Tokyo (or Tohoku) or Bust!!!

Hello friends!

As most of you know, most Americans are currently trying to run as far away from Fukushima as they can...

I however, am running the other direction tomorrow morning.

I'm heading up north to volunteer with the organization CRASH, which is currently the only NGO on the ground runny supplies into the incredibly devastated Tohoku region. I'm sure you are all watching the news, so you know very well how dire the situation is.

There is a chance I might be going into Tohoku itself, but for now, it doesn't look likely. The team I was going to go with isn't coming back till April 4th, and I have to work in Mie-Prefecture (central Japan) on the 1st. It looks like I will be working in CRASH's office in Saitama Prefecture (northern Tokyo), helping to coordinate and organize the teams that are being sent in. The office staff is very overwhelmed with the amount of stuff that needs to be done, so hopefully I can be a help.

I feel very strongly that this is what God is calling me to for this season. The verse that I have been given over and over is from Ester, "For such a time as this." God put me in Japan right now, has given me this people to love, and have given me two weeks of spring break. I'll be damned if I sit on my butt here where it is safe because I'm scared of some potential danger when people are dying and there is something I can do about it. Jesus tells us that to follow him we must deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow him. He also tells us that if we seek to save our life, we will loose it, and if we choose to loose our lives for his sake, we will find it. To love is to sacrifice, because we are to love as Jesus loved us.

I'm about 500% sure I'll be totally fine. I'm This isn't the first time God has send me into a dangerous area (Beirut in summer '06 etc.), and the question he always asks me, which he asked me again today, is "Will you trust me?" How can I answer anything but "YES! HERE I AM! SEND ME!"

And today was full of assurances that this is what I am supposed to be doing in this season. CRASH told me that they need help, and would love my assistance, but I had to figure out my own housing, because they didn't have time for it. I was planning on going up tomorrow morning, working for the day, and then figuring out where to stay later. However, I got call from one of my friends in Tokyo this morning saying that she heard I was going, and wanted to come with me for the weekend to help. I was so excited to have her come with, but I told her we didn't have a place for us to stay. Later I got a text from her saying a Biola ICS alum that she is friends with lives three stations down from the command center, and we are welcome to stay there. I had to ask my parents permission, of course, and they both gave me their blessing to go. (PROPS TO MY PARENTS! When everyone else's parents are telling them to leave the country, I get permission to get closer to the mess!! MOM and DAD, you are the BEST!!!). I also had to tell my boss I was going to Tokyo...and I was kinda freaking out about it, becuase I was pretty sure she was going to say NO WAY! But she gave me her blessing right away and thanked me for being willing to serve her people. NICE! LOVE MY BOSS! And I've been finding out I'll be seeing more and more of my friends at the headquarters tomorrow than I expected! An added comfort, for such a time as this.

SO in the course of the day, everything has fallen into place! I've got a bag packed full of supplies (the shelves in Tokyo are pretty bare), and a envelope full of money to donate, and I'm on the 6:08 train tomorrow morning!

Some of you might be wondering what you can do...

PRAY PRAY PRAY!!!! Pray for:
*Those in Tohoku who are suffering immensely right now
*CRASH and government relief efforts. Especially for the teams that are currently out in Tohoku. Traveling mercy especially, the only road open takes you 40 kilometers from the nuclear reactor.
*Weather to clear up (they have blizzardish weather up there right now)
*That I would be helpful and effective in the office, or whatever I end up doing. Traveling mercy and safety for me as well. And ability to sleep. I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared at all, and my nerves weren't on edge, cause they are. But I am choosing to trust. Pray I would be able to!
*Saturday (Sunday Japan time) many churches in Japan will be fasting and gathering to pray at midnight sat (7pm sunday Japan time). Feel free to join us!

DONATE!!! DONATE!!! DONATE!!!!!!!!!!!
*you can give directly to crash online (the link is on the right of the homepage).
http://www.crashjapan.com/

I encourage you to give until it hurts! I have had friends give me a hundred dollars to take up, and I have had friends give me their pocket change...which they won't even know is missing. GIVE UNTIL IT HURTS! Love requires action! These are PEOPLE we are talking about. I know its hard to believe that this is real, because the situation is so crazy, but each one of the numbers of dead and missing are PEOPLE, and each one in evacuation centers are real PEOPLE. They've had everything taken from them, lets see what we can do to give them HOPE, FOOD, WATER, SHELTER, CLOTHING, COMFORT and LOVE!

I'll try to keep you updated every few days, or before I leave if I am going to Tohoku (which is like 99% probably not happening, I'm pretty sure I will just be in the office the next two weeks).

THANKS FOR STANDING WITH ME ON THIS FRIENDS!!!! Know I love you! And know that are GOD is BIG and GOOD and LOVING, and is going to take care of me, whatever that looks like.

<3