Crawling deep into their hearts

Mr. Suda, laughing with the church team.

They hardly knew any Japanese, but a church team from Singapore was in Japan to show God’s love with their acts of service.  As one OM worker writes, “what they could do in those few days were so limited, but I believe God has used them in an amazing way through their attitudes. With very little words, they could crawl deep into the hearts of many Japanese people.”

One of those people was Mr. Suda, whose house was being cleared of rubble by the church team.  For the first few days he was quiet, not offering a greeting for the team.  "At first I was so disappointed”, said one of the volunteers, “he didn't even bother to thank us, but then I realized my pride. Am I serving God or man? I also realized that my few days of hard work under the scorching sun, in the filthy smelly water, removing damaged house items from the owner's house, is nothing in comparison with what he has lost during the tsunami."

The next day, Mr. Suda greeted the team with a whispered thank you. On the last day, during an afternoon break, he sat with the team and began to talk.  They were able to explain their beliefs as Christians, and even pray for Mr. Suda and his neighbor.  By day’s end, he was not only smiling, but dancing and joking around with the team.

A team member said, "What we do is so little, just like drops in a bucket. But many drops make a pond, and many ponds make a flood."

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. Habakkuk 2:10  

Please continue to pray for the people of Japan. You may also give toward OM’s work in Japan, and learn how you can go on a relief trip.  Thanks for your partnership.

You are needed in Japan.

Ready for a tough assignment? Help sort through rubble in one of the most devastated areas of Japan. Learn more about the trip here and pray about going.

"Where were you when the tsunami hit?"

This man watched his home wash away in the tsunami.

One village where OM Japan is working had 100 houses before the tsunami hit. Only 12 remain now, and many villagers are still unaccounted for. One family lost their cousin, a fireman, during search and rescue. OM has been helping remove the foundation of their house, to make way for a temporary home the family will receive.

OM ministry leader Stephan Smithdorff writes,

One of the highlights of working side-by-side with these precious people, is to sit down during lunch and tea breaks with them and to listen to their stories. Our favorite question is: 'Where were you when the tsunami hit?' One elderly neighbor said he was at home, but he ran up the hill, and watched the waves wash away his house in front of his eyes. It must be hard to see all your possessions drifting away into the ocean.

One elderly lady kept on cursing the tsunami for ruining their lives, but as the days went by, she stopped cursing and started to thank us for coming to help, pleading with us to come back again.

While Ming Siew, one of our team members, took a prayer walk at sunrise, she was invited in by two brothers who have lost both their wives and all their children, except for one daughter. Two days later while some of us sat in a local public bath, the man sitting in the bathtub with us, was one of the brothers! Instead of us encouraging him, he kept on encouraging us in our volunteer work.

Slowly we can see relationships are expanding as we return to the same area week after week. Everyday brings another opportunity to pray for people and see God at work in the lives of our dear new friends. We stand amazed and humbled at the privilege to be part of what God is doing in Japan today.

Please continue to pray for the people of Japan.  You may give to OM's relief efforts here.