Olivia's heart for JAPAN

Olivia wrote this note for Sarah the other day as she was playing with Annabella & Calvin:

"Dear Mother, we are on a airplan(e). We are going to Japan! To see the damage[d].  

We will help the people in Japan.  Love, your sweet Olivia"

There has been a lot of talk about Japan in our home, especially now that Daddy will be leaving on Saturday for a 2-week trip.

Please be praying for Jon's preparations and for the kids as they try to understand all that is going on in Japan.

3min Slideshow of Photos from our MTW Team

"Over the years I have often described

our mission in Japan as

praying and preparing for

the day of opportunity of Japan."

MTW Missionary Dr. Michael Oh

President - Christ Bible Institute - Nagoya, Japan

(All photos taken by fellow MTW Missionary Roger Lowther.)

Please give generously through MTW: Help JAPAN to equip the Japanese Church to meet the physical & spiritual needs of Japan.

Photo Overview of 1st Week of MTW Disaster Relief

It is hard to believe that it has only been a week since the tragic Earthquake & Tsunami that hit Japan on March 11. Our communication so far has primarily been through e-mail updates (March 11th & March 14th) and on Facebook.

Here is an overview of what is going on in Japan, through photos taken by fellow MTW missionaries and our Japanese partners:

First the 9.0 earthquake hit - Damage shown above in Tokyo was significant, but not disastrous.  (The little boy is an MTW missionary kids friend of Olivia & Annabella living ~6 miles from our future home in Tokyo)

The earthquake lead to a terrible fire at the Ichihara Oil Refinery in Chiba prefecture (seen on US news stations). The photo above of the raging fire was taking from the front of our Oyumino Christ Church (~ 5miles away).

The major devestation of Northern Japan, though, came because of the following tsunami.  (Photo taken near Sendai by fellow MTW missionary Roger Lowther)

Water, food, and gas shortages have hit much of the country.  Gas shortages in particular have hamstring the relief effort up north.

Our MTW Team together with Japanese Churches have been sending up 3 trucks full of supplies every night to the hard hit city of Iwaki (see map below). Our Japanese pastor in the photo has been one of the drivers.

This is a Google Satellite map - showing the relative distances.  Chiba to Iwaki City is ~120 miles.  From Iwaki to the Fukushima Power Plant is about 30 miles.  From Iwaki to Sendai is ~ 95 miles

When the community found out that the church was getting supplies up north, donation started pouring in. Great bridges for the gospel are being built through this relief effort.  Praise God!

Distribution of water (seen above) as well as fuel and other supplies to the Iwaki (and also Sendai) area.  Our team has been able to work though local Japanese churches in those areas to reach shelters that are not yet receiving government relief  aid.

PLEASE click on image above or visit mtw.org to DONATE through the local Japanese Church, which is delivering these desperately need supplies "in the name of Jesus".