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Helen Kwak returns to lead Heart Care department

CRASHJapan is happy to announce that after a break of three years, Helen Kwak has once again joined us. She will be heading up our Heart Care Department and restarting our Heart Care training programs. After working with CRASH during the 3.11 response in the Survivor Care department, Helen went on to help develop the DRCnet Chaplaincy training program, while earning her Masters in Human Services Counseling. She resigned from CRASH in the spring of 2017 in order to be with her son as he battled cancer in the states. After his passing she has returned to Japan, and worked to build a small counseling practice. Helen’s passion is in developing relevant heart care training programs that will be valuable tools for pastors, lay persons, and disaster responders here in Japan. You will hear more about this in the future.

Right now Helen is gathering a team of current and former staff, and planning an online global event for everyone who participated in CRASH’s 3.11 disaster response.  REFLECT and CONNECT (details coming soon) will be a space for us to reflect on where the last 10 years have led us, and reconnect with each other. Please mark your calendars for March 13 ~14 and look for details soon!

Cooperation from nationwide network

In this video (Japanese only), CGN TV (Christian Global Network Television Japan) reported on a meeting of the nationwide collection of regional Christian disaster relief networks, as well as describing the beginning work by the Kyushu network in response to the floods and relief goods supplied by other networks and ministries. It includes comments from a few pastors and a list of churches with damage. Please pray for these churches and for the work being done.

Flooded churches and early relief work

Please pray for southern Kyushu. Torrential rains on July 4th and 5th caused severe floods – here is one of many news reports: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/06/asia/japan-flooding-kumamoto-kagoshima-intl-hnk/index.html

Below is a report on churches in southern Kumamoto Prefecture – the text is in the process of being translated into English.

熊本県南部のために祈ってください。以下は教会の状況と最初の支援活動について、クリスチャン新聞のニュースです。

7月4日から5日にかけて熊本県南部を襲った豪雨は、球磨川氾濫による浸水被害もあって、熊本県人吉市、葦北郡、鹿児島県薩摩川内市の教会や信徒宅に被害が出ている。被害状況は以下の通り。

人吉聖書教会の被害
  • 人吉バイブル・プロテスタント基督教会(森下薫牧師)は床上浸水し、7月6日現在停電中で、車も水に浸かり使用できない状況。
  • トータル・人吉神愛キリスト教会(土肥洋子牧師)は、土肥牧師が4日早朝5時に避難。教会は高台にあり浸水は免れたが、牧師宅は完全に水没。
  • アッセンブリー・人吉キリスト教会(大﨏浩嗣牧師)は信徒宅で床上浸水。
  • イエス栄光芦北教会(松岡欣也牧師)は信徒宅で浸水被害。
  • 水俣福音キリスト教会(神薗悟牧師)は、教会には被害はなかったが、地域の一部の人が教会に避難している。
  • 希望キリスト教会川内チャペル(松本貢牧師)は床上浸水に遭った。

九州キリスト災害支援センター(九キ災)は4日、熊本ベースを「九州南部豪雨災害対応拠点」とし、安全を確認しながら、視察、情報収集、資材の移動を開始。6日に市来雅伸本部長、諸藤栄一熊本ベースディレクターを現地視察に派遣し、人吉バイブル・プロテスタント基督教会を訪問、支援物資を届けた。「人吉市にあるともしび聖書キャンプ場の松崎義治スタッフが加わり、地域の人々に支援物資を配布した。支援にかけつけた熊本東聖書キリスト教会(豊世武士牧師)の皆様とも共に支援活動ができた」という。

Christian relief work after Typhoon #19 (Hagibis)

CRASH was already working in Chiba in response to Typhoon #15 that hit the region in early September (sorry there was no post here about that – most of our communication has been on Facebook lately), but of course now there is much more work to do. Yesterday two CRASH leaders and leaders of several other groups met to discuss the best strategy going forward, and especially talked about the need for good roof repair work (not just tarps, but something more substantial). And of course there is plenty of need for cleaning out flooded houses, removing debris in neighborhoods, and many other activities. And funds will be needed to do these things. Please pray for all the victims as well as the volunteers, and please consider donating, or if you are in Japan, volunteering. More details will be known as time goes on – assessment of the needs and opportunities is just beginning.

See our Facebook page for photos and more frequent updates.

Unloading a van of supplies from Hiroshima

Meeting Oct. 16th of many Christian groups

 

From Facebook…

先週行われた日本伝道会議に、クラッシュからもスタッフを現地に派遣し、日頃の活動に対する感謝の報告を全キ災ブースにてさせて頂きました。 ... See MoreSee Less
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【報 告】キリスト全国災害ネット(全キ災)の分科会✏️にて岡キ災の活動報告をいたしました📌。全キ災のブースにて記念の一枚📸。写真の方々👤は西日本豪雨の折、岡山まで足を運び支援活動をしてくださった方々です。あらためて心から感謝・感謝😊!!全キ災ホームページ→https://zenkisai.net/ ... See MoreSee Less
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