Warrick visits the devastation of the Japan earthquake and tsunami.

General Superintendent J. K. Warrick was a guest of Nazarene Compassionate Ministries (NCM) last week in Japan to meet with Nazarene leaders and disaster relief volunteers and to survey much of the destruction left by the March 11 earthquake and subsequent tsunami.

Arriving in Tokyo on Monday, Warrick was met by Verne Ward, Asia-Pacific regional director, and Masahiko "Marty" Egashira, an NCM Committee member in Japan. The group was later joined by pastors Takayuki Kajiwara and Atsushi Kume before traveling nearly eight hours by train to Sendai to view earthquake and tsunami damage. Their travel was delayed as a small earthquake occurred somewhere along the train line, temporarily halting all travel.

The next day the group drove north out of Sendai to Ishinomaki City, one of the hardest hit of the coastal communities.  

"Upon reaching the city I was struck by the magnitude of the tsunami," said Warrick, who was in Haiti during its January 2010 earthquake. "There are places along the coast where Tokyo professors estimate that the waves were 137 feet high. One small community is just gone—literally swept off the face of the earth by the impact of the wave."

Since their time was limited to one full day, it was not possible to visit the most devastated areas, but Warrick said if what he saw was any indication, "it was horrific."

"Mile after mile of debris piled on other debris; it reminded me of what Jess (General Superintendent Jesse C. Middendorf) and I saw immediately after Hurricane Katrina along the (U.S.) Gulf Coast. Large boats inland alongside homes; bridges uncrossable; people wandering in their neighborhoods looking for pieces of their lives; children's toys scattered among the destruction ...

"I knew in my heart that there was a story behind every destroyed automobile, kitchen utensil, stuffed animal, unopened mail, photo album, and every person sifting through the rubble."   

The group stopped in the small fishing village of Nagamachi, where a coalition of evangelical pastors is partnering to restore some homes. Most of the homes here were destroyed, Warrick said, and a whole section of the village was completely swept away.

They met with several of the relief workers, the Nazarene church's lead pastor, and two of the homeowners.

One man they met survived the tsunami with his family on the second floor of their home. He literally pulled his father out of the water when the tsunami hit, Warrick said.
 
Another, a lady who owned a salon, showed them inside her former place of business.  The water line was just below the ceiling, meaning the water was around 20-25 feet deep in this particular place. She told them after the water receded it came back in the next day.  She and family members were isolated on the second floor of their home nearby during the disaster.  She said she and her husband were trying to figure out why they had survived. Her husband said there must be "a reason."

"They are seeking answers to one of the fundamental questions of life, and the churches in the area are coming close to help and to bear witness to God's love for this family," Warrick said. "Several times along the way we stopped to pray that God would open their eyes that they might see Him at this time."

The group returned to Sendai and visited the Nazarene church in the city, a beautiful building recently constructed in honor of the denomination's 100 years in Japan.  

"The pastor, Shoei Abe, is a young man with a great desire to serve his people," Warrick said. "While there are only 12 or so in the congregation, (Abe) is partnering with other evangelical pastors to take advantage of the economy of scale when possible."

They also met with the Samaritan's Purse national director and the YWCA.  
 
As his visit to Sendai came to a close, Warrick reflected on the day. "I am reminded, as I have already said, of Hurricane Katrina and the earthquake in Haiti. I was deeply moved when I heard of the earthquake and thought that Jerry (General Superintendent Jerry D. Porter) and Verne (Asia-Pacific Regional Director Verne Ward) might have been in Japan at the time. I began to send E-mails to find out where they were and was greatly relieved to learn that they had moved on in their work.  These kinds of feelings are things one never forgets.  

"The Scripture in Matthew 9:35-36 comes to mind, and I felt I understood better how Jesus felt when he looked at the people and saw them as 'harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.' The Bible says that He 'had compassion on them,' which means that He felt what He was seeing.  Some scholars suggest that he was literally sick within."

Following this emotional day the group returned to Tokyo and visited with Japan District Superintendent Manabu Ishida at the Church of the Nazarene's District Center.  Warrick said there is some debate whether the building will have to be torn down or will undergo significant repairs due to earthquake damage.

Warrick was pleased to meet Ishida and hear his thoughts on the progress of the church's work in Japan. They also met with the pastor of the local church where the district center is located.  There was some structural damage to the church building, but engineers have not yet determined the extent of the damage.

Warrick and the group talked with Ishida and the pastor about how Nazarene Compassionate Ministry funds and possibly Alabaster funds would be available for repairs, rebuilding, and reaching the people who have suffered such great losses.

The meetings helped reconnect the church in Japan to the global Nazarene family, Ward said. Warrick called the trip "important" for the global church's relationship to the church in Japan and its continued development. In addition, Japan Nazarenes continue to build relationships with members of their respective communities in order to share their faith, he said.

Before the group left for their homes, they visited families affected by the disaster and relief workers, delivering cartons of cookies, which were donated by the owner of the company that made the cookies.

Prayer is requested for God's guidance for the Japan church and His comfort for the people putting their lives back together.

--NCN News