This is an update from Pastor Yoshiya Kondo in Iwate prefecture, Japan, who has been serving and ministering in the disaster area since the tsunami.
Otsuchi town, Iwate. The city is completely destructed, rubbles everywhere we see. 35 town officials including the mayor were killed or are missing and the village is no longer functional. Walked into a small, isolated village on the hill where the roads and lifeline have been cut off, talked to some people there. “We have so little information, are we forgotten?” I told them, “No, just yesterday I saw news coverage about this town on TV!” “So we’re not forgotten…..” They told me that about 80 people are living in 7 houses since the tsunami. “Sounds tough… Must have been scary…” “……” “What do you want right now?” “Sanitizers, masks, medicines, clothes… even bananas! Just saying… We’re glad just to have someone from outside to talk to. Thank you so much for coming.” They bowed many times as we left. That was yesterday.
Today, a team from Chiba, Singapore, Taiwan, and New Zealand drove up here to bring the relief aids in spite of a request on a short-notice. Together, we visited the same village. Arrived in the twilight, handed the goods that were requested the day before to the people who came out to meet us in surprise. Bananas too of course! …”We can’t believe you really came back.. No offense but we didn’t think you would really come back …. Thank you.. we can’t believe this…. Thank you…”
We drove 200km in two days going back and forth between Morioka city and Otsuchi town. I wish Iwate prefecture wasn’t this big, and that the disaster area was not so far. Does this physical distance also distance us from reaching to these people? No, we were able to meet some people even in the midst of tragedy. I remembered over and over the words I heard yesterday: “We’re glad just to talk to someone.” It’s not just the goods that we bring to them. The fear when tsunami hit, grief of losing loved ones, worries about future… we first listen to the bursting thoughts and emotions. A time like this enables us to serve this way. Love is what we bring to them. Somebody! (by Pastor Yoshiya Kondo)