Dear Friends

I am one of the members of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Sendai Church.

When this terrible earthquke occured, I was in front of my computer of my office.
I am an associate proffessor of Tohoku Gakuin University.
Tohoku Gakuin University has three campuses.
My office is in the Tagajyo campums.
Tagajyo is one of the coast areas stricken by tsunami.

Tsunami came near Tagajyo railway station.
College chapel was filled with people gotten away from tsunami.
One of my co-worker told me that his house was swept away.
But his family was safe. It's miracle.
Another co-worker told me that he can't contact with his parents.
I'm worring about the people who live in the coast area.
My many students and co-workers must has had the tsunami.
I'm tring to contact with my students.
One of them Abe who lives in Minami Sanriku which had the largest
damage sent me an e-mail.
"I am alive! My house was swept away."
I tried to reply him. "If possible, come to my house".
But e-mail couldn't reach to his address.

Urban area of Sendai and local area around our house is ok.
But as you know, the coast area had terrible damages.
The electric power began working in my house, there are few places
which electric power is available in Sendai yet.
We have to get line to get water and foods.
I got line yesterday to get foods for two hours and I couldn't stand cold.
I called my daughter Maiko by mobile phone to exchange getting line for me.
We are managing to survive.
There are 6 members in my family.
We have parents who need care.
They live near my house.

But I would like to go and see my churh, now we have little rice and little gasoline.
Newspaper delivery was stopped because of the lack of gasoline.
Pastor Fujii let us know that church building is ok.
He has the responsibility of two churches (Sendai church and Tsurugaya church) and three nursery schools.
He is in need for food and gasoline.

We are worrying about the accident of nuclear energy plant too.
But our house is far from nuclear energy plant about 100km(62 miles).
Now there is no need to worry about the bad influence on us.

Despite this, we are fine.
We eat something everyday.
We are laughing everyday.
We are praying to God everyday.

Please pray for us.
Hope God bless you all.

Thank you.


Shinji Nagashima