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so "send I" you| feature
 It
started out like any other earthquake. The hanging light
began to swing. The house began to rumble. Pam and I
looked up from our Bible Study time and for a split
second, felt frozen. Would it stop like all the other
ones? But this one seemed different. Clanging, major
shaking!
We jumped up and ran to the front door.
Harry came running to open the door from outside to help
us exit the house. Was the 2-story Mission Office
building going to crumble? High electric wires looked
like jump ropes going around and around. We ran to the
open street and stood staring at the buildings all
around us in the compact neighborhood twisting like
rubber bands. Feeling like we were standing on a
waterbed, we tried to keep our balance. For minutes, it
continued. Then a slight calm, and quiet came. Should we
go back inside? It seemed safe. As we entered the house,
we saw fallen objects that peppered the floor. Drawers
had been thrown open. Some things had broken. Turning on
the TV, we began to see the reality. But then an
aftershock hit hard. Repeating the previous exit, we ran
to an open field. Neighbors and school children across
the street lined the playground wondering what would
happen next. For minutes, the ground and everything on
it was moving. Finally, it ended.
Little did we know that in northeastern Japan, one of
the most catastrophic earthquakes and tsunamis in
history was still in progress. Entering the house, we
quickly turned on the TV. Instant live coverage began
showing the damage and then the horrifying scenes of the
tsunami traveling at a speed of 500 miles per hour which
was 30-40 feet high in many areas. Thousands of houses
washed away, thousands of cars were being tossed like
toys. But the worst reality of all was seeing people in
those cars or standing on top of houses or running from
the tsunami but not being able to run fast enough and
being engulfed in the worst destructive tidal wave
imaginable. Over 300 miles of tsunami raged along the
eastern seacoast and inland up to 5 miles.
Life changed in Japan that day. Our friend Pam couldn’t
return home because all trains were stopped. Harry got
in touch with all our Mission Team Workers to make sure
everyone was safe. Disaster had struck Japan. It was a
national disaster in many ways as shortages of food and
water, gas and electricity changed our lives. Then there
was the radiation fear as the reactors in Fukushima, a
city about 140 miles from Tokyo had been severely
damaged and radiation was feared to be leaking out. “Do
not drink the tap water. Cover your face when you go
outside so you don’t breathe in radiation. Keep children
covered. Don’t let rain water touch your skin.” On and
on, the warnings were given to the public.
We experienced the aftermath of the 9.0 Tokyo
earthquake, but it was nothing compared to the hundreds
of thousands of residents in what is called in Japan,
“The Tohoku” or “the northeast.” The final death toll
and those still missing stands at about 20,000 people.
Children were swept from their parents’ arms as families
tried to escape the powerful tsunami. Many people, old
and young, couldn’t outrun the force of the wall of
water. Death lay everywhere as the tsunami ripped
through city after city, port after port, neighborhood
after neighborhood. Evacuation centers were set up and
people searched for family and friends who had been
separated or had been apart when the tsunami hit. Some
found those for whom they were searching, but many did
not. A new kind of paralysis hit the beautiful land of
Japan. Shock, pain, destruction and rationing,
hopelessness and sadness were the new world for the
people of the Tohoku.
In the ensuing days, Harry, serving as Team Leader, put
together an evacuation plan for our Mission family in
case serious levels of radiation spread to Tokyo. And
then, another plan came to our five Mission families
from our National Office. “A couple needs to be on the
ground ministering in the Tohoku as soon as possible. We
dare not miss this opportunity to help those who are so
needy.”
But who could go??? Which family could move to the area
of Sendai to open a ministry of help and hope and new
life? We went through the list. What about this family??
What about this family?? What about this couple??
Circumstances did not work out for others to go. As
Harry and I prayed and sought God’s will for our Mission
family, we quietly looked at each other and said, “We
can go.” It was as Jesus prayed for the mission of His
disciples and the church in John 17:18 when He said “As
the Father has sent me, even so send I YOU.”
(paraphrased) And with the epicenter of the earthquake
being in Sendai City in the northeast, we could also
hear His assurance of being with us as He would send us
to “SENDAI”.
We had never been to the Tohoku before. There are no
Alliance churches in Tohoku, and we knew no one in
Sendai, a city of 1.6 million people. We made the
investigative trip to search for housing. With housing
scarce in the Tohoku because of the 300,000 people who
had been displaced or lost their homes, our Mission
family prayed with us for the provision of a living
facility in Sendai. We did not want to take anything
that was needed for those who had no home. Praying and
searching, God opened a door for a house that had
features not attractive to Japanese people and owned by
an American. It was the only open door and we thanked
God for His provision. We relied on Isaiah 30:21—“And
your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way,
walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the
left.” Harry resigned as Team Leader and we began a new
journey in devastation like we had never seen, waiting
each day to hear God’s Word of guidance behind us.
Through CAMA, the Alliance relief arm, funds began to
come in for U.S. Alliance relief work and setting up a
center to help those who were hurting and in need in
Tohoku. Thank God for all who gave. The Alliance
National Church in Japan partnered with us as Pastor
Shinobu Tanaka of Nagoya Christ Church came soon after
we moved to Sendai along with Team Worker, Alan Kropp to
begin a partnership of prayer and seeking God’s guidance
in the midst of debris and sadness. We would continue to
search for a suitable place to purchase and begin relief
work and sharing Jesus’ love. We were also partnering
with a Japanese church near our house in ministering to
evacuees in temporary housing as we continued to meet
with realtors and search for a ministry facility.
Through those partnerships, God began to lead us from
Sendai where we had made needed contacts, to reach out
to the city of Ishinomaki, with a population of 160,000
people and only 6 small churches located one hour away.
Forty-six % of the city had been inundated by water.
Thousands of people had died and homes and businesses
were in shambles. Pastor Tanaka stated it clearly when
he said, “It’s what the Alliance does. We plant churches
where there are no churches.”
With so many homes and businesses destroyed, only God
could provide a possible building for sale. Harry
returned to the internet to search for property and a
building. And then, a property appeared for sale. It was
a house that had survived the powerful tsunami. It was
in an area of Ishinomaki where there were no churches.
Contact was made with the realtor. We went to see the
property. What a surprise to meet a realtor who was more
than congenial to have missionaries be possible buyers.
Smiling, he took us through the house that had been
flooded with 11 feet of water. Because it had been built
very structurally sound, it had survived the tsunami
much better than other homes. Windows were broken out
and holes were visible in the back of the house, but it
could be repaired. It had many possibilities for a
church and housing volunteers. And to our surprise, the
realtor said the neighborhood would be better off if
there was such a ministry. He then said his mother was a
strong Christian and he had gone to Sunday School as a
child. In our 33 years in Japan, we had never met a
realtor so anxious to work with Christians. We felt God
saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” as the realtor
told us he had already checked with the owner who was
willing to sell to Christians. This was another miracle.
On November 4, 2011, the process for purchase began. God
led the Japan Alliance National Church to partner with
the Japan Alliance Mission by registering the contract
for purchase in their name and give financial aid. CAMA
kindly provided remaining funds to purchase the house
and by December 14, we had the key in hand. The next
step of repairing the structure was a stretch of faith.
How could we complete this task? In God’s timing, He
opened the doors for “a Good Samaritan” to come to our
rescue. From the middle of December, the ministry of
Franklin Graham’s “Samaritan’s Purse” has brought in
volunteers who appear with a smile each day, thanking us
for the joy of having a part in this relief and church
planting ministry. Again and again we have experienced
God’s provision above all we could ask or think. He
answers prayers and supplies before we even know there
is a need. The team from Osaka and young people from
YWAM who worked for days ripping out everything down to
the wall studs and shoveling out all ocean sludge and
mud from under the house were ministering angels.
Volunteer professional carpenters, an architect and
finishing carpenter are nearing completion of basic
remodeling of the first floor. They sing for joy to the
Lord as they work and affirm their love for the part
they can have in helping to establish a church in this
needy area. They have cleaned out and remodeled hundreds
of houses in the area, building relationships with
Japanese people who have never met believers before, and
at the end of the remodeling, a dedication service is
held. The love of Jesus and His plan of salvation is
shared and a prayer of blessing is prayed for the family
and the house. Lost people matter to God and He wants
them found. We have seen 8 conversions and 12 more
prayed a prayer of salvation 2 days ago at a
neighborhood outreach. When the Father says, “So Send I
(Sendai) you,” He provides every need.
Our ministry center is being prepared in a neighborhood
without the presence of a church. But God has given us
partners. After purchasing the building, we began to
meet other believers in adjoining neighborhoods of
Ishinomaki who are also engaged in ministering and
sharing the Gospel. God is opening partnerships with
several mission groups to reach Ishinomaki.
We ask for prayer for the March 29 Dedication. We
continue to preach God’s Word, visit evacuees in
temporary housing, work with children and anticipate the
opening of the ministry center called Ishinomaki New
Life Center. Through this community center, continuing
to help neighbors clean out their homes and rebuild
their lives, we pray for a great harvest of souls for
eternity. As the one-year anniversary of the March 11,
2011 disaster approaches, we pray for the Franklin
Graham Crusade March 2, 3, and 4, and Memorial Services
on March 11.
The Tohoku Region is called a spiritually dark region of
Japan. As we look to the ocean just 4 blocks from
Ishinomaki New Life Center, we see a lighthouse shining
the way for ships to come into port. We thank God that
He has allowed the Alliance to begin a lighthouse of New
Life that will be a beacon of eternal hope for many
searching for the Savior. We covet your prayers for us
and for Alan and Jill Kropp who will continue this
ministry upon return from Home Assignment in 2013.
by Jane and Harry
Landaw
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