Dispatch: Missionaries Plan Outreach To Refuge Sites In Japan

25 March 2011

Light traffic occupies the road in Morioka, the capital city of Iwate prefecture. A team of missionaries, including representatives from Wakaba Bible Baptist Church, are heading to Iwate next week to assistance humanitarian efforts there after this month's earthquake and tsunami.

                                                                                                                                    Photo By Monoooki

By James A. Smith
Dispatch From Japan

SAKADO, Japan — Wakaba Bible Baptist Church is partnering with other ministries in Saitama prefecture for a humanitarian mission we hope will bring at least a measure of comfort to some of the most stressed areas of the country. The two-week mission, which is scheduled to begin no later than April 1, targets Iwate prefecture, home to thousands of refugees following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami whose epicenter was about 100 miles south.

HOW TO HELP

Baptist Bible Fellowship International has set up a relief fund. Send donations to: Japan Tsunami Relief, c/o BBFI Missions Office, P.O. Box 802757, Kansas City, Mo. 64180-2757. Questions about the fund are being fielded by the BBFI Missions Office at 417-862-5001.

During the trip, we hope to assist areas that have, so far, not been reached by humanitarian aid organizations. Refugees in our target areas have reportedly endured shortages of water, food and other necessities. According to one Christian organization conducting relief operations in Japan, one of its teams recently entered a town that had gone nine days without receiving aid. The organization has, since, sought to meet that community's needs.

We expect to encounter similar circumstances as we head north toward Iwate. Although supplies are available where we're going, we'll be using donated money to purchase the supplies. Anyone interested in supporting our work can do so through Bible Baptist Fellowship International.

About $8,000 has already been donated, and we are very appreciative of the support. Every penny donated goes directly to purchasing supplies and getting the to people in need.

James A. Smith is a missionary pastor to Japan with Baptist Bible Fellowship International.