Sunday Update

Sunday March 13 PM
Thank you all for your concerns and prayers for our welfare and the welfare of Japan. As we have reported we are fine, all our CW Japan team is well, and our partnering Rengo churches report things are ok. We have yet to hear of anyone personally we know injured by this quake. Information is still very sketchy but with the exception on one church we have not heard of any churches or Christians with great damage.
Rescue efforts are well underway and Christian disaster relief is being mobilized. We appreciate hearing offers of help from many quarters. Please pray for wisdom, courage, strength and compassion for these rescue efforts. There is much you can still do – Be in Prayer, Be Generous, and Be Involved in Relief Efforts (http://www.gospelrest.com/update-from-japan-saturday-31212/) . I will do my best to send information along to help you do this.
Today a Christian disaster relief organization met, they will be sending some advanced teams tomorrow into the affected areas for determining future steps. These are highly trained rescue teams. We expect volunteer teams to follow in the next several weeks and months. Let me know if you are interested in forming or sending a team.
As the magnitude for the earthquake has been upgraded to 9.0, I am reminded that the magnitude that hit Japan is far larger. The level of distress and dread is very real for everyone. We can read it on their faces. Many do not have the assurance of knowing Christ and his hope in the midst of suffering and death. As I shared earlier, the areas affected by the earthquake and tsunamis of Miyagi, Fukushima, and Ibaraki are some of the most spiritually needy places in Japan (http://www.gospelrest.com/spiritual-need-in-affected-areas/). Please pray that Elaine and I will be messengers of hope and strength to our neighbors and those we minister to.
More details at www.gospelrest.com. I plan to post daily as the crisis continues.
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MORE PRAYER REQUESTS (http://www.gospelrest.com/sunday-am-march-13-update/)
1. As the death toll continues to climb, pray for God’s comfort for those families that have lost loved ones. There are still hundreds missing. Pray for those families who have yet to hear of the fate of their relatives and friends. I have seen several Japanese worried sick by not knowing.
2. Many of those in the affected areas are without electricity, gas, and water. Pray for utility companies to restore these services.
3. Hundreds of thousands have been evacuated from coastal areas and from around the nuclear power stations. Ask God to grant peace to those disrupted and staying in these shelters.