Volunteers

Hope you can see Asami in the gathering gloom.

I visited the volunteer house that she runs in Sendai. The church bought the house so that volunteers could be based here and work in the community helping to support the local people as they rebuild their lives. The house was damaged by the tsunami, the water was three metres deep on this housing estate, so there was a big clean up to do first – everything the water touched was covered by a thick, muddy, oily mud and so much was broken, bent or twisted.

Asami is tucking into a local delicacy, dried seaweed – great as a snack but also used in sushi. It’s a local cottage industry and the volunteers are currently helping one small factory get back to production,  so that people can have work, money, employment and hope again.

Volunteers are coming from all over Japan for a week, a month or longer. The church is now organised to receive more volunteers so if you want to think about helping, get in touch with me, they will be working there for years!

Steve

Steve Pearce | Partnership Coordinator Asia and the Pacific | World Church Relationships

Christian Communication, Evangelism & Advocacy Cluster | The Connexional Team

020 7467 5161 (Direct line)

 

The Methodist Church

Methodist Church House, 25 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5JR | 020 7486 5502 [Helpdesk]

www.methodist.org.uk  Registered charity no. 1132208