Iwate, Japan Disaster response trip

May 4th – May8th, 2011

 

My impression of this trip is the damage of the disaster is beyond my imagination.

People are facing to great deal of trauma, grief, uncertainty, and prolonging daily stress.

A lot of people are affected by the trauma.  Symptoms of trauma are evident, but they don’t know how to get help. Even though they were aware of problems, there’re very few opportunity to receive therapy.  People in Tohoku region have feeling of “enryo”.  Enryo is a feeling of denial of self-need.  Instead of seeking help of their own needs, they express someone else’s needs.  When I approached each person, they all said that they’re okay so that I should visit someone who suffers more than them.  They are also fearful of being judged if they talk.

Most people pushed me away first, but they usually talked a lot after expressing feeling of compassion.  Eventually they realize their thoughts and feeling how important to express it in order to have a step of healing.

A gentleman I listened showed me pictures in the local newspaper.  Houses, cars, and rubbles passed through the sea-wall.  He lost his house at the moment. He grabbed the handle on the roof which is a stopper for snow.  He heard a woman’s scream of help.  He wanted to rescue but it was impossible. He had to let her go. Consciously he knew he did not do wrong thing, but emotionally he felt guilty.  He heard her screaming voices for a week.  The voices stopped after he found the lady was rescued after he was by the national defence worker.  He told me that he lost the way of living and purpose to live.  He kept saying that it was not a big deal of his tragedy because the family next to him had much trauma and heard that one of their family members was found in between rubble few days ago.  The corps was filled by nuggets.  He said, “If you hear a story like this, I cannot say anything about my experience. They suffer so much more than I am...”  He told me that it was his first time someone paid attention to him and listened to his experience.  He felt so much less heavy feeling in his chest, and thanked me a lot. I was very humbled.  I told him that people from Canada pray for him and quick recovery of Japan.  I also told him that he has a gift of listening to people. People are comfortable to talk to him because of non-judgemental listening skill. His soul is very gentle. He can tell people how important to share emotions so that they don’t have to suffer themselves.  His life is a gift from God to so many. I asked him to be a story-teller so that we can learn wisdom from people in Tohoku region which will be encouraging to so many.  He said he’ll try...

 

I saw an older couple who went back where their home used to be.  They came back to the evacuation centre one hour before I approached them.  When I gave the lady massage, her hands were very cold entire time. She told me how scary experience she had. She felt very sad that she could not find any of her belongings. All were washed away by the Tsunami.  Her husband found his art of calligraphy.  After retirement, he became an instructor of calligraphy. He had a wide range of students from elementary school students to seniors.  He lost some of his students. He washed his art which were filled with mud today.  Some equipment, he kept in a shed at a day-care centre in his neighbour.  The principle of the day-care centre told him that he can teach students eventually once things are settled more.  He is not sure of it, but wishing the time comes some time. I told him that teaching it can be very healing for people there, and will send him brushes, paper, ink, and all necessity. I acknowledged how important using individual gifts. He felt a sense of empowering.  After finishing counselling, his wife brought afternoon snack for me too.  We ate together and chat for a while.  We had a simply good time together.  We smiled and laugh together a short time.  They did not have a time of laugh since March 11th.  I encouraged them keeping their life as normal as possible. They don’t have to feel guilty to enjoy life.

 

I saw a lady who has two children who go a middle school and a high school.  She has been suffering from depression and anxiety for few years. Her anxiety became worse after the disaster.  She did not know how to set limit on her negative thoughts. She talked about worries of her children. She needed to express her thoughts and feeling so that she could clarify the problems, and find some problem solving. Instead of fear base approaching, she learned about letting children some opportunity to learn about process of their choices. Let them take their own responsibilities. She found that having talk to someone else can make ability to find some solutions.

 

Another lady who is single has had emotional abuse experience by alcoholic father.  She experiences difficulty dealing with a new employer. She can’t trust anyone, and having fear of potential emotional abuse. She has nightmares, sweating, mood swings, and depression after the disaster.  She has sought spiritual help, and read many books.  She talked about Buddhism and cult.  I talked her about Jesus why He came on earth, died, and rose again for us.  She put Jesus as one of great prophets.  All gods lead her to one heaven.  I clarified Christianity. I paid attention to my speech not to be judgemental for her. I gave her a web site for the organization I joined so that she can seek the truth later on.

 

One man lying on the floor reading a newspaper who refused to talked to me first. He kept reading the paper.  He told me that he would be one of the last people to go to a temporary housing because of single with no family.  He accepted the reality.  The more I listened to him, more understanding of him.  He was getting less hope of his future.  Lost home, job, and getting back pain which causes him quite less physical activities.  He believed that he might be vegetated in a bed eventually.  I assessed and taught him how to recover from back pain which I had suffered for a long time and pain free now.  He got up and energized. His affect changed immediately. His voices changed stronger.  I thanked God for giving him such hope and encouragement.  He appreciated that Christians in Canada pray for his recovery and peace which coming from God.  He thanked us, and I thanked him for letting me to talked to him.

 

A lot of people are exhausted, but never whined about it. They’re very humbly receiving service from volunteers and any organizations.  The lives had changed drastically since March 11th.  Things they had and gave them comfort in their lives are no more. Instead of serving, they became recipients. Can you imagine that you lose privacy? You spent more than two months with other people without any personal space? Can you imagine that you cannot talk to loved one anymore?  Can you imagine you don’t know how to provide your family without a job?  Can you imagine living life without hope?   Can you imagine living without purpose?

I believe only God can provide answers and comfort.  There are a lot of needs and very few workers of God there.  I desperately need your unceasing prayers and show them compassionate hearts.  I believe it is a birth pain before second coming of mighty God.  I pray that all of believers to be disciples to all over the world to spread the Good News.

 

Thank you so much for all your support.

Please forward this letter to someone who is interested to update of my trip

Hideko