists of Kumamoto,
and on Tuesday and Wednesday, I was able to connect with some of them: a
classical guitarist, a singer songwriter, a DJ, a pianist, and a outdoor event
organizer. They are all doing volunteer work to encourage people in shelters.
Those who find themselves unhurt, with minimal damage to
their homes, and supplies of food and water, feel it is their responsibility to
respond in some way. A teacher was running one of shelters we visited. PTA moms
were running another. Many people in Kumamoto are giving everything of
themselves to care for others.
(Photographs by Riz Crescini, CRASH Japan, who we met
last week.)
