March 20, 2011
Bakelaars' in Japan: MTW
update 7 on the earthquake
fuel containers

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UPDATE 7 ON THE EARTHQUAKE


 

Peter writes:  

Fuel is a big challenge right now. We can get the relief trucks to needed areas, but there is no fuel at the final destination . We need to bring fuel for others as well as carry the fuel we need to get back. Trucks are being stocked with supplies but fuel containers are in short supply. Recently a man dropped by our church unexpectedly to offer the assistance of his church. In the course of all the activity, he overheard conversation of our need for containers. Someone was praying as well. He returned the next day with his pastor and 12 fuel containers!! More are on the way. These two men are part of a Brazilian Church network. The pastor's church alone has over 600 people. God is bringing together a phenomenal team of people and churches!
Thank you for your prayers.

 

Diane writes: 

Dear All,

 

 Just a quick note to say that we are all doing fine.  Nagoya seems to go on as usual.  There are no fuel shortages here.  Only bottled water is in short supply at the grocery store.  Otherwise we can buy what we want and need.    We continue to keep our pantry stocked and our gas tank full - just in case.  ( I think growing up in Illinois and knowing how to be prepared for winter blizzards has really helped me in this situation.)

 

 

The response to people helping and donating items is overwhelming.  The church continues to receive items from people.  Today an appeal was made at church for helping throughout the next two weeks.  We need people to be at the church from 9AM to 9PM to receive donations.  We need people to sort and box these donation; people to help with renting trucks, securing fuel, writing updates/communication, buying items for shipment and drivers for the truck.  WE have a truck secured through April 1.  Each run will take 2 -3 days for the truck to go up to Fukushima or Sendai, unload and then return.  Fukushima is just north of Tokyo (probably about a 5-6 hour trip one way from Nagoya) and Sendai is about a 10 - 12 hour trip one way from Nagoya. 

 

 

The truck has made its second run to Fukushima (near the nuclear power plant) and is coming back tonight (Sunday).  It will get reloaded tomorrow morning and leave again on Monday evening.  Peter will be one of the drivers on this Monday night trip to Sendai.  We have 3 drivers go each time for safety and for driving relief.   Please pray for Peter and this trip.  It will be our church's first trip to Sendai.  They must take all their fuel with them since there is no fuel in Sendai.  We have missionary friends who live in Sendai and our church is coordinating with them as to where the relief supplies will go once they get to Sendai. 

 

 

Evan is home, as of last Tuesday night, from Christian Academy in Japan in Tokyo.  His school is closed and plans to reopen on Monday,  April 4th.  The school was schedule to take one week of spring break this last week of March.  So, they have closed 2 weeks early.  He is supposed to be turning in some assignments via internet. (I hope he is doing this.) Tokyo is still experiencing rolling blackouts and the trains that run from Tokyo out to his school are few and far between. (Very unlike Japan).

 

 

Some of you may have seen that the US government has authorized the evacuation of non-essential US government personnel from Tokyo, Yohohama and Nagoya.  Non-essential government personnel means the wife and children of embassy workers.  The US government gave these families the option to leave.  They asked the families of these embassy employees in Tokyo, Yokohama and Nagoya if anyone wanted to leave.  The two government families living in Nagoya decided to leave.  So the AP news reported that Nagoya government people were "evacuating" from the area.  It made it sound like Nagoya was not safe.  But Nagoya was included in the report because these two families decided to leave on their own free will - not because of any eminent danger in our area.  So don't be alarmed if you read about this.

 

 

I will say that stress levels are running on a higher level than normal.  The dire situation that people are experiencing up north is on our minds everyday.  Everyone is also following news about the nuclear power plant very closely.  It is a little worrisome.  I don't think that Nagoya is in any kind of real danger.  But if something happens with the power plant, it could have repercussions or kind of a chain reaction in our area.  I do expect to experience fuel and food shortages at some point in our area because these items need to be diverted to the earthquake area.  Plus food and fuel supplies that normally come from northern Japan have been disrupted.

 

 

Again, I want to say that we are all fine.  Our time and energy is being spent on getting relief supplies to people up north.  We want you to keep praying for us.  The greater group of missionaries here in Japan (from all different missions) are working together to try and coordinate disaster relief.  Mission to the World is also working hard at giving us money to buy supplies, fuel , etc.  And MTW is forming teams to come over from the States to help out - medical teams are in great need right now as well as just volunteers to help at evacuation centers.

We love you all.  We will keep in touch.

 

 

Diane

 

Past earthquake updates archived

Update 6 

Update 5 

Update 4 

Update 3 

Update 2 

Update 1 

 

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