Japan Update 7

Here is today's update. It was a good day, but it was hot and we are tired. We lost our translator Matsumi today which made communication much more difficult. Rob and I had grown close to her in the last few days and will miss her. Below are pictures, she is very short!

Japan Update 6, A Grandmothers Story

Our Crew in Ogatsu

A Bus on the 3rd story in Ogatsu, this bus was on CNN

We travelled to Ogatsu, about an hour and a half from Ishinomaki 2 days ago. This is one small part of the very large town. Most of the buildings in this town were completely destroyed or moved off their foundation and pulled back into the ocean. Many people had time to evacuate in this town, unlike Ishinomaki where 6,000 perished. There was a school here where 135 students were killed. Very sad to see.

Yesterday we shot a video of an elderly woman telling her story of the Tsunami coming in, she survived by escaping to the second story of her neighbors house. Many who tried the same thing perished.

Japan Update 4-5, 1st day working

Our first work project in Ishinomaki, this was half a days work. We signed up with a government work crew and are staying at a college in a small tent city.

On our way back to our camp from working on the house. Here are some views of the devastation we are seeing. Its far worse in person. 

Japan Update 3

In Tokyo waiting for the bus to Sendai.

Pre-Japan Video 2

In Seattle, waiting to board the plane to Tokyo

Pre-Japan Video Blog

Encouraged and Amazed

As my last post showed, God provided for this trip in the last hour. I have marveled in the way He made this happen. All the funds I need to make the trip are in place (or have been promised) and I thank all of you who have sacrificed so much to make it happen. It is hard for me to admit, but I remember thinking early on that raising $2,000 would be a fairly easy task. I am now coming to understand how arrogant that thought really was. The money raised for work I have done in the past and the money raised for this trip are a witness to the work God is doing in my life and in the world. I know if the money for this trip would have come easily I would have taken more credit than was due, and I would have taken for granted the work that is being prepared for us on the ground in Japan. Because I have seen God work so clearly in the fundraising of this trip, I am prepared to see God work great miracles on the ground Japan. I believe God brought the money to me this way in order to open my eyes to what I believe he will do next. I know God is preparing the people in Japan, as he has prepared me. I look forward to meeting the people we will serve and the people we will serve beside. I am praying that God will prepare their hearts as he has prepared mine.

In the meeting Rob and I had with Tom earlier in the week he informed us of the work he will be doing. It looks like we will partner with organizations mobilized on the ground in Ishinomaki (outside Sendai) to assist in the work to clear debris and provide relief. We will also visit one of the displaced cities where more than 40,000 people are waiting to restart their lives. We hope to bring encouragement and support to these people while we are there. Rob and I have our tickets and will leave Monday morning the 30th from Spokane, WA. We will be in Tokyo until June 9th, when we fly back home. Keep an eye out for updates on this blog, we will post video updates as we have internet.

One Love
Derek Murphy

P.S. I had the opportunity to preach again at Real Life last week. The sermon hits at the heart of Christianity, the Resurrection of Christ. In the sermon I take a look to see if it is reasonable to believe in Resurrection of Christ. Here is the link to the podcast.