“It’s been an amazing day.”  This is what Eric shared about their last twelve hours.  They split into teams, and worked again on gutters, yards, and homes in the vicinity of the rental home that will become the ministry base.  One of the ladies who lives next door to the rental home, Eric said, is a busy-body who seems to have a lot of opinions and know everybody around.  Today she was telling others how the teams have been cleaning and fixing up every one else’s home but not their own… because they are Christians.  What awesome gossip!

They set up groceries to give away in the garage of the rental home… about twenty different families/individuals came to pick up things.  What was unusual about this set-up was that the team helped the community members carry their groceries home.  “There was just a sense of Christ’s presence working across the community.  It was all for the Lord’s renown.”

When Eric went up to Tohoku over Golden Week, Kami Alexander came over from Kyoto and rode up and back with him and the Sanda team.  They had a great time together!  These are really great reflections from her time up there (used with permission).

 As I shoveled my way through the debris and bagged away the washed out remains of broken homes, broken dreams, and broken families, I found a treasure hidden in the piles of junk. The treasure was the realization of just how very little and just how very much we need. We need very little of the “precious” things most of us covet, horde, and slave away to buy. Those precious things have all become rubbish, shoveled into bags and piled into mountains and heaps. In contrast, we need so very much of God.

I was so “blessed” to find the contents of a fish shop that had washed into a ditch. As I uncovered the pile of six-and-a-half week old stinking rotten fish teeming with maggots, my stomach and I vowed to stay clear of sushi for a very long time. My gag reflex has still not recovered from the trip even now- the slightest whiff of fish makes me nauseous. That’s alright, though. I could go the rest of my life without sushi. I could not go a day without Jesus.

What strikes me to the core is how this community has suffered the loss of everything they built their lives upon- success, homes, family, work, cars, material things. If you’ve built your life on those things, and they wash away, you need to find a better foundation! That is what I want most desperately to offer them. A foundation built on a relationship with God. God’s love will never change, shake, or wash away. It is the only thing which we can have both here and hereafter.

Should all else wash away in my life, I would still be able to praise God for his mercy and love. Should even my life be required of me, I would go into the presence of God knowing I will meet his love and mercy. Nothing else, NoONE else, can promise that to me.

Like Paul says in Philippians 3:8: “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”

Christ Jesus. Only Christ Jesus. May this be the foundation of my life.

Talked with Eric briefly tonight and he was able to download a few photos, as well.  Today they were able to set up and give away a lot of the goods that they had brought with them.  Eric wrote that he overheard one “mature” lady saying, “So glad they finally got some granny underwear!”  That was thanks to George and Aiko, who realized the last time they went that the Costco underwear that Eric and Peter were taking up might not work for all ages.  They bought a bunch of granny pants this time for the guys to take up and apparently it was a big hit!

Then in the afternoon they set up for a BBQ in an area that Eric said has been very responsive and friendly.  They were all happy to see that the “gutter and dishes” family from yesterday found them and came and joined in!  The team wondered throughout the BBQ if they would run out of food as 250 or so came through the tlines, but there was enough for everyone – they ran out just before the staff were to eat (which was fine).  One special treat was some watermelon that one of the members brought in.

Although everyone was pretty busy serving, once the food was served there was a chance to interact.  Eric really enjoyed talking to the children….several of them knew his name from previous visits, and there was one fourth grader in particular who was shy at first but enjoying befriending Eric.  Eric has promised to be back with another bbq in the summer.  (Her mom told Eric that because of the tsunami, there probably won’t be any summer vacation – they started school so late and will probably have to go throughout the summer.  Eric said they’ll make sure its a weekend next time too!)

This BBQ was in a mostly residential neighborhood.  The tsunami came through and though it didn’t wipe away their homes, it left their first floors trashed and in many cases these homes have been condemned… the owners will not be allowed to rebuild because the foundations are not strong enough, but the residents in many cases are still living there because they don’t have anywhere else to go.  Eric said there are still homes that don’t have water and electricity.  Can’t imagine. Thankful for hip-high panties, hotdogs, and hope being brought to Tohoku!

Last night Eric was not able to call me until after midnight, but I was so glad to hear his voice.  Peter’s car arrived shortly after six;  they went to dinner and bath (I think he finally got that fish smell washed off!) and then came back and had a meeting with the karate master.  There are some ups and downs with a non-believing host and many people from all over who come in to work;  please be praying for the relationships and some challenges right now and  Eric’s position overseeing the relief work these next five days.  Eric said he thinks the meeting went well.  He was waiting up another 45 minutes or so for another team of three to come in who had also hit some closed freeways.

Yesterday they just had four members, and it sounds like one of those grueling days but one in which they were able to minister through their willingness to serve.  One of the young karate students who has been helping and hanging out with the teams who come had friends who asked for help.  They drove to their home, and were asked to clean out a fifty-foot gutter that ran between two fences.  They first had to get all the trash brought in by the tsunami, but then shovel out and bag up all the tsunami soot.  The problem was that it was only a foot or so wide, and so Eric couldn’t even walk between the two fences to get in there.  It was hours and hours of work.

It looks great now!

Then, the host and hostess asked them to wash their dishes.  The tsunami had come through their whole first floor, and they have not had the heart – or the manpower- to wash the soot off their kitchen things.  There were so many dishes they had to do it outside in buckets that they lined up.  Eric and Nozomi decided the couple had more dishes than a restaurant!  But the family was so so thankful for their efforts and the team was glad to be able to serve them and help them be able to rebuild their lives.

Today they will do a drop off of supplies and hopefully a barbeque tonight.  Thank you for praying for them!

I am off to an open “let’s play with the parents” class for Olivia this morning.  Because of my back,  I won’t be able to do all the activities they do so I am taking Annie to partner with Liv when they need to.

Here is my quote for this week:  “Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.  Be the living expression of God’s kindness:  kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.”  Mother Teresa

Eric has spent his first day up in Ishinomaki.  They got in a lot later than they hoped last night because three times they had to get off the freeway because of accidents and closed roads.   Today, in  addition to doing some picking up and dropping off of various staff, he and the team spent the day around the new rental home that will become the headquarters for this ministry.  All along the streets there are gutters about 1 foot wide and several feet deep.  Normally these carry out the rain water,  but since the tsunami they have been full of rotting debris.  The team today went along one street and filled many burlap bags full of the debris and hauled it off to a trash heap.  Not a fun job, but still a great ministry to the neighborhood.  Eric said he found – or smelled! – a disgusting big two-foot fish on someone’s front yard that no one had wanted to deal with.  He put it in one of the burlap bags and hauled it off, but he is quite sure that he still is carrying around the smell of that thing on his body!  (He didn’t make it to the public bath before they closed).  Lucky team members tomorrow who get to work next to him!

Please be praying for Peter, his son Kendrick (13), and Nate as they make the drive tomorrow up to Ishinomaki.

I have been blessed today by the love of our community who have helped me and our family in various ways since my back went out yesterday.  I am happy to report that I am no longer walking like a 90 year old;  I would say I look more like a 70 year old.  Progress!  Looking younger!  The kids have only asked me twice if I am dying.  More progress.

Today in our ladies’ english class during tea time we did a phone call with our friend Kazue up in Sendai.  I had asked if she would be willing to share her experience with my ladies.  She had written out her story and shared it over speaker phone – about how she and her family managed to get away before the tsunami hit, but it had washed away their home and all their possessions.  Then we had a question and answer time;  I was really touched by the questions and concern that was expressed.  Kazue is still wearing borrowed clothes;  the home that they are living in has considerable damage that they can’t get fixed until the owners give approval.  But Kazue expressed her thankful to God for protecting her family;  for giving them a home for now.  For most of the people in our Sanda community, they have seen stories and pictures on the news but the tsunami is not something that they think about in their daily lives.  This was a good chance for them to hear first-hand what the tsunami has done to one family.  As well as to hear how God has given one woman hope and has continued to give her perspective.  I asked Naoko in our class to pray for Kazue.

When she said “Amen” there were four or five around the table with moist eyes. Kazue said she wished she could see everyone’s faces;  we encouraged her to come and visit.  (I really want to make this happen!)   After we said goodbye and hung up, Naoko said, “It’s amazing that she lost almost everything but still trusts in God and knows what is important in life.”  I love it that the ladies in our community had a chance to hear the realities of walking with God from someone who has just had their world washed away – and found that it’s still worth trusting Him.

Last Friday we had our bi-monthly gathering of A2 missionaries, and used the opportunity to welcome Ray (see pizza entry below).  We all gave him advice/thoughts on adjusting to Japan.  The two things I shared were 1) to choose a verse/saying that he puts in his heart for this next season and can pull it out daily- more than that even! – as he needs it during this process.  I gave him the example of one missionary who chose “for THIS I have Jesus”…  as she faced many challenges during her time serving, she would use this short saying to bring her perspective.  The second advice that I shared was to allow Japanese to help him.  Often the “missionary mentality” is to come in with answers and being the helper, when in reality adjustment – and life in general – works best when we allow others to help us too.

So- that was my advice!  This morning, after teaching a morning class, Eric picked up our friend Randy and they began the trek up to Ishinomaki, Tohoku.  They are expecting to get in around midnight.

When the kids woke up this morning, I was taking Annie’s temperature (she was home sick yesterday- and turns out today too) and felt a bad pull in my lower back.  The next few hours it progressively got worse, and I recognized the pain and symptoms of a diagnosis I had a few years ago in New Jersey- sacroiliac joint disorder.  It tends to happen to high school cheerleaders and women in their forties (I’m in my forties, silly…).  After finding a great doctor there who diagnosed the condition, taking a lot of strong meds and doing physical therapy, I got all better.  But he said it could recur periodically, or it may not at all.

A year ago, on the morning that we were leaving to catch our flights for the U.S., it happened again.  I took the medicine that the doctor had sent with me back to Japan, accepted the amazing last minute packing help of Peter and Wendi, and got on the flight.  It was much better in a few days’ time.

And then today. IT happened again.It has been quite a challenging day.  I sneezed and thought I was going to faint from the pain. I went to our favorite chiropractor/acupuncture doctor.  After gingerly treating me, he said I need to stay in bed.  I laughed my way out of the office.  During dinner, I had to call Owen into the restroom to help me stand up from the toilet.  He came back to the table and promptly announced, “I think Mom is dying.”  During dinner they brainstormed how they could help out.  Owen said he would pull a chair over to the toaster oven so he could make breakfast  for everyone and that he should get his driver’s license tomorrow.

But, my advice from a week ago has come back to me–to let others help me.  Today has been humbling but good.  Aiko came over to bring some last minute supplies to Eric, and stayed to hang out my laundry.  Mrs. I came by with offers to help.  Ray spent much of the day here helping with the kids when we weren’t doing training (and I did get to take a nap thanks to his help). He even learned how to change a diaper in the process (and now is even more adamant about not wanting children).   Peter and Ray helped move some boxes and other things I couldn’t lift;  they’ve offered to pick up dinner when they go to Costco tomorrow.   A mom friend who I don’t even know really well picked Olivia up after school and took her to their home until dinner time.  She’s going to come and pick Olivia up in the morning.  A neighbor friend re-did soccer carpool so I didn’t need to be involved, and then our friend Yuko drove Owen to and from the practice.  Yuko called just when I was having a little breakdown and came over to help me put the kids to bed.  Our friend Keiko brought her high school daughter Minami over to spend the night in order to help me get the kids off in the morning before she needs to leave for school.

I have been so blessed!    It has seemed like crazy bad timing – the first time Eric went up to do tsunami relief I got a bad case of influenza, and now excruciating back pain.   But it is also such a great (but hard) opportunity to allow others to help us.

And then the first piece of advice I gave Ray.  My verse for this year is a version of Philippians 4:13:  “I am equal to every lot, through the help of Him who gives me inner strength.”  So what this means is – I am not equal to every lot unless it’s through His help.  And today – I really believed it.  I have totally not been equal to the tasks of this day.  But God has promised to level the playing ground, even of pain, and equip me inwardly for all that comes my way.  He knew I would need this assurance, and He has been totally faithful to His promises.

Just a quick update for tonight… Eric (and several others) have spent a lot of time the last few days preparing for his upcoming trip tomorrow to Ishinomaki.  Several of the storekeepers now know Eric and try so hard to be helpful.  At one place today when he and a church member went to buy 300 pairs of  croc shoe knock-offs (these have frequently been requested from those in Tohoku)  and older ladies’ underwear, the store clerk came out to the van.  When she saw the amount of stuff loaded to take up, she was moved to tears.

While Eric, Peter, and Ray worked on loading up the rental van (I was sure it would not all fit – they did another miracle and got everything in!), I went to the airport with Owen and picked up Randy from Hawaii.  He and Eric will head out tomorrow morning after Eric teaches a morning class.  It is about a twelve hour drive, so you can pray for them.  I am sure the drive gets old to these guys who have done it quite a bit in the past two months.

I will be helping to train Ray in the morning and then teaching three of Eric’s kids’ classes in the afternoon while Ray watches our kids. Annie has been home sick today with a fever and sore throat – praying that she is better tomorrow!   It promises to be a busy, challenging day so I know both of us would appreciate your prayers.

Today I went with Olivia to “ichigo-gari” – or strawberry picking.  (You can view photos here).  It is an important tradition for moms and their kindergarten children to do this together.  Olivia was quite thrilled with the abundance not of strawberries, but of frogs!  She managed to bring three home in a plastic bag.  Whether any of those three are still alive out in our yard is another story. But I love her passion for the little things in life…. She is my child who reminds me of the need to stop and enjoy the present moment.  I have decided that she is one of the best teachers I could ask for.  I am always trying to multi-task and get a million things done as efficiently as possible.  Olivia is only doing one thing – often not what I wish she was doing — but she is doing it fully engaged with her whole heart and with a whole lot of love.  Even kissing frogs!  So as the week without Eric starts again tomorrow, I hope I can enjoy each day and whatever God brings my way.

This weekend we received an amazing gift of love from our friend Mrs. Watanabe, who owns the hotel up in Tohoku that we have frequented thanks to her family’s hospitality.  The hotel was destroyed in the tsunami (See the original story from last month here).  As far as I know, she is the only member of her family who is a believer, but she has been a remarkable example to many of one who loves Jesus.

She sent us moment-by-moment photos of the tsunami rolling in from their hillside perspective (where they remained safe), as well as a ten page letter in which she shared her heart and her experiences with us.  I will try to post some of the photos and the letter soon – when I have a chance to get them scanned.  What we realized was the tsunami didn’t wipe away the hotel, but came in and ripped through the first floor of their home and the hotel and through that means reaped destruction.

I wanted to share from her letter.   (It’s generally translated into English from Japanese).  My mentor Bobby Clinton often said about challenges/changes/trials that come into our life, “What matters the most is how we respond to them.”  Here is a wonderful example of a woman who is struggling through pain, being real, but holding tightly to her Savior’s hand.

“I have been a Christian for 43 years.  I had a plan for my life.  I am turning sixty this year and was looking forward to the next stage of life, and not working as much.  Then we experienced the earthquake, the tsunami, and the nuclear accidents.  I couldn’t believe this was real life.  No words come out because it was so horrible – I was speechless.  The only word I could say after that was just “God.”  I couldn’t pray.

“Since then I have been praying over and over  ‘God, please give me strength to get over things. I have been reading Henri Nouwen’s book ….[I am learning} don’t try to control your life and your future, but let God control your life.  Believe that He is protecting us.  The life of the Spirit means living in hope.

“I may have hardships — I can’t tell you how bad the pain is — but I’m not going to let it take over me.  Even though people died, and so much is destroyed, and I have pain, I know God is alive.  I’m trying to understand and see what God is doing in my life.  I trust His work and accept everything He does.  I am fortunate to have this pain because I have learned God’s principles.  I still have pain even saying this but I will continue to work hard towards my goal – that when I die and see God and loved ones, I will hear “you did a good work”

“It’s going to take a long time to get back to normal.  If we borrow money we don’t know if we can pay it back.  I get depressed but try not to worry too much because I know God gave this job to me and I’m sure He takes all the responsibility and He is with me.  James 5:16.

“Sue and Eric, I pray for your work, and to have fruit.  Please pray for me, as I believe that the ‘prayers of a righteous person accomplish much.'”

Please join with us in praying for this amazing friend and her family.  They are planning to start reconstruction of the hotel in October.  We hope that we can find a way to visit them in the coming months.

It was a joy today to officially meet and welcome Raymond To, the latest Asian Access missionary to come to Japan.  We had our small group time today and heard his story, and shared advice and laughter about some of the things we have all learned the hard way about adjusting to Japan.  Then a good prayer time for him.

After the meeting Ray came back to our home and experienced our after school routine… and then helped Olivia and me make pizza for movie night!  Our bread-maker is broken right now, so we have been trying different recipes.  I’ve put two of our favorites at the end.  A bread maker does save time, but the kneading recipe is the most fun to make!

Raymond will be going up to Tohoku next weekend with Peter.  He and Peter will just stay for two days, but it will be a good intro for him as six weeks this summer he will be in Sendai helping to coordinate our summer workers who will be doing relief work.  The last half of the summer he will be back in Sanda – already our kids are asking when he’ll be back.  (Olivia:  “But Mommy, why can’t he come and play TOMORROW?”).  We are thankful for how God continues to call amazing people to join our mission family in Japan…

Eric Bernard’s Pizza Dough

In a large mixing bowl empty out 1 packet of yeast, add 2-4 tablespoons of sugar

Pour in 1 cup of warm water and 1/8-1/4 cup of vegetable or olive oil.  Mix the water, oil, yeast, and sugar around with a fork and let it set about 2-3 minutes.

Slowly mix in 2-3 cups of flour (you can mix in a little whole wheat (1/2 cup) or wheat germ to make it a healthier crust) I usually stir in the flour with a fork until it starts to pull away from the bowl and get stiff.  Sprinkle a flour board with flower and kneed the dough adding dashes of flour along the way till it’s nice thick and firm. Dust another bowl with flour and the pizza dough as well placing it in the bowl and covering it with a towel. Leave it in a warm dry place and let it rise 2-4 hours.

Plop the dough out and kneed back into a firm ball 1-2 minutes and then roll out into a pizza shape.

I’ll usually bake the dough in the pizza pan about 5 minutes before putting the toppings on.

Alternative:

I also know a quick beer crust pizza recipe.

2-3 cups flour mixed with 1/8-1/4 cup vegetable oil and 1 can/bottle of beer. No raising time and you just roll it out and put it in the pan.

 Here is another great recipe that doesn’t need time to rise.  It came via Tim Clark and Tammy and MaryJo:

MaryJo’s Easy Pizza crust

2 1/2 C flour

1 T yeast

1 C warm water

1t sugar

2 T oil

1 t salt

Put sugar in water;  Add yeast and let set a few min till bubbly;  combine flour oil salt yeast/water.  Place on oiled baking pan & spread w/oily hands

(Tammy says to add topping and bake but I bake crust for 10 min THEN add topping and bake a few more min — depends on the oven, I guess)

Total baking is about 15-20 min at 210 C.

I like to make the crust a little bit whole wheat, and add a little garlic powder and/or italian seasonings (or just oregano) and/or parmesan cheese.

Today marked sixty days since the earthquake and tsunami crashed into northeast Japan.  A friend from the U.S. wrote today and said that there was an article on the front page of a major newspaper about relief efforts going on.  Perhaps on “anniversary days” like this there is more press coverage.  Here is a great article that has photos which capture some of the pain, work, tears of the past two months up in Tohoku.

Eric and I are gearing up for his fourth trip up.  He will leave again next Wednesday for a week.  He has been asked to help provide leadership for the amazing work being done through many different believers and church groups in the greater Osaka area, headed up by the Be One Network.  (Website here).  We have a friend Randy K. who is going to fly in from Hawaii next Tuesday night to go up with Eric and then stay an extra week up in Ishinomaki.  We love this so much!

I shared recently with a friend that part of the reason I have been committed to blogging more than usual is because there has probably never been a time since the atomic bombs were dropped on two Japanese cities that more people around the world have prayed for Japan.  Please don’t stop praying.  There are still many, many people hurting, grieving, homeless, widowed.

One of the crazy results from the earthquake was that the whole country moved.  One report says, “Imakiire says the quake was powerful enough to move the entire country, the first time this has been recorded since measurements began in the late 19th century. In Tokyo, 210 miles (340 kilometers) from Ishinomaki, parts of the city moved 9 inches (24 centimeters) seaward.”  In Ishinomaki, the region where Eric has been working, there is still continual daily flooding in parts of the city because there was such a dramatic shift – sinking – of the earth there.

Tonight I talked with our friend Kazue from up in Sendai.  They moved into a home today provided by the government, rent-free.  She said it is a big old home – too big, it seems — with quite a few cracks and repairs needed, but her family is thankful to have a place to live for the near future.  We are excited next week to give them the money gift that different friends have contributed to help them rebuild their lives.  Even talking with her tonight I was moved by her humility and gratefulness, looking at the positive things that have happened.

Thanks for hanging with us, with Japan.   Keep praying.  And giving.  We found out that so far 450,000 dollars has come in for Asian Access’ million dollars matching grant.  Awesome!  We know that this money is going directly to helping the people who need it.