Earthquake relief support.

Listed below is a message and links from CRASH Japan, a non-profit, Christian organization that does relief work for disasters. If you're interested in helping financially, please feel free to donate.

DONATIONS FOR JAPAN
Many of us are wondering how we can best respond to the devastating news of the earthquakes and tsunami that have hurt especially Fukushima, Miyagi, and Iwate ken. As the computer and television screens pour out images, we can pour out our hearts to the Creator of the Universe to take care of the great nation of Japan.

CRASH Japan, a non-profit established for just a time as this, exists to help victims of disasters. We have experienced people who know the culture and language on the ground ready to assess the situation and then take appropriate action. Please consider how YOU might be able to help right now by giving a donation that will “kick start” our Tokyo based disaster relief initiative.

CRASH Japan is strongly endorsed by JEMA (Japan Evangelical Missionary Association) and comes highly recommended by Dale Little, JEMA President. http://crashjapan.com/

24 HOUR FUNDING GOAL: $100,000 (send a donation using one of the following options)

Donate via Horizon Christian Fellowship web site (tax deductible receipt provided):

https://www.horizonsd.org/donate/index.asp?purpose=japan_earthquake_relief

Donate via PayPal (no tax deductible receipt): http://www.jema.org/joomla15/index.php/component/content/article/57-feature-article/500-japan-tohoku-quake-relief-donations

Donate in Japan via the JEMA postal furikae account:

Account#00130-4-180466 (Please specify "earthquake relief" in the message box.)

Earthquake

When the earthquake first struck, just before 3, I felt nothing. I was sleeping, you see. It didn't take long for me to wake up, because even through my unconscious state, I knew that the train had stopped some place it shouldn't be stopping at, so I woke up.

That's when I noticed the whole train was swaying left and right (meaning I was rocking forward and backward). It didn't bother me too much, since earthquakes had happened before. But as the shaking continued, and started to get worse, I started to feel just a tinge of concern...which became a lot more than a tinge when I noticed that the lamppost just next to the tracks was also swaying pretty drastically. And the tremors went on for much longer than normal.

The train managed to move into Nerima station after the initial round of tremors ceased, but while we were waiting there to see if it was safe to continue the journey, a second round of shocks hit, rocking the train, shaking the electric cables, and rattling the zinc roofing of the platform. An announcement was repeated over the station's PA system, and even though I'm not particularly good at understanding such announcements, it doesn't take much to realize that they were shutting down the trains because of the possibility of aftershocks.

All this was a bit of an inconvenience for me, but owing to the fact that it was a pretty serious earthquake, I wasn't too upset. So I started walking to Ikebukuro. Then I caught a bit of news in a shop window, and saw the fire at the Chiba plant.

Then, later on, I saw the full news reports, and while Tokyo had gotten tremors, it was nothing compared to what was happening in the north part of Honshu, closer to where the earthquake struck. I saw the pictures that everyone who has seen the news would have seen, of waves of muddy water sweeping over farmland, carrying boats into places boats should never be, houses floating past the roofs of other submerged structures, cars stacked carelessly on top of other cars, and the death toll, 60 when I first saw the news, 300 by the time I got home, over a thousand this morning. And I realized just how terrible this was.

And I want to rail at God sometimes, ask Him why this sort of thing has to happen, but I also know that what I really have to do is to come before Him in prayer, and give it all to Him.

So please pray for those who have been affected. Pray that rescue work can go on unimpeded. Pray that the weather will be good for finding people/dealing with emergencies. Pray for those who have lost family and friends. Pray for the Lord's mercy and healing.

Please.

Prayer Stuff #16

Today, at OMF prayer, I had a somewhat odd conversation.

Mrs. T: Hello.
Me: Hello.
Mrs. T: Um.. you are...?
Me: Er.. Daniel..
Mrs. T: Oh, Daniel... Wong?
Me: *nods* yeah
Mrs. T: OH! You cut your hair!
Me: Er... yeaahh...

Anyway, on to prayer stuff.

• Today, at Urawa English Group, I was talking with Miki about the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. And I couldn't help but feel that she is seeking to really learn about God, and that she is almost at a kind of tipping point. Would appreciate prayers for her in that regard (also the other ladies there).
• There has been some changes with regard to the future of the Shinjuku HC on Saturday. No concrete ideas yet, but some of the people who have been expected to leave are not really leaving, and there are some people who are suddenly appearing. Stay tuned for more updates.
• Paul, the short-termer staying with me, will be leaving for Aomori on the 14th. Pray that he'll have a safe journey up, and that he'll have a good time of ministry and stuff up there.
• There's E-moms next Thursday (17th) too. Pray once again, for a good time of discussion and understanding there.
• Pray also for Mr. Tsujimoto, from Steve's Hana-Koganei HC. He has been reassigned by his company to the Miami office, and will have to move there with his family in May. While it's not too bad for him, it will be a bit harder on his wife and kids.
  

Ok that's about it.

NTBI #8

Number 8: Curry

Now usually, when I make curry here in Japan, it's the Japanese style curry. It's pretty simple to make, and you can't really go wrong with it. Water, ingredients, blocks of curry thingy, and after you boil it for a bit, it's done.

However, my Dutch room-mate, Paul, saw that I had some packets of curry from Singapore. They weren't expired (at least, I think they weren't expired), and so he suggested trying to have some. And I thought I really ought to use them up before they expire (or quickly use them up so that it's not too far past the expiry date).

So I tried to make some curry. Now, the instructions at the back said to fry the paste first, but I must have over-heated the pot, because the stuff started to burn a bit and stick to the bottom, even though I had put in the oil. As it is, my clothes still smell of curry spice.

But the big thing was what the instructions did not say I should add, namely, one-and-a-half cups of water. They just said put in the milk and it'll be ok. But in a moment of impulse, I poured in a cup of water to stop the spices from sizzling and sticking to my pot. It stopped sizzling, of course, and I thought to add some more, just for good measure...

...which of course left my curry looking less like curry and more like soup.

It was still edible of course, and you know what they say, "waste not, want not". So I got dinner, though I am waiting somewhat apprehensively for the stomach ache to hit.

#notthebrightestidea