The financial matter of Tohoku Help General Secretariat has been prayed for by so many people, and we would like to report the latest information with gratitude.

We received a communication from overseas that they would bear one third of budget of the new fiscal year, and that would help us continue our activity after September. We shouldn’t presume so, of course, as there are procedures to be followed. But we take it as the result of our prayers and we’d like to thank for this and report to you all.
Our policy had been almost firmly established up to yesterday. That is how it should be pursued even if General Secretariat cannot be maintained as it is. It is itemized as follows.


1. Mission of Tohoku Help:

Tohoku Help is established as follows according to its rules. “(Purpose) Article 3. It aims that Tohoku Help is to support the suffered churches, and to support the sufferer’s independence through churches.”
We have understood and have been explaining these words as a slogan. “Tohoku Help supports all the suffered churches from disaster-stricken areas, and supports all the sufferers through the churches in the whole world.”
This is exactly what our original purpose is. Now we are in a hard ordeal but it was God’s mercy for us to obtain an opportunity to remember and make sure of this original purpose.


2. Each project which is being carried out. :

The projects which have been set up so far are still continuing. Each project is based on General Secretariat and has its activity in progress, so it will be difficult for the activity to continue if General Secretariat is lost. Fortunately, General Secretariat gained the prospects that it looks positive to maintain its minimal maintenance. However, even if General Secretariat is lost, the aim to continue searching the means in order to carry out the projects as below, was confirmed up to yesterday and was reported at Sendai Confederation of Christian Churches manager Assembly.

(1) The Project on supporting sufferers by foreign citizens
We are proceeding our research activity of any foreign casualties within Ishinomaki city, together with Kwak’s study room in Tohoku Gakuin University at the moment. The survey was successfully carried out and its analysis is currently being made. On this research activity, we received a request for help at this end from 40 people. We will continue our support for these people till November, the end of the fiscal year. We hope to stay close to each person in cooperation with the administration, and to try everything possible and to share joys and sorrows with them.

(2) The project on radiological monitoring for food.
We are currently receiving requests from about 5 people a day for monitoring and are dealing with them as well as their mental health care. Also we sound out the possibility of receiving requests from companies and makers. (In case a certificate is to be issued, we take on the task for 5,000 yen) And the work of the monitoring laboratory is spreading in churches, and “Mothers’ association of tea-drinking” is about to be started up. We are hoping to expand these works steadily.

(3) Short-term project for rest and recreation
The project which was begun together with people of “3.11 Aomori church Network” is moving ahead with short-term recreation for parents and children who are anxious about radioactivity within Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures. 15 pairs of families have already been supported. This work is expanding to a joint project with Christian Liaison of Fukushima Prefecture, Crash Japan, and Japan International Starvation countermeasure organization, with an appeal from United Church Union in Japan, and their further expansion is expected.

(4) “Psychological consultation room” (joint program amongst religions)
The joint activity by various religions of holding memorial services for unidentified people at a mortuary of ashes on 11th of every month is still continuing. The telephone counseling and the listening companionship over tea by Buddhist priests, Shinto priests and pastors working together, are also continuing. We are putting such activities in order, and planning a training session in order to make generalizations furthermore. The plan for the training session is expected to be complete within this month.

(5) The projects for reconstruction of churches and missionary support.
With the budget of 20 million yen, our projects to support church reconstructions for those which were severely damaged are proceeding smoothly. We have decided to visit each church we had supported, pray together for peace and encouragement, and give them interviews, so as to check how our activities are progressing, and put the situation on our home page. Furthermore, we have made a budget of 10 million yen for a project to support activities which are being promoted by each church network and they are proceeding smoothly. The short-term recreation above is one of these projects, and support in cooperation with people of “3.11 Iwate church Network” for the coast of Iwate Prefecture is also progressing. (“Heart Knit Project” is its concrete fruition, which have already been introduced on our website.)

These works are the work of God which was brought forth by everyone’s prayer. We hope to watch this work to the end and to be the one who testifies God’s work.

We appreciate for your support with continuing prayer.

(July 13, 2012, written by Kawakami Naoki)