Future From Fukushima

Just like three years ago today, it started snowing this afternoon in Fukushima. For the last three years Fukushima has been a big part of my thoughts, prayers, and work. Many emotions filled my heart even as a foreigner who visited only a few times and I can't imagine what might be going through the hearts of people in Fukushima.

Sadness for what happened.

Gratitude for the recovery work that is taking place, even though it is slow and much more complex in Fukushima than Miyagi and Iwate due to the nuclear disaster.

Hope for tomorrow.

We remember that day.

Being Grateful: Japan Red Cross received USD $1 billion from all over the world for disaster recovery. 

Being Hopeful: Future from Fukushima movement

Local businesses started a movement to encourage economic recovery and sustainability within Fukushima called "Future from Fukushima." One big difference we saw this year is that vegetables from Fukushima are available at local groceries now. Fukushima used to be famous for their high quality produce and the market had been completely destroyed since the nuclear disaster but it is now slowly picking up. At the local grocery store we went this evening, there were two separate stands of fresh produce: one from Fukushima and the other from other parts of Japan. 

Fukushima produce on the right side.

Customers at the Fukushima produce stand.

Shitake mushroom from Fukushima is 198 yen (almost $2).

Shitake mushroom from Toyama is 298 yen (almost $3).

This afternoon we visited Grace Garden Chapel in Koriyama to hear about how their journey for the past three years has been, especially for the last 18 months since we were together. Rev. Sanga and his wife, Toyomi and a few staff at the church welcomed us. Arriving there a little after 2 pm and seeing snow outside, the first thing we shared was about the moment when it all happened three years ago.

Look forward, do not look backward 

"Can you imagine this, I am a Pentecostal church pastor and I work with a pastor from United Church of Christ (liberal denomination)? We are now working in unity and collaboration among local churches. We organize many events together and we are all involved in various networks in Fukushima." Rev. Sanga said in his usual quiet voice with a smile on his face.

"One big difference is that I used to support from the background but now I am a leader up front leading the network. We need to learn from one another and Fukushima will be the ground of new mission to be birthed for this century. We must look forward, we can't just sit and look backward."

When the disaster happened, it was a chaotic time of working in isolation as one local church serving the victims and evacuees in Koriyama. Through the first Fukushima Future Forum that FVI hosted in July 2011 (just four months after the disaster), he met others who were in the same situation: small local church leaders who made tough decisions to stay in Fukushima. 

They cried out to God together (read their prayers here) and they are now working together and building a future together. 

Fukushima, the future is here! 

Gospel, the Best Public Good News

The Exhibition began on Saturday at 10:00 am. All 22 pieces of artwork by 9 artists have now found their corners and are showing their beauty under spotlights in the exhibition room at the Iwaki Cultural Centre. We began with prayers led by Dr. Kanda, the leader of the hosting organization, Friends with the Voiceless International (FVI). FVI did not do any conventional marketing of the exhibition except for their website and small postcards that they distributed to some local churches in Tokyo and Fukushima. Just a few minutes after the opening a reporter from a local Fukushima newspaper showed up.

I've learned that this weekend (March 8 and 9) is very busy all over Fukushima to commemorate the third anniversary of the triple disaster. Many events are taking place throughout the weekend. Iwaki city was a traditionally a small town of fisheries and aquaculture but is now growing rapidly as the post-disaster hub with 25,000 evacuees (20% of all evacuees) coming to the city as part of the government's resettlement strategy from the restricted zone (the first two years after the disaster was free temporary housing).

In this post-disaster context, FVI chose to hold the exhibition at Iwaki Cultural Centre, which is located in the very heart of the city as you can see in the map below. Instead of a local church venue or a private gallery, they intentionally chose this public space in the central location for the art exhibition. How wise and strategic to have this Christian Art Exhibition in such a place to tell the Gospel, the best public good news!

Close-up view of central Iwaki

One of the main roads near the cultural centre

Old buildings which survived the earthquake

Artists know how to tell the story

Miran Rin, a self-taught painter, is a third generation Korean in Japan and she was the lead-artist who conceived the vision behind bringing the artists together for Fukushima. "I wanted to help the suffering people in Fukushima as an artist. We, artists, can bring something for social change that is unique and cannot be conveyed by words," says the young artist. Miran went to India a few years ago to apprentice under a Christian artist who was actively engaged in various social issues by bringing groups of artists together. Miran wanted to start something similar in Japan as she experienced the power of working together with fellow artists, not in isolation.

"When we work together, we artists get encouraged by one another as much we encourage the public by our works. That's what I love about this." It was the first time she tried a group workshop so it was not easy to organize a group with people from difference places with busy, demanding life.

The quiet exhibition hall in the morning started slowly, getting busier in the afternoon. When Midori and I went out for lunch we noticed a big crowd in the lobby because there were a few other events taking place at the Cultural Centre to commemorate the third anniversary of the disaster. One of them was the city-wide Anti-Nuclear Protest.

Anti-Nuclear Protest Meeting Poster

After their meeting in the Cultural Centre in the morning, the protesters gathered in the lobby to start their street demonstration in the afternoon. Three policemen came to speak with the leaders as they knew how loud the voices of the protests can be.

I think the Art Exhibition this weekend was a powerful action to spread the message of hope and restoration in Fukushima. Definitely it carries a louder voice than that of the protest because the good news of Jesus Christ is good for Fukushima and even for the protesters. 

God is Invisible and Art is Visible

 Iwaki city, Fukushima


When we arrived at the exhibition venue, some of the nine artists who are showing their works had already arrived and were ready to set up the room. It is always delightful to meet with people whom you had been praying for without knowing their faces or their personal stories. When I entered the room I got excited even just by seeing their faces for the first time and by the opportunity to get to know them a little bit this weekend.

Midori told us before we came that most of the artists working on the project had told her in their earlier meeting in Tokyo last month that it had been hard for them to work toward this tight deadline since their first gathering in Fukushima last November. Time is always short when you are working on a big project like this. But more importantly, they were personally affected by what they had seen and heard during the 24 hour visit in Fukushima in November. The intensity and devastation of the triple-disaster in Fukushima made them weep deeply. Producing visual images of such devastation and grief and lament isn't easy. Furthermore, crafting a message of hope and future out of ashes and darkness must take some sort of divine creativity collaborating with human hands. I witnessed the power of such occasions today.

We spent the whole afternoon together with seven artists, hanging their works on the wall, putting spotlights, and discussing their works. Of course, I took photos and recorded some conversations.

Bible and Art

Machida Toshiyuki is one of the participating artists. He's also the founder of Bible & Art Ministries in Japan. He produced three works of graphic images from 17th century images of Jesus, one of which is a collage of paintings with a photo of himself wearing the protective suit during his visit to Fukushima. He and the other artists visited highly radiated areas just 4 KM outside Fukushima Daiichi plant, wearing white protective suits for observation and group reflection as part of the preparation for this exhibition (see the photo below).  

"My job as a Christian artist is to make invisible God visible, bringing beauty into our world. Jesus came to earth to make God visible. Even after his resurrection, Jesus ascended to heaven in a very visible way. He will come back to earth in the same way too," said the graphic artist who was once a pastor.

Machida accepted Jesus when he was in university as a young artist but he soon gave up the calling of artist because he thought there was only one way to become a "better" Christian: leave the worldly profession and pursue theological education and pastoral ministry. At least, that was the advice he was getting from all Christian leaders and mentors of that time. While he was in pastoral ministry, he discovered that his true calling was to be an artist. He resigned from the church and started again as an artist and founded Bible and Art Ministries in Japan 19 years ago. It was an even more lonely path than the first decision that he had made to follow Christ as a university student because nobody in the church understood his calling to become an artist once again, but as a Christian.

"There is no cookie cutter Christian. When you understand your own gifts and your sphere where God has placed you in the world, you pursue that gift. That's the best way to become Christian, in your own unique way." A costly lesson he learned.

Machida's passion for Bible and Art is now expressed through teaching in university, collaborating with Christian artists and producing his own works. "We, Christians, value only invisible things when we talk about faith. We do not value visible, physical and material things. But that is dangerous. When we deny the visible, we will end up denying the invisible."

Fukushima, Here We Come!

March 4, 2014
Vancouver, Canada

We (me and my husband) will be on the plane in 10 hours to go to Fukushima after 18 months since our last visit there as unmarried single people.

Since I left Fukushima in September 2012, I did not come back to Vancouver, but continued to travel westward: Korea, China, Russia, Ukraine and Spain. Then I finally arrived in Israel just eight days before the war between Israel and Gaza broke out and lived through the war and seven more months. I then went to Sinai, Egypt just before the unrest in Egypt got so bad for most tourists. Finally I returned to Vancouver last June and continued some more travels to Asia since then. Oh, in between the trips I got married to a theologian who has the same passion for Jesus and his Kingdom, and God's continuing work of love in this messy world.

Today we just celebrated our first five months of marriage and we are on the road together now. We looked at each other and said, "How about Fukushima for the honeymoon, part two?"

Our purpose of this trip to Fukushima is to support our dear friends, Midori and Dr. Kanda at Friends with the Voiceless International as they have worked so hard with some Japanese Christian artists for a very special event starting from this weekend. We will be there!

Title: We are born at this very special time～Let us remember Fukushima～

Sponsored by: Friends with the Voiceless International

Supported by: Japan Lausanne Committee and Bible & Art  

Location: Iwaki City Culture Center 3F (0246-22-5431)

Date: March 8(Sat)~13(Thurs) 10:00~17:00

Admission: Free

For Japanese, click this: http://karashi.net/img/project/fukushima/forum_05/image001.jpg

Redeeming Disaster - Disaster Relief 3.0

I wrote an article for Christianity Today about the work about the triple disaster in Fukushima, 'Redeeming Disaster in Japan' (click here to read).

It's about lessons we can learn from Japan with the question of what authentic Christian response might look like when there is a local church present in the midst of such an unprecedented disaster. Three important lessons we forgot in the professional relief work: Spirituality, Story and Sustainability.

It's been good to hear fresh response to the already-forgotten-tragedy only after 2 years and a few months. It is now time to think seriously about the long term rehabilitation and sustainability. 

Slowly but surely... 2 years into tracing the Holy Imagination

It is once again March 11.

2 years have passed since the triple disaster hit Fukushima, Miyagi and Iwate. For some people elsewhere it was a short time, but for evacuees from Fukushima, this was a long unforgettable time of agony, anger and frustration as the promised recovery of nuclear decontamination. The thread of hope of returning home seems to be getting thiner and thiner each day. 

I only made a few visits to Fukushima and still get overwhelmed whenever I think of Fukushima (click to read the year in review in March 2012). I wonder what might go through the mind of someone of my age in Fukushima who has lost everything she might have accomplished in all her life and lost loved ones to that disaster, having to reestablish everything all over again. Only God knows the depth of that grief.... 

I browsed a few reliable news websites to check some updates about Fukushima and found one common thing no matter what the source is: The recovery has been slower than expected and certainly more disappointing to those were given hopes to return home by now. I am also hearing updates from my friends in Fukushima, the local churches I visited and listened to the precious stories. God is surely with them in those slow moments, but more importantly he is at work of restoration and I hear those encouraging stories from these faithful friends, not from news websites. They warmed my heart. One particular story is this one from Usuiso village. 

I wrote a story about late Mr. Suzuki when he went back to that village again with us back in November 2011 (click here - scroll to the bottom to see the photos and story). Mr. Suzuki had suffered with heart problems even before the disaster and  PTSD quickly weakened his body and died a few months after I met him in Fukushima. GMC, the local church that started visiting Usuiso, gradually gained more respect from evacuees and they made a commitment to serve to rebuild Usuiso. They received a profound vision from God to not only restore the village but to build further an attractive thriving community that will mobilize young people from all over Japan and revitalize economy and create a new future. The work began by creating a little space of gathering for returning evacuees and to listen to their grief but to offer friendship of hope and commitment in return. Many of the members of GLC themselves were victims --lost loved ones to the tsunami or lost friends or work, but they are willing to take up their cross daily and serve these returning evacuees in Usuiso.

Here are some photos to give a quick summary of the last one year.

March 2012 - The piles of radioactive debris were the only landmarks in Usuiso.

Someone wants to remember their loved ones who had once lived here.

International delegates to Fukushima Forum praying over Pastor Ikarashi
as he and his friends are the church committed to be with people of Usuiso.

The vision of new, thriving town of future Usuiso - a holy imagination given to GMC and Usuiso residents.

The physical reality today isn't still there yet. Much work to do.

Listening Post - a temporary gathering place for returning evacuees.

A former Usuiso resident (man wearing the baseball cap in the far left) visiting, in conversation with
GMC members and FVI members about the vision (a model map is in the box, the right bottom corner ).

Slowly but surely....
Things are moving forward and hope is rising out of ashes.

Blessings to you all, my friends in Fukushima!

The empty town of Odaka

It's been over a week since Midori, Jonathan and I visited Odaka in Minami-Soma city with Rev. Ishiguro, but it made a very strong impact on all of us. Midori told us that the biggest shock for her was that seeing no one out on the streets because that is just so not Japanese.

People everywhere. That's what ordinary Japanese towns and villages look like, but not in Odaka. During our 2 hour long drive, we saw hardly anyone. That's the reality of life in Odaka and other places in the 20 KM evacuation zone. I tried to capture all that in the 7 minute video below (this is my very first movie!)

I had a privilege to meet Rev. Yusuke Yanagiya from Iwate who wrote the lyric of the song and it is below:

Sing to the LORD a New Song*

By Rev. Yusuke Yanagiya

A song cannot satisfy our hunger

A song cannot satisfy our hunger

It is true, it is so true.

But, let us sing together.

Our hearts may be filled.

A song cannot bring power back 

A song cannot bring power back

It is true, it is so true.

But, let us sing together.

Our hearts may be illuminated.  

A song cannot clear the rubble away 

A song cannot clear the rubble away

It is true, it is so true.

But, let us sing together.

Our hearts may be lightened. 

A song cannot build a house

A song cannot build a house

It is true, it is so true.

But, let us sing together.

Our hearts may be united.

Singing may sound hollow 

I know sometimes it feels so

But, let the tears run

Let your heart be broken

Let us sing our true feelings

Somebody there to embrace you as you are. 

A song cannot stop tsunami

No human hand could stop it

It is true, it is so true.

Therefore, let us sing together.

We may know the heart of God. 

Translation from Japanese by Yusuke Yanagiya and Midori Yanagisawa.

English edit by Jonathan Wilson and Soohwan Park. 

* This title is given by Jonathan and he describes: Events like the triple disaster in Fukushima call us back to God and to a deeper relationship with God in our pain, suffering, and disorientation. Out of that, like Israel in Psalm 96, we learn to sing a new song to the Lord.