The Cry of the Tsunami

You Are Not Alone...

Written and performed by Jessica Kilmartin
Photo credits: Reuters

To purchase and download "The Cry of the Tsunamia" MP3, visit KeyCentre Media

The lists of the relief foods and goods

• Food : rice, noodles, vegetables, fruits, etc
• Drink : mineral water, Japanese tea, sports drink, juice, etc
• Medicine : headaches medicine, compress, bandage, plaster, antiseptic cotton .
• Cloth : sports wear
• Good : gas cylinder, generator, cellular phone charger

• The purchase of the relief goods
• The transport of the relief goods
• The activities fee of Rescue Net

The Report from Eastwind Ministries

As you already know, on 11th March, 2011, 14:46pm, Magnitude 9 earthquake hit Tohoku area through to Kanto are in Japan. We were reported the sight which was beyond our imagination with news on the next day earthquake occurred.

We decided immediately to begin the urgent disaster support with brothers and sisters and the board member of Tokyo Bible Church. We have established NPO Eastwind Ministries since last year which is aimed at Welfare, International Cooperation and Region Support. On Saturday 12th, We as NPO started the preparation to do the relief effort in Sendai city, Miyagi prefecture which is the place Tsunami hit and damaged.

On Sunday 13th, 10:30am, We left Tokyo to Miyagi with Steve Loh from Singapore who is one of Rescue Team called “Rescue Net” which is United Nations registered Agency.

Influenced by the earthquake and aftershocks, it have been short of food in Tokyo and Tohoku freeway has been closed, we had to go by Kanetsu freeway through Banetsu freeway to Miyagi prefecture. At 3:00pm, we bought foods and relief goods in Niigata prefecture. We took 12 hours to get Miyagi because Banetsu freeway was closed at Tsuyama except the urgent vehicles.

It have been cut of electricity, water, gas service and short of food in Fukushima which is the one of the stricken area. People who purchased the fuel of the car had a long line made in front of GS. On the way to Miyagi, there is the landslide and we were afraid of dryness of fuel of the car, we finally arrived in front of Miyagi prefectural office at 12:00 midnight. We stayed in the car.

On 14th March, 6:30am, I had an appointment with Mr. Tokairin who is vice-secretary of Administration Department Crisis Countermeasure Section. It seemed the Volunteer Center has not been function yet, so it was good for us to connect directly to Administration Department in Miyagi prefecture. We were firstly sent to the shelter at government office building in Ogawara town, but we went to the shelter in Sendai city because of the complicated information.

At 13:00pm, we went to the Sendai port where the damage by Tsunami is still there. We were so surprised at a horrible scene of the damage by Tsunami and it’s not so far from Miyagi prefectural office. We finally started the relief effort at Takasago Middle School in Miyagino-ku. When we arrived there, it was the time of warning for Tsunami. So sufferers were at the roof of school building. We started a research for the needs of sufferer. We had found that sufferer had not been eating because of the short for foods. Because it is the shelter of the area which is destruction condition with Tsunami, there are many sufferers who can’t confirm their family’s safety and who lost their home.

Many sufferers had not been able to contact with their family after earthquake, so we started to charge their cellular phone with a generator. They were so happy to be able to connect again with their family. We supplied milk, baby food, milk bottle and diaper to young mothers who took refuge with their babies. As the relief effort, we did the injured child care, the distribution of the blanket to aged people, the removal work of mud, and the care for sufferers while they are charging their cellular phone.

The person in charge of Sendai city at this shelter told us that we were the first one who came for the relief effort this area. Actually, the relief effort has been delayed for sufferers as it took long time to grasp the situation because it’s huge damage.

We joined again with Steve who was preparing at Miyagi prefectural office for call in the Rescue Net to stricken area. The urgent need is the Lifesaving. There are still many people being buried in the debris and the mud. Also, there is a lot of need for foods ( . mineral water, medical supplies, sanitation articles, gas stove, gas cylinder, heating utensil, flashlight, candle, battery, electric power and fuel etc ).

By going to the stricken area, we could organize the connection system with the administration, a rescue mission place, contents of relief, the list of the relief goods and a back support system. Also, we had a urgent vehicles authorization to go through the freeway, it makes us easier to go to the stricken area. It’s only 3 hours from Tokyo. We decided to come back to Tokyo for gathering foods and relief goods.

We must purchase food in Niigata Prefecture on March 15 (Tue) at present, because of food shortage in Metro Tokyo. We will continue the relief effort at Takasago Middle School in Miyagino-ku, Sendai city. 250,000 sufferers took the shelter only in Miyagi prefecture. The dead is more than 7,000 and there is still not found people. We will return to Tokyo again on 17th to gather foods and relief goods and to welcome Rescue Net. We will work with NPO and NGO in Miyagi.

On 15th March, we start the urgent disaster support countermeasure headquarters office in NPO Eastwind Ministries to control of supply of the relief goods and the support of the local dispatch team, connection with the domestic and International NPO and NGO and back support such as public information of the rescue mission.

We as NPO have been receiving the contribution and donation, the relief foods and goods from domestic and international church and organization who are praying for Japan. We would like to ask you to continue praying for Japan and the sufferers, to provide the relief foods and goods, and to donate the contribution for sufferers and the stricken area .

NPO Eastwind Ministries
Pastors Makoto Fukuda & Chun Jae Kim