Are you watching news coverage or is the coverage itself trauma or exploitation?

Are you needing to immerse or avoid?

Will your sermon change or will you stick with the lectionary?

ADRA, a humanitarian agency established by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is already fund raising. So too is Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, Oxfam and Unicef are also mentioned in The Toronto Star today's edition. Is it up yet on the UCC site? I have not see a press release, anyone know?

Not sure how often the UCC website is updated....hopefully soon.

This is a terrible tragedy for the people of Japan.  According to Toronto Star article, the magnitude of the quake caught seismologists by surprise.

Devastating fires that will continue to burn because they are impossible to put out.....we need to offer prayers for these people.

Glad you started this thread, SG.   May the ripples of concern spread out.

i came to discuss it too, sg... i would have started a thread if you hadn't.

i was in japan about a decade ago... i went to tokyo, as well as a little community called omiya, and it was there that i discovered the beauty of the 'on-sen'...

to think that could all be gone now has me sick.

my god, what can we do??

If there is a bright point it is that Japan is probably the best prepared country in all the world for earthquakes.

If that had happened in one of the poorer countries in Asia, it would have been much worse

I will assume we will start a specific campaign. The collection plate will be passed twice, I lead worship.

My sermon is now on how the Lenten season has us review our history and Jesus' life and times and who we are and how that is not all our faith is or our beliefs are.

We cannot simply live in the past, but must live in the moment. Who we are is not about our past. Who we are is who we ARE, who we want to be, who we are willing to be...

I'm watching and listening. The "Pacific Ring of Fire" seems to be exploding this year. Hawaii, Japan, Australia, China....seems the earth's crust is more active than usual.

From what I'm hearing the Japanese were even surprised by it's intensity, and this from a country that has coexisted and put preventative measures in place for such events.

Many coastal towns affected and the pictures coming out from the area show massive destruction to buildings (nuclear power stations included), but most of all it's the lives that will be changed, some forever.

What breaks my heart is that the poor in Japan try to keep up appearances and is why the government could pretend they simply did not exist. Impoverished Japanese seem unwilling to admit their plight for fear of being stigmatized. After all, the nation is prosperous, so there must be something wrong with someone who is not.... Drawing attention is not what they are about. There is also no safety net for the able bodied, again cultural and societal messages are clearly sent.

So, how do they culturally admit need now? How do they not have wealthy relatives to help? How do they admit no place to go?

My heart breaks not just for the physical devestation but the emotional...

I just thought of how 10 metre wall of water would look, 30+ feet... I cannot process it and I have rode out many a hurricane. Katrina was the highest surge on record at 25-29 feet, beating Camille who held the record for 3+ decades at 22 feet. 30+ is beyond my mind to envision. It is as tall than the apartment building we once lived in.  

When I first saw the much played clip of the bridge and the flood debris approaching, it reminded me of a spring storm on the river, watching twigs and brown tamarack needles and junk on the surface... As the image zoomed in I realized it was not what I might call "debris". It was cars and whole houses... it was a hard image to process. I do nto think I have yet. Then, my mind thought of all the bodies in that water.  What could not be seen devastated me.

There are no words - my thoughts and prayers are with the people there.

i just realized that i have friends and family in hawaii... i heard that they had some heavy waves, but nothing major there...

any other news from hawaii??  good grief...

It is so overwhelming - such magnititude . . . and I think of the days, weeks, months, and years ahead for all the people there.  I think of the families who will have family members that are missing and possibly never know what has happened to them.

I know that the economics of it all are not the most important thing in the lives of the Japanese people this day - that the shock, the physical danger, loss, and devastation is huge.  But the economics will play a part in the lives of the people in the months and years down the road.

I saw on the news of the concern of one of the nuclear power sites and how they are emiting some of the gas and using coolant equipment for cooling purposes.  I can't imagine the ramifications that this could have on the people.

I also saw on the news a report from a Canadian teacher there . . . that him and his students (and the whole school I imagine) cannot leave the school as there is no transportation.  I think of fears of little children, and I think of the fears of their parents.

I return to my initial thought . . . overwhelming.  My heart breaks for this country and these people.

I'm assuming that the UCC will immediately begin helping, and that within our churches we will have an opportunity to respond in a financial way through M&S or through a special disaster fund.

I am leading the service and will include some thoughts throughout the service for this country and these people and try and tie something into my sermon.  Definitely prayers will be said.

Last I heard was the same as what you did. The tsunami produced some big waves, did get water into lobbies of waterfront hotels and that sort of thing, but no major damage done. Looks like some spots in California got beat up a bit, at least along the waterfronts.

Story from ABC: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=13116295.

Mendalla

i have now had word on all friends and family in hawaii, and everyone is safe and sound.

no word yet on anyone in omiya village, though... i'm not holding out much hope.

i've been trying to find it on a map relative to the epicentre of the earthquake, and have had no luck at all... is anyone more familiar with 'googlemaps' than i am??

I spent half of last night with one of my best friends on the phone. his boyfriend is working in Japan. My friend already has many borderline characteristics and is ready to believe the worse, because he is unable to get through to his bf. His bF is in Tokyo, but has a physical disability that affects his ability to stand. Thus while Tokyo did not have many deaths, his bf could have been injured if he had fallen or struck from something falling from a shelf in the high rise he works in.

Of course I have been unable to get through to my friend today for news, but that could be because he is sleeping after being up most of last night.

This one pins it down pretty clearly. Is Omiya coastal? Because they are saying the tsunami has done far more damage than the actual earthquake.

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/fullmaps_sa.nsf/luFullMap/85188FDBC8C8F262852578500059632C/$File/map.pdf?OpenElement

Mendalla

http://mw1.google.com/crisisresponse/2011/sendai_earthquake/google/map/s...

A link to the UCC has been posted on facebook.  The site asks for our prayers and support, offers information and has sample prayers for worship.

http://www.united-church.ca/communications/news/response/110311?

Haven't really added my thoughts to this thread.

First off, my prayers and thoughts are with the people of Japan, esp. those in the crisis zone. Japan may be better prepared for these cataclysms than other nations, but that doesn't stop the suffering when they happening, only allows them to deal with it faster.

Second, every time I hear about another earthquake or volcano, it's a reminder of how powerful nature actually is and how powerless we really are in the face of it. Our nuclear weapons don't hold a candle to the amount of energy that that 8.9 quake pumped out. We take so much of nature for granted and sometimes forget that it isn't all benevolent (not malevolent either, though). Tectonic and other forces are neutral; neither for us nor against us. Yes, they may actually have helped make the Earth habitable and shaped it in ways that helped us in some regions. The fertile soil around volcanoes comes to mind. However, it isn't there to benefit us or to make our lives easier. The benefits are coincidental and one slip of a subduction zone or fault line and it's all gone. We need to understand and respect nature enough to be prepared for those times.

Mendalla

I cannot imagine the devastation, loss, chaos, worry, pain. Beloved, I also think about the children stranded at schools and the worried parents separated from their children. I live in earthquake zone - Vancouver - and we often have earthquake drills in our schools. I sometimes think about how horrible it would be if the big one hits here --- My heart breaks for those in Japan. And also for those around here who are waiting and wondering with friends and relatives in Japan. Thinking about your friend Alex.

Thanks for starting this thread SG.

I just talked to my friend. His boyfriend is alright. The building he was working in was evacuated. However the bank machines and phones were down. With his disability it took him many hours to get back to his hotel.which had also been evacuated. He was able to get word to my friend through another person.

Thanks for the update Alex - good to hear that your friend's boyfriend is okay.

Sigh, my friend's (with the as of  now unaccounted for children and grandchildren) said to look on maps for Saitama city, if it is the Omiya north of Tokyo. There are also apparently lots of Hiatachi omaya shi ___ places. If it is Saitama City, it is apparently fairly unscathed. I checked on Saitama City and this was on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/kamikura/5516341945/

Thank you for the thread, Stevie.

An elderly woman was in my company this afternoon and I was appalled when she said " Why are the Americans so concerned, They bombed Pearl Harbor, you know:.

After this afternoon and my response she may not be a friend any longer,

How long before we forgive?

Hi SG, the timing may have been related to people being at work.

I have posted on a thread on my work yammer site, where we are following up with coworkers in Japan.

I was shocked to hear a number estimate that seems unfathomable, but, have not heard that number again.  I keep hoping that I misheard it or that they were way off. 

Has anyone heard what the projected death count is? 

There will be ripples of loss and impact to people's mental health and well being

I am guessing that there are likely many many injuries...

there is the physical devastation and the land that now has salt water on it (if i remember correctly that has impact to farm land..)

i am saddened today

Last I heard there were estimated to be around 1000 dead in Japan. Moat of which were in the tidal wave, or in fires. Not many buildings were knocked down.

Another report says that 80,000 people are unaccounted for, and that knowing how many died in the tidal wave will take days.

 That second number is the one that worries, me Alex. As it is the number that I heard this morning just as I went into work.  I haven't heard it repeated, and I pray it isn't true.

Well there haven't been any pronouncements from Pat Robertson yet, but so far on the internet some people have already claimed the earthquake as God's punishment for

a) Japan's atheism

b) same sex marriage ( which Japan does not allow, btw)

c) Japan's failure to execute all homosexuals

d) Japan's continued hunting of all those whales

e) all the pornography Japan produces

I also found one instance where the person claims this is Allah's punishment for the world not believing in him.

For those who believe that earthquakes are a punishment from God, we pray ..

 Never fails to amaze me that people chose to blame God for these types of things.  Why would God want to create such things?  I see it much more that we live on the earth and our actions have some affect on it and we really don't know what overall consequences those actions will have.  But sometimes events  happen such as the earthquakes in New Zealand, China and Japan and the humans and other critters will have to deal with the terrible fallout from these horrible events.  If we allow it, our God will walk  beside us while we try to deal with these tragedies.   That's all, She didn't create the tragedy and She won't solve it.  But She will tend to us and give us strength and courage if we ask.

My heart goes out to the people of Japan. I have spent the last few hours watching multiple new coverages of the quake and tsunami and am just floor. I cannot even imagine living through that, it just looks so fake and is yet so devastatingly real.

Thank you for the thread, SG.

It's hard for me to contemplate an earthquake one thousand times more powerful than the recent Christchurch earthquake.

As has been said, Japan - along with California, have the most stringent earthquake building codes.

But a tsunami adds an even more deadly element..........

As citizens of the world we need only examine our own lives to have compassion and empathy for those affected.

This is a monumental tragedy.

Crazyheart - with regards to your elderly friend - her views echo many of her generation.

It's the end result of conflict and tribalism. This in turn often leads to loss of life in one's own family. Often, when this happens, one defends against the hurt by blaming the enemy.

 You ask how long before we forgive?

As with all pain, hurt,  and sadness - it's up to the individual.

Some manage to confront their negative experiences and come to terms with the past - whilst others remain forever trapped by their past negative experiences.

It is the same for all tragedies - whatever their nature.

I pray that the people of Japan will ultimately find in themselves the capacity to know, "that, this too shall pass" and find the necessary resilience to meet both personal and national challenges.

 An employee from the stricken area has been updting a thread.  He talks about things like backups, and services.  He speaks about 5hrs to get home from office after quake. He talked about how people are using technology to help them.  ie, using google map to find ways home.

It adds another level of awareness of the impact to those other than those directly impacted.

now, we listen to the potential for a nuclear disaster....greater than chernobyl.

yeah, its the nuclear threat that i'm worried about this morning.

we REALLY have to find better power alternatives.  nuclear power is perhaps the only source that can power a country like that... small area, very dense population... but these are the most technically advanced people on the planet.

if THEY can't even prevent a core meltdown, then really, what the hell are we doing??

I continued to watch the new developments unfold for Japan from the comfort of my home and have been praying that we, as the world, will not become  "fatigued" from the need to give. We have been watching numerous natural disasters from our livingrooms and now Japan.

I urge all of us, along with our prayers, to walk to our banks and give what we can ($10 has been suggested on TV) to the Red Cross.  Together we can make a difference even from afar.

Look at our lifestyle, we must have the 3000 sq. foot houses, the air conditioning, three bathrooms, the latest technological gizmos, the lights in the cities running all night, etc.....   Right now we can't even exist in our own houses without electricity. We've backed ourselves into a corner that we can't get out of. The irony is it's the "backwards" people of third nations that may become our "teachers" over time, but as it is now, we are too arrogant to notice.

 My nephew reminded me that we each should have a phone in our home connected to a landline (ie not wireless),  does not require power and is not cordless.

ps..he lives in Wellington, NZ -- earthquake zone.

When we use the phrase 'act of God' it was a way of saying it was a natural event whose cause was beyond our understanding. These claims are turning 'act of God' into the violent judgemental acts of vengeful punishment by a God who is prone to sudden & unaccountable changes in mood. When I hear such claims, I'm not sure who needs a Prozac- God or the person who claims to speak on God's behalf?

My update: The couple who seasonally attend our church updates us that their son, his wife, and grandchildren are currently "safe", though even that offers no real comfort. They report that the grandchildren seem very traumatized. The adults are devastated, as they know she has most likely lost relatives. They are also apparantly located close to the evacuation zone around the nuclear plant. As if what has already happened is not enough, the near future seems to be as, if not more, overwhelming and scary.

 Yes, sg...it is those repercussions of grief, loss, worry that I can't begin to imagine.

so much loss

The newscasts are overwhelming so being there must have a palpable grief and despair.   I was dismayed to hear Stephen Harper say that they are not a third world country and are very prepared, and that we'll certainly help once we're asked.  Well, come on, that just sounds like an excuse not to reach out, if you ask me.

Thanks for the further information that the poor in Japan will want to "save face", Stevie.  It is the nature of the Japanese that I know and love, and I think waiting for them to ask for help is insulting. 

The Red Cross on-line donation is secure and quick.  I'm comfortable donating through the Red Cross, but hope Canadians will donate through whichever source they find most comfortable. 

The ripples are things we might not even think of. I watched the flood waters roll across that farmland aware that only a small part, between 10-15% of the island is flat enough for agriculture.

The suicide rates may go through the roof. The "head of household" part of japanese culture led to many suicides during economic crisis. They may feel it is dishonour to the memory of ancestors and the family if they cannot pass along inheritance from one generation to the next.

As far as waiting until asked, Japan is full of ettiquette issues we may not fully understand. They have very definite rules for the reciprocation of gifts and proportion and things can be based on subordinate and superior status or appearance kinda stuff. Aid through aid agencies may be thought of differently than foreign government's providing aid.

The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (JCCC) in Toronto had a performance last night by Japanese artists Akiko Yano and Skoop On Somebody. It went on to lift spirits. The JCCC website says they had a donation box on-site throughThe Canadian Red Cross Society (donations made to "Canadian Red Cross Society re: Japan Earthquake - Asia Pacific Tsunami") 

ab, i think that harper actually is making sense with that statement...

first, as sg pointed out the japanese have all kinds of rules of etiquette that make no sense to me at all.  i did hear yesterday that apparently harper and the japanese prime minister are pretty good friends, though.  i would take that to mean that harper is simply waiting for japan to ask.

also, having a bunch of aid workers decend on such a small area would be a heckuva logisical issue as well... japan is very well prepared for emergencies, and have already asked for very specific things from specific countires already.  any canadian aid is about a week away, whereas austrailia and the us are FAR closer... in fact, i believe that there are already 2 american vessels in japan already. 

you know i think harper is a tool, too, so its not like i'm making excuses for the guy, but i think that in this case, he is bang on.

 I don't think Harper is always a tool, the same as I don't think anyone is ever ALWAYS one.  He's made some sound decisions but sure some bonehead ones, too. 

Happy to hear that this may be one of the good decisions. 

When I saw the Japanese ambassador to Canada being interviewed on TV yesterday, he was grateful for Canada's offers of assistance.  He also asked Canada to wait until the extent of damage had been ascertained, and for them to figure out exactly what 'help' would be most helpful, and in what regions ... which seemed reasonable, to me at least. It is a society known for orderliness ... so that would naturally extend to organizing relief efforts.   He did have that amazing  Japanese politeness, even in the face of such disaster.  

A guy from Global Medic was also interviewed, and likewise commented that they were awaiting reply from Japan as to where their services could best be directed.  That is an extraordinary organization, IMO. 

Hmmm- Japan has suffered an earthquake, a tsunami, and now a nuclear meltdown. Isn't this when Godzilla appears?

Japan does not have a concept of charity the way western Christian nations do. I sincerely doubt they will ask for international aid. The few Christian churches inside Japan might be a better avenue to offer support.  The United Church of Christ in Japan is our partner denomination.

Dear all,

First of all, thank you so much for your thoughts about my homeland Japan. It was the biggest earthquake ever in modern Japanese history. Houses got crashed,  towns got engulfed by tsunami, major aftershocks continues, and over 1,400 people are either dead or missing. I don't know what's gonna happen to the nuclear power plants in the areas, but the Japanese media has reported that six out of all 55 plants are in danger of meltdown now.

I would like to ask you to pray for the victims, their families and friends, and all those who have been suffering because of this nightmare. It would be very helpful too if you and your congregation consider financial aid to Japan. Rebulding the divastated areas is way more than Japan itself can handle. Any support would be very much appreciated. 

Shalom to all,

Yasu

Here is an idea of the power of water.   At 8 a.m. on Friday morning my daughters and I were walking the dogs down by the beach.  It was at this time at the small after effects of the Japanese Tsunami were to hit the West Coast of Vancouver Island, and it did but only raising the crest of the swell to a .6 metre for 6 cycles about 10 minutes apart.

Anyway, at 8:00 a.m., about 5 minutes after the baby tsunami hit the west coast, the water on the south west coast and inside our inlet rose about 2 feet ( perceptibly )and threatened to crest  over a small embankment like water ready to spill over the edge of a bathtub.  The wind rose a little and that was really weird because it was merely over the water and stopped nearly dead about 20 metres inland. 

I reiterate that we are on the opposite shore of Vancouver Island, as opposite as you can get and in protected bay area to boot.  In other words the tides and tsunami surrounded our  Island in about 5 minutes.

I should mention also that whenever the grey heron flies over our acerage something wierd in the ocean is going to happen.  She is usually followed by eagles but they didn't come this time.  She flew over at about 7:20.  By the time we got to the beach, the Eagles ( bald) had left their usual place across the water and had moved inland to trees that usually only harbour song birds (and the occassional  hungry owl).  The big guy actually ducked his head under his wing.  For the cousin or brother of the mammoth baldy who ate my weasil-killing cat ( who we loved dearly despite his murderous ways) I found this a bit pathetic but loved him for his little fear and knowledge of how profoundly the ocean environment was in flux.

So interesting jlin.   I admire how tuned in you are to the ways of nature in your world.

This is a live English TV broadcast in Japan - sent to me by a friend who's son & his wife live in Osaka.   http://wwitv.com/tv_channels/6810.htm

And so  today I put money in the offering plate in an envelope marked-for Japan. My church will send it to national office who will quickly send it on to partners in japan.

It's a small sum from me but combined with others acroos Canada I hope and trust it will help.(and I'm glad the UCC makes it easy to give).