When I was in Japan two years ago, many Japanese people said to me, "In America, you have 9/11. In Japan, we now have 3/11." This was an impacting statement for me. In many of the ways that the tragedy of September 11th impacted me and all of the emotions it welled up: anger, sorrow, confusion, sadness, fear, hurt--it was similar for the people of Japan when so many lost their lives.
Take a moment to pray for Japan today. Here is a link to a photo article that shows some before an after photos. It's quite amazing to see actually. The industrialist, collectivisitc nature of the Japanese people is evident in these photos. Many areas that were once devastated are so different that if you didn't know about two years ago you may never know it happened.
The fact remainst that it did happen. 15,881 dead, 6,142 injured, 2,668 missing, over 1 million buildings wiped out or partially damaged, a nuclear power plant melt down. Today the Japanese people remain largely effected despite these amazing cosmetic advancements. Political divisions remain: there are regular rallies to protest nuclear power in Japan. Perhaps the last couple of years of rallying under the banner of national pride has played a part to increased tensions with china and North Korea.
Underneath the facade lies a harrowing truth: 99% of the Japanese people don't know Christ. People, prayers, and resources are still needed to rebuild. May the Lord use the new soil for His glory. - Matthew 13
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