Visit to the Disaster-hit Areas
Fumiyo Terashima, Communications OfficerGuided by Rev. Noguchi, Japan Lutheran Emergency Relief chaplain, three members of the East District Church Women’s
Board and two from the JELCW Board visited the disaster-hit areas in Tohoku from July 5th to the 7th.

Our purpose was tolisten to the voices of the residents and to figure out what is needed in our future support program.
To me, it was the third time to visit the areas.
in the 28 months after the disaster.
shoppers.

I was wondering how far rehabilitation/revitalization efforts have progressed

I saw some factories back in operation and makeshift shopping quarters open with some

There were young people, who came by inter-city bus, listening intently to the locals. As to the housing, I learned

that 6000 units would be available by next year in Ishinomaki city alone to accommodate survivors who currently live in thetemporary shelters.
On the first day, we toured Ishinomaki city.

We visited a community center in Kahoku to meet “Kahoku Volunteer

Tomo-no-Kai,” whose members taught how to make hanging dolls to those who reside temporarily in makeshift houses. Themembers gave us a hearty welcome and treated us to homemade dishes. We saw a Powerpoint presentation depicting theprocess of hanging doll project that had continued from August last year to March this year. At first, the survivors held back,thinking it was too difficult for them. However, neither teachers or workers gave up. They stitched to the last, thinking ofand praying for the dead.
“I would have been carried away by the tsunami if I had not visited my daughter then,” one of the survivors began to say.

Isaw tears come to her eyes. She told us that she lived by the sea and the entire community was carried away to the sea.
She could not feel happy about having survived. Instead, she kept feeling guilty that she alone had survived. It was then that
she was invited to the hanging doll project. Before long, her arrhythmia and insomnia were gone. When she said, “I had
never cried in front of people,” my heart ached.
Survivors in Ogatsu, the area where the damage was most severe, were the first ones to start making the dolls.

The local

newspaper covered their action so extensively that it caught the eye of one Tomo-no-kai member, who thought they could also
do the same, and they did. They complimented us saying, ”Lutheran church members have given clothes, visited us, andencouraged us ….” Smilingly they said they were pleased with the project completion and the nationwide roadshow of thedolls that followed. “We never thought that the dolls would go across the ocean as far as to America,” they said.
On the second day, we visited the construction site of Maehama community center in Minami-sanriku.

They said that theentire community of about 120 people is looking forward to the completion of the new building, so that they can gather and beconnected again.
We then visited Mrs. S, who cultures wakame (seaweed) and sells it also to the Lutheran church. She treated us with dishes
made of wakame. As her house is located on a hill, it escaped damage by tsunami. Conversely, she opened her house to many
relatives for a certain period. Concerning the deaths of her sisters-in-law, she revealed her mixed feeling saying, “To tell you
the truth, I don’t want to talk about them because it hurts me.

But I think I must tell the what happened for the futuregenerations.” Her words remain heavily in my heart.
On the same day, we found an answer to what we came here for; to figure out what is needed in our future support program.
We saw woven sandals the survivors living in the temporary tenements in Oppagawa had made, and learned that they arehaving trouble getting material --- simple, used T-shirts.

So we have decided to call for a contribution from JELCW members

all across Japan.
Weaving sandals is a part of their living and their psychological support. Let us pray together and help them carry out theiractivity. Thank you for your cooperation in advance.

10JELCW News
Following the resignation of President Kazuko Kato (Kyushu District), Kazuko Nomura (Kyushu District)
was elected as a new board member.

The Board then nominated Naoko Suzuki for the office of president.

JELCW representatives then elected her by a majority.
[ Message by the new president ]Taking the president office

Naoko Suzuki

Following the resignation of President Kazuko Kato, we have made a new start with an incoming member
for the remaining two years.
in September.

We have expressed our thoughts in the latest communication, Hibiki, issued

I sincerely ask for your cooperation and prayer. Thank you.

[ Message by the new board member ]Kazuko Nomura (Oita) Secretary

I have joined the board as a representative from Kyushu District.
and opened my eyes.

I am quite attracted to JELCW as such.

with determination.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Photo: (from right)

JELCW has always given me new views

With your help, I hope to dash to the goal

Setsuko Ishida (treasurer/vice president),Fumiyo Terashima (communications), Naoko Suzuki (president),and Kazuko Nomura (secretary)

Sabah Seminary News
Invitation to the 25th anniversary of STS“Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! This year Sabah Theological Seminary is celebrating its
25th anniversary. With the theme ‘Praise God for his wonderful works’ (Ps. 98) we want to take thisopportunity …to give thanks… for the wonderful partners and friends we have from all around the world
who partner with us in the ministry of theological education …. It is great pleasure to me to extend ourwarmest invitation to you ….”~ Main program ~Oct. 25, 7:30 PM Anniversary multi-cultural concert at STS auditorium
Oct. 26, 2:30 PM Anniversary thanksgiving celebration & Graduation ceremony at STS auditorium
Oct. 26, 7:30 PM Anniversary banquet at Putera Theatre Ballroom(extracted from the STS principal’s letter)
Ten people from different parts of Japan have expressed their desire to visit Sabah.
anniversary celebration and graduation ceremony.
friendship between Malaysia and Japan.

They will attend thePlease pray that this trip will be blessed as a symbol ofWe will report on this trip in the next issue of JELCW

newsletter.

11

Obituary+ Rev. Katuhiko Shigetomi+ Rev. Yoshiya Kume (retired)

March 6, 2013 (at 71)

March 24, 2013 (at 91)

Pastor at Megumino Church+ Rev. Yukio Ishibashi (retired)+ Rev. Andrew Ellis

May 19, 2013 (at 87)

July 20, 2013 (at 85)
Sent to Japan by the United Lutheran Church in+ Ms. Vappu Kataja

America in 1951, continued to serve as Pastor forJuly 20, 2013

the entire Christian community; congregational,Missionary to Japan by the Lutheran Evangelicaleducational and social welfare, around Kuma-

Association of Finland from 1959 to 1994, served

moto until his death.

for Christian community both congregational andeducational.

Please accept our sincere condolences.

JLER Support for Woven Sandals, please contribute materials
The disaster survivors living in Oppagawa temporary housing havefinished the hanging doll project and started a new one; weaving sandals.
Now we assist their project by sending T-shirts as material.
＊Adult size T-shirts＊Fabric with elasticity＊Simple (no embroidery, but one-point initial, etc. acceptable)
The woven sandals are comfortable to wear and quite popular.
each district.

The material is to be collected and sent by

Thank you for your cooperation in advance.

Announcement from JELCWStarting with the Newsletter No. 146, the recipients of Thanksgiving donation kindly contribute messages
on the first page.

For this issue, we are happy to have Ms. Junko Tsuru of Rainbow House.

World day of prayer 2013 : Donation
345,000 yen was evenly distributed among Hoshikuzu-no-kai, and Child and Family Support Center in

Asahigaoka, a day-care arm of Chiba Bethany Home.
Postscript
The summer heat lasted long, torrential rains hit and damaged Tokyo and elsewhere.

By the time you

receive the current issue of JELCW newsletter, I hope the temperature is more comfortable. The other day,the popular NHK (TV) history drama aired a scene where they read the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ fromSt. Matthew.

Christianity was banned for 260 years but now the words of the Bible give power to those introuble and pain. (F)12