On December 7, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake hit the same Japanese coast devastated by March 2011’s 9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami. While the latest earthquake only generated small waves and caused no major injuries, it was a chilling reminder of the 2011 crisis, which killed over 20,000 people and displaced thousands. Men, women, and children continue to be haunted by the disaster and are in need of help as they go forward. World Renew has been responding to the Japan earthquake since March 2011 in partnership with Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM) and the Reformed Church of Japan. Today, it continues to reach out in love to the survivors of this disaster.

On December 7, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake hit the same Japanese coast devastated by March 2011’s 9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami. While the latest earthquake only generated small waves and caused no major injuries, it was a chilling reminder of the 2011 crisis, which killed over 20,000 people and displaced thousands. Men, women, and children continue to be haunted by the disaster and are in need of help as they go forward.

World Renew has been responding to the Japan earthquake since March 2011 in partnership with Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM) and the Reformed Church of Japan. Today, it continues to reach out in love to the survivors of this disaster.

In Spring 2011, the Reformed Church in Japan brought together several mission organizations to form a coalition that could jointly respond to the immediate and long-term needs of the earthquake survivors. Through this coalition, two facilities were set up near the city of Sendai in Northeast Japan to serve as bases for response activities. These facilities—the Sakura House and the Nozomi Center—continue to serve disaster survivors today, focusing on those whose needs were not being addressed by the government and other sources.

“The development of the Mission Coalition was a very unexpected and pleasant result of the disaster, and it will be much easier for many groups to collaborate effectively in the future,” explains Lawrence K. Spalink, World Renew’s key representative in Japan and the country team leader for CRWM.

Along with responding to urgent needs, such as food and emergency supplies, World Renew worked through the coalition to help clean out 170 earthquake-affected homes—exceeding the original goal. Several farm structures have also been repaired.

Emotional renewal is another critical element in caring for those in Japan made vulnerable by this disaster. Survivors carry haunting memories of losing homes, possessions, and people they loved. Many remain traumatized today and new threats, like the December 7 quake, can re-open wounds and set back the healing process. These survivors need time and special care to help them process the experience and its emotional toll.

Through World Renew and our partners, trained professionals are providing holistic outreach to disaster survivors, with specific focus on traumatized children and the elderly. To date, forty families have received trauma counseling. Other families are receiving assistance through informal counseling groups, which meet in cafes and other non-threatening environments to promote healing conversations.

Retired missionary and professional counselor Ray Hommes has served two 3-month volunteer stints in Japan over the past two years to train others in trauma counseling. Additional training sessions from South African missionaries and other organizations have also equipped coalition staff to deal with matters as they arise.

Earthquake survivors themselves have also been trained in trauma recovery and counseling principles and have been encouraged to set up special activities for those in need. This has included arts and crafts programming for the elderly, monthly birthday parties for community children, weekly tea times, and community events to foster relationships and encourage joy. The biggest event so far was a summer festival held in August. These activities have also drawn in people throughout the region, allowing the centres to be a blessing to a broader community.

In addition to programs aimed at adult emotional needs, partner staff are providing emotional and other support to 120 children traumatized by the 2011 quake. Through this program, boys and girls are attending special camps and retreats, participating in day care programs, and receiving school tutoring while also being assisted with their emotional needs.  Many parents have expressed their gratitude for the healing care their children are receiving.

World Renew is grateful for the opportunity to continue its work in Japan through the mission coalition, and is hopeful about the lasting impact of both the home cleaning and building projects and the trauma outreach.

“Excellent relationship have developed between community people, local administrative bodies, those attempting to do similar response activities and our group, so there is good reason to be optimistic about long-term impacts,” says Lawrence K. Spalink. “World Renew’s experience in disaster response and recovery activities is vast, and we are seeking to tap into this knowledge to understand how to proceed.”

Please continue to pray for World Renew’s disaster response work in Northeast Japan, which will continue on into 2014. And thank you for helping World Renew demonstrate Christ’s heart of unfailing love to survivors so deeply in need of renewal and restoration.