ANOTHER ONE MONTH ANNIVERSARY...

anniversaries are normally happy occasions. reason for celebration.

today is the one month anniversary of the Tohoku Earthquake/Tsunami.
and how does the earth celebrate that? by striking Fukushima with a 7.1 earthquake and several +4 aftershocks. not cool, planet earth.

what has changed in this past month? i can't even believe it's been a whole month since the first earthquake. the whole experience has been surreal. power outages, food shortages, evacuation, aftershocks every day, more earthquakes, rumor that Mt. Fuji is getting restless and is 300 years overdue to erupt...but every aftershock is a reminder of how unstable and broken our world really is, and every day i wake up is another day that God has blessed me with in order to bless others.

the disconcerting thing is how frequent the aftershocks are coming these days, and how used to them we're getting (we're actually having one as i type this...) Japan really is an adaptable country. they simply suck it up and move on. i was on the train today when the 7.1 earthquake hit- the train was already stopped, so after the 45 second tremor it waited maybe 2 minutes and then resumed its course. but the earth, or God, seems determined not to let anyone forget what happened on 3/11. at least in Japan. i pray that the world does not forget. and i ask you to please continue to intercede for Japan during this time with your prayers.

things to pray for:
- wisdom and discernment for the prime minister, government officials and the executives of TEPCO
- organization, manpower and open doors for the relief organizations such as Crash Japan, World Vision, Samaritan's Purse, The Red Cross, etc.
- open doors for Naoyoshi Sato & the 6-7 other Christians we know of working in the Fukushima nuclear plants to share the Gospel with their co-workers, and for safety/protection for all of them from radiation
- the families of the over 13,000 dead due to the tsunami and the over 15,000 still missing
- for God to provide for the over 150,000 people now homeless
- strength, safety and energy for the rescuers
- for God to raise up the Christians in Fukushima and Miyagi and use them in mighty ways, that everyone who sees them would see the glory of God
- for safety and spiritual protection for the JCCC teams currently serving in Sendai (we're calling them Love in Action teams)
- for God to soften the hearts of the Japanese and open their eyes to see their need for a Savior and a kingdom that cannot be shaken
- FOR REVIVAL TO COME TO JAPAN!!!!

ways to help:

- www.crashjapan.com
- www.churcheshelpingchurches.com
- https://give.ccci.org --> there is a special Japan Emergency Fund: all support will go to ways to help the Tohoku area