In church on Sunday during the prayers, the pastor in the church I was at lifted up countries that were recovering from earthquakes. He mentioned Haiti, Chili, Indonesia, and Japan. That caught my interest...he had included Japan in the group he was asking God to send workers and financial support to as they recovered. After the service, another man approached me and mentioned that a 6.6 magnitude earthquake had hit Tokyo. At this point, I'm actually getting a little nervous...could "the" earthquake have hit Tokyo at a point in my life when I am *not* a missionary there?!?! (Yes...I would actually be crushed to be on the other side of the ocean if a major earthquake hit Tokyo...I'm just crazy that way...)
I pulled Joel aside to let him know that I needed a computer. And once I found one, I was reminded why reports of earthquakes in Japan from Americans just shouldn't be taken seriously. The report I found was interviewing an office worker who said, "The office was shaken up, but nothing fell off the shelves." ...yep. Tokyo is not quite in need of prayers for relief.
Thinking about how I would feel if an earthquake hit Tokyo and I wasn't there still made my thoughts spin all day, though.
The weekend with Joel and his family was wonderful. And today was a very good first talk with my potential housemate Jennifer. And in the midst of God calling on this side of the ocean for the time being, and so many people and visions and churches to love over here, I still feel the ache for Japan. That's a good thing, I suppose.
3 comments:
People here in Japan kept posting about earthquakes too...I remember wondering if one was happening at the time, but never could decide if it was an actual earthquake or just a car outside...that's how "big" it was. Hysterical. However, you just keep that ache to be here when it happens. We'll be needing you! :) (FYI, the thought that Japan would somehow "close" while I was outside haunted me the entire time I was back in the States those 10 months. :))
Well if you are so keen on being here for the "big one" I might have to pray that God delays your return a bit... ;-) Not that I don't love you. I just would prefer a little more time before devastation and destruction hits the country I love.
My heart would break too, Amber. But that's why it would be way more painful to be over here. I'm definitely not asking God to hit Tokyo with an earthquake. But if he does, I want to be right in the middle of it, speaking hope and love and calling people back to God's restoration.
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