Sunday, July 31, 2011

Jesus, Our Greatest Intercessor

Nakoso Christ Church
Sunday, July 31, 2011 – Nakoso (Iwaki city), Fukushima

A violent shaking woke me up just before 4 am. It wasn't even for a minute, though it felt more like five minutes to me. Midori also woke up and said, “This must be a big one!” After a brief moment of black out, the power came back and we turned the TV on to find out more about the quake. It was an earthquake of M 6.4 in the coast near Iwaki, the city where we are staying now.

In my half-awake mind, the only thing I could compare this level of shaking was an overnight, 2nd class train I took from Chennai to Madurai in India 12 years ago. I had no other reference point for an earthquake of this level even after many aftershocks - small and medium ones - I experienced during my first visit in April. Lying on my bed in the hotel, I stared at the ceiling, wishing that it would have been nice if there was something to protect over my head. I walked with some close people journeying toward their deaths, and reflected and read much about death. But if anything else was going to happen right now, I thought, my story (or my life!) would end here with no preparation. When my whole being was shaken by such magnificent power of nature beyond my ability to control especially in my vulnerable moment of sleeping, my best rational process or imagination of death did not help me at all this morning. Prayer was not my first reaction, to be honest.

Having fallen back to sleep for a couple more hours, we had rather a rushed Sunday morning. Midori and I went to the train station but only to find out the morning train schedule was canceled because of the earthquake a few hours earlier. We took a taxi to go to Nakoso Christ Church where Rev. Sumiyoshi and his wife have been serving for the past four years. I visited that church in my first visit and wrote my experience that time on this blog on April 20. I wanted to see how they have been moving forward a few months after the disasters.

Rev. Sumiyoshi and his wife were at the Fukushima Future Forum last week and the testimony of how he encountered Jesus and his cross encouraged all of us at the Fukushima Future Forum.

Sumiyoshi’s Dream: “Why are you abandoning me?”





I saw Jesus was approaching toward the Nuclear power plant [in my dream]. I am not talking about something strange or funny. I saw Jesus walking toward the plant. Jesus asked me, “Are you evacuating?” That reminded me of Jesus’ question to his disciples [before he went to the cross], “Are you abandoning me?” Those reminders led me to make my own decision to remain in my community. In this complex situation, many kinds of information were coming to me, like people were saying ‘the nuclear power plant is very dangerous,’ or ‘we will have another tsunami’ and so on. I asked myself, “To whose voice shall I listen?” I learned this one thing. This [the aftermaths of earthquake and tsunami] was an unthinkable situation and we’ve encountered something that we’d never imagined before. That is the challenge to us about our own faith.


Soon after such an encounter with Jesus in his dream, Rev. Sumiyoshi started actively serving the neighborhood. They received more than 200 volunteers from all over Japan and overseas and served more than 1400 neighbors. During the first couple months after the disaster, the church was the relief center for the whole community and they started having many visitors seeking to understand Christianity. Today, Sumiyoshis continue to seek God’s guidance for them to engage more deeply (and practically) in their community, while joyfully serving the needs of visitors to the church.

Midori and I had a leisurely visit yesterday to observe a bible study for seekers that Rev. Sumiyoshi started after the disaster. I got very excited to see two familiar faces showing up. In April, they just started coming to church because they couldn’t comprehend such loving kindness of the Christians they encountered at the church. They were simply curious of the secrete path to having greater power than the tsunami.

Mr. Funayama (65) and Mr. Moue (79) started to attend the Sunday service and weekly bible study soon after they discovered what the church was doing following the disaster. Midori and I politely asked them if I could just set the camera at the back while they were talking, but they were more than happy to talk to unknown ‘global audience’ in front of the camera. Mr. Funayama had encountered Jesus twice before in his life, but never accepted him into his heart. He shared this third time, the big one, he experienced through tsunami.

Jesus, the Greater Power than Tsunami




The third encounter with Jesus was this time because of this disaster and it was the biggest encounter. I met a friend on the street walking with his both hands holding bags filled with goods. I asked him, “What happened?” “I went to the church. Go get the stuff from them.” And I went to the church and was so surprised. Because there were so many stuffs and so many people from all over the world. I thought to myself, ‘What is this Christ church? From where do they get this kind of power?’ I was so impressed with that power which people showed. I started chatting with the pastor.

I was suggested to come to Sunday service and I started coming. There were many people in the church, but I didn’t understand many things. Sometimes I felt I could identify with some stories. My life was not a happy one, but rather unhappy one. I started realizing that by knowing this “Kiristo Sama’ [Lord Christ], I may be able to find true solution to happiness. Being happy means knowing Jesus and happiness may come by offering whole of myself.

These days I am thinking like this. First, I needed to know who Jesus is so I started coming to bible studies. Happiness is knowing Jesus Christ. I was very surprised by Pastor Sumiyoshi. He was also affected by the whole disaster, but he was serving without showing any reluctance on his face. I always wondered from where this kind of power come. I am realizing that this is because of Jesus’ love and power.



Today as we were sitting at the back row during the service, Midori was pointing to me who were new after the disaster, and the people she pointed out to me were over a third of the room. There were some teenage boys who helped serving lunch after the service. I thought it was an unusual thing for teenagers not only staying at the worship with elderly folk, but also serving and having lunch together. (I will write about their experience of tsunami separately after I meet more young people this week.)

Rev. Sumiyoshi talked about the earthquake this morning and gave the message of the Cross from Mark’s gospel. I don’t understand Japanese at all, but when I heard him repeat, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” a few times with tears in his eyes, I felt something significant, like movement of the Holy Spirit. Several people in the congregation started weeping. I knew it was about his dream and about the Cross. Toward the end of his preaching, I quietly stood and captured that moment in my camera.

Jesus Interceding for Us at the Nuclear Plant




Jesus approached to the nuclear power plant. In order to understand your own suffering, Jesus is even now moving toward the power plant and is interceding for you there. He died for you on the cross. There are many various religions in the world. But we cannot find anywhere else this love of Jesus who abandoned his own life for us.

[Prayer]
“We had an earthquake this morning. I pleaded you, [oh God], not to give us any more suffering. However we believe that everything is in your hands. As Jesus walked toward the cross a long time ago, he is walking toward the nuclear plant now. He is kneeling there and praying for us. Because of this, we can persevere and have hope. Jesus made a promise that he would be with each of us and walk in our lives. We have so many sorrows, suffering and pain in our lives. And we will face death in our earthly life.


Lord Jesus, help each of us to open our hearts to you. Help us to accept Jesus as Savior, and give us true victory, hope, joy in our life. The life of those who believe in Jesus never ends in despair. We may be given power to endure whatever situation we may go through. In the name of Jesus, we pray.”


Right after the disaster on March 11, Sumiyoshis did not know what to do when everyone was busy evacuating. They were praying and waiting. Only one thing they knew clearly was that God did not tell them to evacuate. So they waited and waited, until Jesus appeared in Sumiyoshi’s dream and challenged him. That changed everything; not only their own lives, but also thousands others in Iwaki city.

Shakable Things and an Unshakable Kingdom

Sunday, July 31, 2011

At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken – that is, created things – so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
(Heb 12:26-27)

Fukushima First Baptist Church was a thriving and influential church in Fukushima Prefecture before the Great Tohoku disaster on March 11, 2011. Located in 4.6 KM from the nuclear plant, many members of the church were employed by TEPCO (the company operating the plant) and the church was affluent with a few buildings. They had recently completed a building project just 3 years before the earthquake.






The nuclear plant had created many jobs in slowly aging communities with traditional fishing and farming industries. Young people moved in with hopes for a prosperous future life.



“Nuclear Power is the energy of the bright future” The slogan in the main street of Futaba near the power plant seemed as powerful a promise as the nuclear power it was generating.


Everything changed in the quiet afternoon of Friday, March 11. A massive tsunami after the violent earthquake swept away many lives in town, including some church members. Those who lived alone were too afraid to stay alone inside house gathered in the church building and spent the night together. Early next morning on March 12, when the official order of evacuation came with buses and trucks sent by self-defense troops, saying that there was an accident in the plant so they were evacuating people only for a couple of hours until they could settle down the problem. They were not given any details and no information was available. They simply thought they’d be back home in a few hours and their life would carry on.

The church members and the pastor took refuge near Tokyo three weeks after evacuation. They started living together in a camp site. They lost everything; homes, church buildings, livelihoods and jobs. A few members with poor health died in the first month after evacuation triggered by trauma. That evacuation order still continues after almost five months passed.

However, they have started gaining something priceless as a church together through this great suffering, ironically after they have lost everything material that they had owned. Pastor Akira's journal as an evacuee on the church website (http://f1church.com/) has been widely read,. Together with his church members he recently published their testimonies, Ruro No Tami, (「流浪の民」. 佐藤 彰) or “A Wandering People.” Midori read out a few quotes for me as below:

“It is clear that the Lord has shaken everything through our experiences of extraordinary lives.” (p.26) By Akira Sato

「明らかなことは非日常の経験を通し、すべてを主が揺さぶっておられる、ということです。」
佐藤 彰

“I think this is a time to reflect about the thing which is far important than wealth.” (p.131) By a female believer
「財産よりも大事なものがあると、それを見つめなおすときだと思っています。」 一女性信徒

“I cannot live outside of the community.” (p. 133) By a female believer
「群れの中にいないと生きてはいけない。」 一女性信徒



After the March 11 disaster, the whole area became a ghost town and the slogan on the street reflects the emptiness of its place:



“Good understanding of nuclear power leads to a prosperous life.” (NB: These pictures were sent to me, nobody is allowed to enter the 20 KM zone currently.)



Will natural energy and the knowledge of what it can do truly lead to prosperous life? And prosperous life for what purpose?



What Fukushima First Baptist Church is experiencing now and testimonies of their life in community through suffering is something unshakable in the midst of everything that has been shaken.



Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.
(Heb 12:28)

Friday, July 29, 2011

Fukushima and the Early Church

Saturday, July 30, 2011 - Nakoso (Iwaki City), Fukushima

Today, I start visiting local churches. Before I start stories of each church Midori and I are scheduled to visit this week, I would like to start by framing the vision behind this work in Fukushima to set the context for you. I have known Dr. Eisuke Kanda, the CEO of Friends of Voiceless International, for a long time. However, through Midori, God has brought us to work together this time and it has been fun to work with and to travel with him and his team. Yes, we know disaster relief work is serious and tough, but we also know the secret to a long term sustainable ministry is the ability to laugh and especially to laugh out loud. We have had many moments of having loud laughter and enjoying amazing Japanese food together (and sometimes, even more amazing (!) Korean food, as these Japanese friends of mine say themselves!). During the forum, I had a chance to capture the vision of FVI behind the work and the forum with Dr. Kanda.

Why have you chosen to work in Fukushima, not other places struck by the disaster?






Unless we hear something bad from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, Fukushima disappeared from media outside Japan and the world seems to have forgotten about the disasters and people of Fukushima. Recovery work in Fukushima has been stuck with little action taking place with continuously declining population.

Why is it important to discuss future now, isn’t it too soon?






The Early Church inspired generations of people from all over the world who wanted and tried to build ideal communities. I am very excited about the next few days of my journey here in Fukushima even though I feel the shaking of minor aftershocks here and there. I would appreciate your prayers for me and Midori. Thank you!

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Fukushima, the Future is Here

Friday, July 29, 2011

The Fukushima Future Forum ended on Thursday. So much has happened during that short few days, I needed some rest before I could post an update!

From Monday night nearly 30 participants from 12 local churches in 7 different cities in Fukushima reflected on the four following questions as they were resting and listening to God and to one anther.


  • What is the meaning of this triple disaster (earthquake, tsunami and radiation) in God’s big story and his grand purpose?

  • If Jesus were Governor of Fukushima, what would he do?

  • What is happening on the ground since March 11? What stories are there from sacrificial love shared by members of these local churches?

  • How can they move on from now on to restore all things to Christ and bring healing to the land of Fukushima?
The Fukushima Future Forum started off with deep personal reflections, prayers and testimonies, at the end of the forum the participants drafted a declaration of their communal commitment to rebuild Fukushima’s future with God’s help. The declaration will be released next week.

At the end of the conference, I spoke with a pastor of a small but very active congregation (30 some members before the disasters). Since March 11, his church processed hundreds of volunteers from all over Japan and from overseas, and served more than ten thousand victims in their city, Iwaki. They actually ended up advising the city’s relief efforts! Pastor Mori is not satisfied with the short-term relief projects, but has a long-term vision to build a sustainable community based on the love of Jesus.

A Long-Term Perspective for building Fukushima's Future





The forum was ended with foot-washing. It started by all husbands washing their wives’ feet first. That in and of itself was a big counter-cultural action in Japanese male-dominant culture! I knew that the future was already here!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Fukushima, the Land of Good News

July 26, 2011 - Bandaiatami, Fukushima


Midori sounded a bit hesitant to my idea when I asked her if it was OK to translate Fukushima(福島) to ‘Land of Blessing,’ a little poetic use of the name instead of the literary translation of ‘Island of happiness.’ It probably did not seem to her quite fitting for the situation in Fukushima right now as we were putting the second prayer guide together a few weeks ago.

As I was preparing for my second trip to Fukushima, one thing that captured my attention for more than a month was the meaning of the word, Fukushima. The Chinese character, 福, 'fuku' (in Japanese pronunciation) has many different meanings like happiness, fortune, blessing and so on in the oriental culture (Chinese, Japanese and Korean). And this concept of 'fuku' or 福 has complex connotations when it comes to Christianity in the second half of the 20th century in this part of world as it is also intertwined with the notorious 'health and wealth gospel' or prosperity gospel. (I will write a separate piece on this widely misunderstood term, prosperity, another day). Context is everything that determines the meaning of 福. Any way, I first thought it seemed a bit too irony to connect the concept of 'fuku' or 福 with what has been happening in Fukushima since March 11, but I wanted to send out a positive message and hope with the work we are involved in Fukushima. Thus my prayer guide was named, Fukushima, the Land of Blessings.

Today is the second day of the Fukushima Future Forum. The topic Midori facilitated was around understanding God’s big story, especially focused on the 3000 years of world history and Japanese history leading up to the March 11 Disasters and reflecting on God’s action in that history. As the participants were going through each big chunk of time periods chronologically, the first European missionary to Japan, Xavier’s name came up in the 16th century. One participant, Rev. Kida from Fukushima city, said that the name of Fukushima came in the late 16th century. Midori looked at me in the audience and spoke to the group about our previous conversation around the name. After the session was over, I had Midori and Rev. Kida speak about the subject again and we captured that in the video file! (this technology thing is all part of the experiment I am doing with my visit here.)

The Meaning of Fukushima




Midori: Reverend Kida, What’s the reason for which you started researching the meaning of Fukushima?

Kida: I found that there were quite a few martyrs around Inawashiro Lake [near Fukushima city in the early 17 century, not far from where we are having the conference]. Before the martyrdom, more than 80% of people became Christian in that village. Because of this connection, I also discovered more about the history of Inawashiro, the city next to Fukushima city. I imagined that there might be a similar story in Fukushima that we didn’t know before but may need some searching.

Midori: Could you kindly explain the meaning of Fukushima that you found?

Kida: In the end of 1500s, this area was ruled by a feudal lord named, Yoshikiyo Kimura. He was a very strong, committed Christian and he changed the name of this place to Fukushima. Because he was such a committed Christian, [I assumed] ‘Fuku’ must mean “the Good news,” as in the Good News, the Gospel. So I gathered that Fukushima means the Island of the Good News, or the Land of the Gospel.

Midori: Because Fuku[or fukuin] means Good News in Japanese, the original meaning of Fukushima must mean the Good News. And it became “the Land of Good News!” Thank you!

After the interview, Midori explained to me that Japanese word for the gospel is 'fukuin' (福音; good sound in literal translation, or good news as the meaning of gospel) is often used by a short form, 'fuku' (福) only.

There is still a chance that Rev. Kida may not be able to find all the accurate historical facts to prove the reason behind the name. But we know well enough that there was a Christian leader with a vision for his community nearly 500 years ago and the church in Fukushima stands on the strong faith tradition of Christian leadership and unwavering faith of martyrdom.

The Good News of Jesus Christ still stands firmly on this land. What else do we need to ask for a spiritual source of hope than this good news to rebuild a new destiny of Fukushima?

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Road to Emmaus

Sunday, July 24, 2011 – Yamato, Japan

Two days ago I arrived in Narita airport. The energy saving campaign poster welcomed me before anything else caught my attention as I was walking along with other exhausted passengers deplaning after a long flight across the Pacific. It was still very quiet at the foreign passport section of the immigration lines, but it wasn’t a deadly silence like my last entry on April 11, just one month after the tsunami. The impact of Fukushima Daiichi disaster was so closely felt as I was walking through immigration and customs and finally out of the building to catch a limousine to Yokohama.
I noticed the same campaign poster again as I was walking outside toward the bus stop. I’d come to Narita many times and it had never been quiet like this until a little over four months ago. This nation is not the same any more, and it won’t be the same again. But which direction will Japan turn to from now on?


A big typhoon went by last week before my arrival in Japan and it lifted up all the muggy air, so it was rather cool and breezy by the time I arrived at the hotel in Yamato. Yamato reminds of me the part of Seoul where I grew up. Buildings are not too tall, residential areas are buried in the middle of commercial buildings. The train station outstretches to narrow and curvy streets where taxies, buses and bicycles run all at the same time, and people in trendy fashion styles and kimonos everywhere. It is all blended naturally between young and old, and traditions and modern outlooks, all right in your face. But it does not feel ugly like some modern cities with faces of urban development skyscrapers, wide straight roads filled with shiny sleek vehicles. Here, people seem to be walking more leisurely than hastened for their destinations.


Summer season began with festival, Awaodori, organized by the city council this weekend. Drummers, dancers and children marched with joyful noises as families sat on both sides of the sidewalk and enjoyed their picnic supper. “Special celebration to console the people of the March 11 Great Tohoku Disasters,” this was the reason for the festival and the whole city gathered around narrow streets and intersections.

It was so clear to see how capable Japanese are to create and be a community and do things together in harmony and order. Yet, what continues to puzzle me having worked for many years in Asia (and more so after moving to North America) is this: Christians and churches here or elsewhere in the world struggle to find right expressions for community that will hit home for them. Drawing a hard line between the traditional belief systems and the lordship of Jesus Christ over every area of our lives did not come easily; there have been clouds of witnesses who paid the high price in this part of the world. It started with hard choices each individual had to make by giving up their lives for Christ. We still look for a communal language to grasp that fire and zeal that were here sixty some years ago and centuries prior.

What will take to build a community of Easter hope in the 21st century especially among believers and their neighbours struck by massive disasters in Fukushima? That is the quest I am after as I begin my second journey to Fukushima tomorrow, for nearly two weeks this time. I want Jesus to show up on this road to Emmaus, take me by the hand and speak to me closely through the local church folk I will be meeting in the conference from tomorrow.

Fukushima Future Forum (July 25-28, 2011).

Friends with the Voiceless International (http://www.karashi.net/), my local partner organization in Japan, is gathering twenty some pastors and leaders from several cities and towns in Fukushima who have been fearlessly serving their suffering neighbours. These pastors now want to expand their horizon to work together with other churches beyond their individual congregations and denominations. It is primarily a retreat for them to rest and renew in God’s grace and to envision Fukushima’s future together and be the source of hope to their neighbours.


I will continue my reflections here as much as I can and we invite you to join us in prayers!