The Somers-Harris Family

Tohoku Trip 2 Post #2

Well,  the morning began with devotions at 07:00 led by Pastor Noguchi.  Then we had breakfast and headed out to a local home centre where some of us purchased the needed protective clothing for working in Ishinomaki.

Our first assignment was to clean up a parking lot.  The work was determined by a Mr. Kimura who is the community leader for the area.  That first day gave us opportunity to build trust by carrying out the assignments we were given. We shoveled the mud and debris into wheelbarrows and carted it away to a disposal sight; the larger articles had to be hand carried.

This was pretty hard work but as most of this dirt was dry now it was lighter than the mud we saw in some of the shops in the area.

As we worked I felt that it was sad that we had spent about three hours of  the day just getting to and from the city which meant that we only spent around four hours actually working there.  During the break I mentioned this to the folks from Jhelp that we were working with.  I also felt that they needed a power hose and had seen a kit at the Samaritan’s Purse warehouse where we had stayed on the first trip.  We were getting ideas and seeing ways of making the work go easier to be more of a blessing to Mr. Kimura and the neighbourhood.

Finally the parking lot was cleaned and we felt good, ready for our next assignment.  Yeah! Another parking lot for us to clean.

This one was quite a bit bigger and the distance we had to move the mud and debris was also further, so of course it took us a little longer to complete.

We kept going and finally this parking lot too was looking spick and span.  Our first day’s work was over and we felt tired but happy that our contribution was making a difference.

As you can imagine the work with all the dust was making us a little thirsty.  Some of us were getting a little desperate.  The man drinking is actually the grandson of Pastor Noguchi from the church that we are staying at.  His name is Nao and he lives in Fukuoka (southern Japan).

Mr. Kimura had prepared a poster for all of us to sign so before we left to return to the church we all took time to do so.

Having finished for  the day  we cleaned up our tools and returned them to Mr. Kimura.  Arriving back at the Baptist church in Sendai it felt good to be able to relax a little enjoy a meal and then all go out for a public bath before going to sleep.

Tohoku Trip 2 Post #1

Welcome to trip #2.  This time Rhonda, Sarah and Mary stayed home and we took our first overseas volunteers from YWAM University of the Nations, Kona,Hawaii –  Jason and Jack who are standing on the left of this picture.  In the middle is Jeremy who was raised here in YWAM with a church planting family.  Jeremy had time available inbetween university semesters in the States and wanted to volunteer.

Our first stop was at the Baptist Seminary in Sendai where a friend from CRASH – Ralph Justianano –  had stored four boxes of water carriers from the Samaritan’s Purse warehouse  for us to take up to Mr. Oikawa in Kamaishi.

Now came the challenge of working out how to use the new net we had purchased to hold the boxes on the roof rack.  We did it in record time.  (OK,  it was the first time so we did kind of establish a record)  Next we headed up to Sendai Baptist church where we were going to partner with J-Help.

This church has opened its doors for volunteers to stay and use as a base for reaching out.  The pastor is a wonderful man of God and we really enjoyed getting to know him as we heard a few stories and listened to him play the Japanese flute.

I also had the privilege of meeting again  after many years Tak from the Baptist HQ who was travelling with Mark who was  disaster relief expert with their mission.  That night we, JHelp team and our two brothers from the Baptist mission bedded down to get a good sleep before going out the next day.

Trip 1 Post #4 Sendai

Our final stop on this trip was in Sendai City.  Our hosts for sleeping were the kind folks from Samaritan’s Purse.  Pictured here is Darren Polischuck whom I had gotten  to know through JEMA’s Church Planting Institute.  We had served together in the compassion network to see how we could bring this area into focus for those involved in the CPI  group.

The Samaritan’s Purse  provide large quantities of relief supplies for emergencies.   We were able to stay a couple of nights at their facility which was a former bookstore they rented to turn into a warehouse for their needs.   On the left is a picture of their kitchen kits that will be used for those moving into a new place having lost all of their own kitchen supplies.

On the right are water containers  to enable folks to get water from tanks and other sources when they have none in their location.  Another thing they supply is a power hose kit for washing walls and  floors. This kit is pictured on the left.

During one of our nights there was a major aftershock which really shook the warehouse.  Some bits of tile fell from the ceiling but no one on our team was injured.

We went out from the warehouse which was more inland to the coastal area of Ishonomaki to prayerwalk the area where we would join the TBC team who would be handing out food and supplies on the street.

I was able to hand out several Bibles to those who were patiently waiting in line.  It was a blessing to be able to serve our own church TBC in our YWAM team.

Here you can see a couple of the boys who happily received the Bibles.  TBC has been going up to Ishinomaki every week since the  earthquake and relationships are being formed for the Lord!

On our last day in Sendai we helped take out the trash at the warehouse – a whole truck load of it! Right after that a truck load of water arrived so we pitched in and helped to  unload that  with the folks from Samaritan’s Purse and Food for the Hungry (sharing the warehouse space).  This water was sent from Korea.  It was a blessing for us to see such love coming from the nation of Korea.

We found out that the earthquake had affected the CRASH base near Ishinomaki and that they had no water, or electricity so we were able to load up 18 boxes of the water we had just unloaded and take them to the CRASH site and then head back home to Tokyo.

Overall this was a great first trip of learning a little of what was going on in the areas that we visited and also a very rich time of getting to know, serving alongside and working with other groups whose heart was to be a blessing to the

people in Tohoku.  Some of us will go again and others will be able to effectively pray for those who are bringing a little relief to those still living in the devastated areas.

Trip 1 Post #3 Kamaishi

In Tono City the CRASH house was soo busy that we were billeted at a nearby church.  This church was started by a very famous missionary over 50 years ago.  They had a pre-school on the ground (1st) floor and the sanctuary was on the next floor.

Our team was split up the next day and we all headed to Kamaishi but to different sections of the city.  Rhonda, Matt and I drove the supplies we had been given by Samaritan’s Purse and friends to give to Kamaishi volunteer center which then sent us out to the area of Unosumai with a volunteer who spoke English! (More on our new friend below.)  Here is the sign up board for the day listing the various assignments. Sarah & Mary went with Derick, Brandon, Lois & Janet on the Tono city volunteer bus to Kamaishi to do house cleaning; unfortunately there were not any pictures of them except in their fancy hats.  It was hard work moving tsunami waterlogged household treasures out of each house to be dumped but they were blessed by the gratitude shown to them as foreigners come to help the neighbourhood.

Unosumai is a very small town that has been almost completely destroyed by the tidal wave.  Many houses had been washed up the small river and the area close to the sea was totally razed.

We were sent to an area of apartments just up from the disaster area.  There we were given the task of sorting clothes of all sizes which had been sent from around the country.  This was not a too challenging task but did keep us busy for a few hours.  We even enrolled the help of a couple of girls from the area to help in the work.

During the lunch break we talked with the community leader, Mr. Oikawa, who showed us the wood stove that they were using to cook for the people and explained that they still had no water available for their apartments.  The pot they used to cook their meal in had been found in the river after the tsunami.  Mr. Oikawa is wearing the blue overalls.  We shared lunch with the people which was a delicious but simple meal of soupl and rice balls.  The grandmother there made sure we all had a second rice ball to eat.

On the way out we were confronted again with the  houses washed up into the river bed.  As Rhonda was taking a photo, a man spoke in English, “My house.”  She turned around to see him smiling, standing with his 5 year old son and wife.  She sympathized with him, putting an arm on his shoulder and asked if she could pray for him in the name of Jesus.  He agreed and very respectfully bowed his head as Rhonda prayed.  Rhonda prayed for him to have the strength to support his wife and son, being the husband and father of the household.  He murmured his agreement.  The son was watching shyly.  Rhonda encouraged him to be his father’s helper.  We got into our cars, the government workers continuing to busily remove the houses one by one from the river bed.

We drove back to Kamaishi and returned our volunteer badges to the centre.  Then I had to rest for about 30 minutes because I had been suffering with a severe headache all day and was not up to driving.  It turned out to be good that I had to rest as I was able to meet up with Akifumi.

Akifumi had come to Tokyo and joined our TBC youth outreach to Taiwan last summer.  He live with his family here in this city (they escaped the tsunami) and was so happy to see someone from TBC.  We also met his mother and we were able to spend time praying for her, too.  They had spent every day since the tsunami looking for her mother and brothers-in-law.

That night we again had a delicious supper made by MUP missionaries staffing the CRASH facility.  We made our farewells and returned to the church where the pastor kindly let us all use his shower before we bed down for the night.  In the morning we  got up, took a group photo with the pastor and left Tono City to head south to Sendai.

(Here is a photo of myself with the dear volunteer who spoke English so beautifully! She had been born and raised in Kamaishi but was working in Tokyo at the time of the tsunami.  She couldn’t make contact with her family for a frightening few days.  They were safe but her father, a city hall worker, had only been saved by going to the roof of the city hall.  He had been working nonstop since the tsunami in rescue and relief work out of the city hall.  We hope to meet our new friend again once she returns to Tokyo.

Trip 1 Post #2 The trip to Tono City and the Crash Base

Well, the trip  to Iwate Prefecture went very smoothly; we left Tokyo behind and headed up the freeway.  At the first highway stop we paused for a break and had our first briefing time as there had not been adequate time during the preparation week.  Rhonda shared from Crisis Response training held the day before at TBC and led by Southern Baptist International Mission Board disaster specialists.

As you can see from the pictures the weather was very nice – blue sky and sunshine all the way.

Our orientation continued at the next stop along with a bit of  fun as we found the samuari posing pictures.

All in all the trip was rather uneventful but did provide us with a little bonding time as we stopped to eat together.

When we finally left the highway and entered the city of Tono our Navigator took us pretty close to the CRASH base where we were welcomed with a curry rice diner made by the missionaries from MUP who had been there for awhile.  Apparently the house had originally been rented by OMF missionaries for CRASH ministry use right after the initial earthquake and tidal wave.

Trip 1 Post #1 – Preparation

Greetings – I am hoping to do a quick series of reports on our recent trips to the Tohoku area (Northeast Japan) where the earthquake and Tidal Wave brought such destruction.  On March 11 when the earthquake occurred we were in no position to help at all as our van needed repairs and we were in the middle of preparing for the DTS.  We needed a house for the students and nothing was coming through for them.

However, we sent out a newsletter and very quickly people responded; in one week we had enough money promised from several of our regular supporters and also a substantial offering from YWAM San Francisco that enabled us to repair the van, purchase a roof rack and obtain many things to take with us on our first adventure to Tohoku.  One of our church planting teams here in Japan was able to come along with us and another team from Kagoshima purchased the needed fuel tanks as gasoline (Petrol) was not easily available in the affected areas.

Also very quickly we were able to find and finalize a rental contract for a new apartment so we were now able to house all of our students.  This also meant ordering bunk beds and storage drawers which kept us very busy during our week of preparation.  Olivier from the DTS staff helped me a lot in  installing the roof rack and in the picture you see Bob helping with the final touches.

Donations came in to supplement the things we had bought. Rhonda is caught here in a moment of packing baby food which along with ladies underwear was an item in high demand in Tohoku.   These items were donated by Matt Poe from TBC.  Matt had really wanted to come with us but was unable to get leave from his work, so instead he brought these items for us to take.

As the final practical details came together for the DTS, so did the final touches for our pioneer trip to the affected areas.  We arranged to stay at the Crash base in Tono City for our first visit to Kamaishi and then we arranged to stay at the Samaritan’s Purse warehouse  during our time in the Sendai area where we planned to visit the city of Ishinomaki.

The very first day of the DTS our team gathered at 08:00 for a time of worship and for a time of prayer for our relief effort.  So this DTS was bonded in to our efforts right from day one.

We had of course gathered a team for this trip and it included all of our family, plus Brandon and Derick,on the left, from YWAM Tokyo, Matt Saxton from YWAM International Rescue Net and Sarah.  The two ladies between Rhonda and Sarah are Janet and Lois who provided the extra van and are a church planting team near to Narita City.  Mary took the photo!

Finally, all the preparation was complete.  The van was loaded to the gills and we were ready to hit the road.

TBC Responds

It is a tremendous blessing to be part of a church that is willing

Master Planner

to stand up and take its place and respond with all they have to the need presented by the recent disaster.  One of the major players in this is Debi Yoshimura – pictured right.  Debi arranged this work day to put together some “Goodie Bags” to give to children who have been evacuated from their area because of the tsunami.

Sarah Abigail

We joined as a family and spent several hours helping with the process of putting a little bit of joy into every bag.  Bob & Maria from

Maria & Bob

our team also came to offer their help and before we knew it, the job was almost over and we were heading home.

Mary Elizabeth

It was a good feeling to know that we would be making an impact on the lives of these displaced children.  On Sunday many church members donated food and supplies which were loaded into a donated truck and the following day TBC’s first team headed out.

House Hunting

Typical Japanese Room

We have been looking since December for a house for the upcoming DTS which starts in April.  Today we received a phone call from the Real Estate agent saying yet again that the owner did not want to rent to a group rather than a family.

We need to be able to house up to 15 or so more students in addition to the 13 staff on the team.  The present house and apartment easily accommodated last year’s  7 staff and 5 students. Our numbers have grown, though, and we will need more room.

The room on the left is one of many, many we have looked at since December.  Its owner also said no to a group rental.  The Rental Agents, including our present one, have been very kind and done their best to represent us well to the owners, but there is an understandable risk involved in having a group of young people rent one’s home.

Would you please pray with us that we can find a house

Rhonda and Maria househunting

for our female staff and students to rent?  We would like to find a house in which they can all live as that is part of the DTS experience of community living.  This is something that we have faced since moving into Tokyo and will face again.  In the long run, we would like to have a building which is always available for staff, students, and incoming outreach teams.  Please pray towards that long  term goal as well!

Raising funds for CRASH

I am sure all of you have heard of the earthquakes that have recently occurred here in Japan.  This blog reports on a few highly motivated High School boys who took to the streets in Shibuya to raise funds for the CRASH network.  This was initiated by Noah Bastable – the tallest boy in the group – son of Bob who works with us here in the Tokyo Team.

These young warriors collected money all afternoon and eventually raised 34,000 yen. They were sooooooooooo encouraged that they plan to go again on Thursday and would welcome as many of you out there in cyberspace who are free and able to, to stand with them.    Please contact Noah Bastable on Facebook.  If you are unable to go then just post on his wall to encourage his efforts.

Here you can see someone actually caught in the act of offering a donation.  This gentleman was working for a Spanish TV company and talked with the boys on film.  So if you’re used to watching Spanish TV then you will get to see them soon!!!

BTW we have a contact person for YWAM Japan for all of you who are interested in praying for, supporting financially or even volunteering here in the nation.  Please email Derick Domae at this address:  derick@ywamtokyo.org

Ship4Japan

Marine Reach Research

Yeah, the Ship4Japan vision is back on the radar.  Bob & I were contacted by the Marine Reach office in New Zealand to let us know that they had located a ship here in Japan that they were interested in buying.  They asked us if we would take a look at it and provide some photos for their research.

The ship is located in Kita Kyushuu which is a loooooooooooooooong way from Tokyo so we had to fly down there which took about two and a half hours.  We flew back that evening so had a few hours to get our photos.

Ship 4 Sale!

When we arrived we were delighted to discover that they actually had two ships to show us,  both of them training ships for the fishing industry.  These would fit the purpose of Marine Reach ships which carry Discipleship Training School staff and students as well as basic medical clinic ability.

Ship 4 Jesus

It felt both awesome and a little strange to be walking on deck again after such a long time.  Neither of the ships had any power so we had to do the interior tour with torches (flashlights) but were never-the -less able to take some cool pictures to send back to the office in New Zealand.

Ship 4 Marine Reach International

We are supporting the Marine Reach team in New Zealand to pray for the replacement of the Pacific Link which they had donated to YWAM Australia.  It was sure good in the midst of viewing a ship for New Zealand to feel that the time for Japan to have her own YWAM ship was beginning to stir again…….