13 March Japan Update written by Carol Iverson, wife of country director, Dan Iverson - pray!

Mission To The World email | March 13, 2011 | Carol Iverson

[Gamecock]

Dan, Dedachi and Rich Rainsford are leaving in about an hour to head north to a town named Iwaki, just 30 miles south of Fukushima (sight of the nuclear plant). After much prayer and searching for a place to help, they were able to contact a pastor in Iwaki who has asked them to bring water and gasoline. They have rented and loaded a truck with large tanks of water and about 60 liters of gasoline, along with a room-full of supplies like blankets, coats, boots, food. Their plan is to use back roads to enter some of the coastal areas, distribute all that they are able, establish contact with a few more area churches, then head back tomorrow. If they are able to get through, they are planning for three more people to leave tomorrow with another truckload. Our hope is to focus on these particular communities and continue supporting the recovery and rebuilding efforts long-term.

Tonight is a reconnaissance mission of sorts, borne from a meeting of the CRASH emergency response team of JEMA (Japan Evangelical Missionary Association). Several other members are taking trains farther north, renting motorcycles, and hoping to do some recon of the hardest hit areas, then communicate needs back to the team.

Please pray with us. Surely if the LORD has led, He will make a way for the truck and supplies to reach those who need them. We are trusting that the roads will be passable - the pastor has told us that they are, but the Japanese government may not welcome volunteers and have the roads blocked. There is also the imminent danger of a strong (7+) earthquake occurring in the next few days according to seismologists. We continue to experience tremors regularly. There is also the danger of radiation following the release of radioactive steam from the explosion yesterday. Even though the government has said that there is no danger, the levels close to the plant rose to dangerous levels today. We will be having "brown-outs" beginning tomorrow when we will be without electricity for several 4-hour periods.

Worship today was rich and helped us all to focus on our Sovereign, who is our only refuge, strength and ever-present help. He who created the forces of nature dwells with His church and "will help her at the break of day." We look for Him to be exalted in this nation, in these times, and pray that He who is with us would send us out to that end.(Ps 46)

Thank you for praying!

In His strength,

Carol (for Dan and team)

[DarthVader]

Prayers going up for the people of Japan, the rescue, medical workers and the Christians going there to help. May their efforts be blessed and fruitful.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

Just beautiful!!!

I saw a japanese women interviewed today who was in awe that someone had come from another country to help them!
the Holy Spirit will work his miracles here!

May the Lord’s Angels encamp around this truck and Godspeed it on its way safely!

[Gamecock]

Update from yesterday's thread: Update from Dan Iverson, Japan Country Director (Mission to the World)

Please ping your respective ping lists and most importantly, PRAY

[oldsicilian]

Prayers.

[Quix]

Hey doc,

At what radiation levels should we begin taking the potassium iodide?

Is the news you are hearing indicating that the winds will carry sufficient levels of RADS that it’s a wise thing to do in the USA?

Some are planning to begin the 2 weeks regimen tomorrow.

[Gamecock]

A prayer

Father in heaven, you are the absolute Sovereign over the shaking of the earth, the rising of the sea, and the raging of the waves. We tremble at your power and bow before your unsearchable judgments and inscrutable ways. We cover our faces and kiss your omnipotent hand. We fall helpless to the floor in prayer and feel how fragile the very ground is beneath our knees.

O God, we humble ourselves under your holy majesty and repent. In a moment—in the twinkling of an eye—we too could be swept away. We are not more deserving of firm ground than our fellowmen in Japan. We too are flesh. We have bodies and homes and cars and family and precious places. We know that if we were treated according to our sins, who could stand? All of it would be gone in a moment. So in this dark hour we turn against our sins, not against you.

And we cry for mercy for Japan. Mercy, Father. Not for what they or we deserve. But mercy.

Have you not encouraged us in this? Have we not heard a hundred times in your Word the riches of your kindness, forbearance, and patience? Do you not a thousand times withhold your judgments, leading your rebellious world toward repentance? Yes, Lord. For your ways are not our ways, and your thoughts are not our thoughts.

Grant, O God, that the wicked will forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Grant us, your sinful creatures, to return to you, that you may have compassion. For surely you will abundantly pardon. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus, your beloved Son, will be saved.

May every heart-breaking loss—millions upon millions of losses—be healed by the wounded hands of the risen Christ. You are not unacquainted with your creatures’ pain. You did not spare your own Son, but gave him up for us all.

In Jesus you tasted loss. In Jesus you shared the overwhelming flood of our sorrows and suffering. In Jesus you are a sympathetic Priest in the midst of our pain.

Deal tenderly now, Father, with this fragile people. Woo them. Win them. Save them.

And may the floods they so much dread make blessings break upon their head.

O let them not judge you with feeble sense, but trust you for your grace. And so behind this providence, soon find a smiling face.

In Jesus’ merciful name, Amen.

Lifted from Justin Taylor, Between Two Worlds.

[mom4melody]

Prayers here.

May the spirit of Christ shine in all the dark places.

[Gamecock]

I think that it may be premature to worry about taking it yet; gut feeling is it will be dispersed by the time it reaches our shores (even Alaska and Hawaii)

Exposures greater than 5 centi-Gray units (cGy):
Birth through 1 mo. - 16 mg.
1 mo. through 3 yrs. - 32 mg.
3 yrs through 18 yrs. - 65 mg. (Adolescents>150 pounds should take adult dose.)

Exposures greater than 10 cGy:
18 yrs through 40 yrs. - 130 mg

Exposures greater than 500 cGy:
Adults over 40 yrs - 130 mg.

Potassium iodide prevents the thyroid from uptaking radioactive iodine. It is not a general radioprotective agent.

[Quix]

thanks tons.

Please read the post # 720 here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2687394/posts?page=720#720

And let me know if you change your mind!

[justa-hairyape]

Looks like they will be needing some heavy cranes also.

[presently no screen name]

720 was deleted.

[tutstar]

ty for the ping

[Calm_Cool_and_Elected]

An OPC friend said there are two church planters and their families in the Sendai region who have not been located.

[Quix]

Hmmmmmmmm

must have been the website . . . It may be one disliked here. I don’t keep all those straight.

Sigh.

[Quix]

This ATS thread may have similar or related info:

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread673393/pg1

[presently no screen name]

That’s what was deleted?

[dixiechick2000]

Borrowing WKB’s Baptist Ping list, so.......

Baptist ping!

Thank you so much for the update!

[lupie]

I will be praying for them.

[AppyPappy]

I hate to sound stupid but what is a “country director”?