Volunteers persevere
by Lauren K. Ohnesorge
Eleven months: That's how long it has been since a series of
earthquakes, coupled with a tsunami, devastated parts of Japan.
A team, led by Ken Isaacs of Samaritan's Purse, has responded by cleaning houses and ministering to disaster victims since March 2011.
Nearly a year later, Isaacs and others are going back to where it started.
“I think it will be a time of reflection, a time of healing,” Isaacs said. “It will also be a time of recognizing progress that has been made and things that are yet to be done.”
Samaritan's Purse leader and evangelist Franklin Graham will be in Japan, hosting festivities and praying with people, Isaacs said.
Samaritan's Purse, a local faith-based charity, has consistently had an active presence in the country.
John Freyler, a Samaritan's Purse regional director, has been to Japan three times during the past year. He said he looks forward to going back because each time he returns there's improvement.
“I've been to many disasters,” he said. “I've never seen a disaster so devastating as what I saw there. You remember the television, all the pictures. It mesmerized you. It was incredible, the destruction. Everywhere the water went, everywhere it touched, it destroyed.”
While the earthquake no longer dominates headlines, it continues to prevail over the minds of the people Samaritan's Purse is serving.
More than 300,000 people are still displaced and in temporary housing, Freyler said.
“We still do distributions through our church partners,” he said.
Additionally, not all homes were destroyed. In some houses, water was contained to the first floor. That's where Samaritan's Purse “mudders” come in, removing sheet rock, pressure washing and mold killing as crews rebuild the first floor. Samaritan's Purse personnel hope to repair 425 homes, of which 270 have been completed.
“These guys are incredibly organized,” Freyler said, referring to the Japanese citizens.
It was the opposite of what he found years ago in Haiti.
There are still ways to help. Freyler suggested volunteering or giving financially. Praying is also encouraged.
Samaritan's Purse hasn't just impacted situations abroad, spokeswoman Karina Petersen said.
Samaritan's Purse sent responders to tornado scenes in Alabama and areas devastated by floods after Hurricane Irene, among other disasters, last year.
Tim Haas, North American ministries director of Samaritan's Purse, said groups have already responded twice to disasters this year; both tornadoes in eastern North Carolina and Alabama.
Haas said two disaster response trailers have been added to the domestic fleet during the past year, giving Samaritan's Purse the capacity to respond to more disasters.
When tornadoes hit eastern North Carolina last year, three different locations hosted disaster trailers. Now, with six vehicles in the United States and one in Canada, even more people can be served.
Samaritan's Purse helps rebuild houses at devastated areas, and is currently rebuilding in eastern North Carolina, Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Joplin, Mo.
“We are expanded more than we've ever been in our rebuild programs,” Haas said.
Additionally, a new retreat opens this summer in Alaska for wounded soldiers and their wives, complete with marriage building workshops and serenity they've been lacking in the war zone.
“We have a lot going on,” Petersen said.
That's where the community comes in.
Donations can be made at http://samaritanspurse.org .
A team, led by Ken Isaacs of Samaritan's Purse, has responded by cleaning houses and ministering to disaster victims since March 2011.
Nearly a year later, Isaacs and others are going back to where it started.
“I think it will be a time of reflection, a time of healing,” Isaacs said. “It will also be a time of recognizing progress that has been made and things that are yet to be done.”
Samaritan's Purse leader and evangelist Franklin Graham will be in Japan, hosting festivities and praying with people, Isaacs said.
Samaritan's Purse, a local faith-based charity, has consistently had an active presence in the country.
John Freyler, a Samaritan's Purse regional director, has been to Japan three times during the past year. He said he looks forward to going back because each time he returns there's improvement.
“I've been to many disasters,” he said. “I've never seen a disaster so devastating as what I saw there. You remember the television, all the pictures. It mesmerized you. It was incredible, the destruction. Everywhere the water went, everywhere it touched, it destroyed.”
While the earthquake no longer dominates headlines, it continues to prevail over the minds of the people Samaritan's Purse is serving.
More than 300,000 people are still displaced and in temporary housing, Freyler said.
“We still do distributions through our church partners,” he said.
Additionally, not all homes were destroyed. In some houses, water was contained to the first floor. That's where Samaritan's Purse “mudders” come in, removing sheet rock, pressure washing and mold killing as crews rebuild the first floor. Samaritan's Purse personnel hope to repair 425 homes, of which 270 have been completed.
“These guys are incredibly organized,” Freyler said, referring to the Japanese citizens.
It was the opposite of what he found years ago in Haiti.
There are still ways to help. Freyler suggested volunteering or giving financially. Praying is also encouraged.
Samaritan's Purse hasn't just impacted situations abroad, spokeswoman Karina Petersen said.
Samaritan's Purse sent responders to tornado scenes in Alabama and areas devastated by floods after Hurricane Irene, among other disasters, last year.
Tim Haas, North American ministries director of Samaritan's Purse, said groups have already responded twice to disasters this year; both tornadoes in eastern North Carolina and Alabama.
Haas said two disaster response trailers have been added to the domestic fleet during the past year, giving Samaritan's Purse the capacity to respond to more disasters.
When tornadoes hit eastern North Carolina last year, three different locations hosted disaster trailers. Now, with six vehicles in the United States and one in Canada, even more people can be served.
Samaritan's Purse helps rebuild houses at devastated areas, and is currently rebuilding in eastern North Carolina, Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Joplin, Mo.
“We are expanded more than we've ever been in our rebuild programs,” Haas said.
Additionally, a new retreat opens this summer in Alaska for wounded soldiers and their wives, complete with marriage building workshops and serenity they've been lacking in the war zone.
“We have a lot going on,” Petersen said.
That's where the community comes in.
Donations can be made at http://samaritanspurse.org .