It has been 5 months since the 3.11 triple tragedies in northeast Japan. Many asked me has it returned to normal there yet. As I was working and hanging out with friends in the neighborhood of Ishinomaki I was pondering that question. Today we also drove by the port and through town.
Things have changed at least on the surface, much has been cleaned up, more things are working but it is far from normal. Normal is having bags of garbage piled along the street but being hauled away by trucks more often. Also normal means having a backhoe go up and down your street along with the entourage of dump trucks as they pick up rubble and remove houses. Some traffic lights still do not work. What is normal is the dust, the few that live 24 hours a day in their own home.
At Mrs. T’s house we have workers in and out each day trying to finish cleaning up. In the midst of this is a makeshift living room. It is hard to understand that people can live in a house under construction (and destruction). The other day in the midst of the banging of hammers there was their grandson playing a video game on their TV, both replaced since 3.11. At least for him playing a video game was more normal.
There is progress but this type of rebuilding work takes many man-hours. And each house for over half of this city needs this work. There are not enough carpenters and people with their houses severely damaged hardly can afford them. But at least this is the new normal. It has gone on already too long, and it continues to wear people’s souls. And then there is the rebuilding of hope, the cultivating of the spirit, and directing these people to the compassion of Christ. This may take longer.
What is not normal is how things are changing for those out of their homes. Soon the evacuation shelters will be empty but some still have no place to go. The temporary housing centers are filling up but there are not enough. People are trying to get back in their homes but the damage if frankly overwhelming for them.
This is a crucial time in relief. Now we have moved well beyond rescue and relief. We are now in the rebuilding phase and many are still waiting for a semblance of normal. If anything we need more workers now, we have the volunteer bases, we are prepared to receive teams with orientation and simple systems, and particularly we have lots of work.
Consider helping Japan at this time. Pray, Give, Come or Send, Japan is not normal and won’t be without more help. Come work with Converge and me, http://www.convergeworldwide.org/reach-nations/japan-relief.