JAPAN: Anglican church announces project to support disaster victims
Episcopal News Service. May 31, 2011 [053111-06]
ENS staff
The Nippon Sei Ko Kai (Anglican Communion in Japan) has launched its "Let Us Walk Together" project in support of the victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that wrought destruction along Japan's east coast and left about 30,000 people dead or missing.
The magnitude-9 earthquake, the strongest to hit the country, seriously damaged the Fukushima nuclear plant, resulting in radioactive pollution that has forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes.
The NSKK steering committee, which met in late April, recently issued a mission statement announcing the project that commits to rebuilding the lives and communities of the disaster victims, in particular the elderly, children, those with disabilities, foreign residents, low-income people, and refugees.
"Many have lost family and friends, homes and savings. Many still have no choice but to stay in emergency shelters," said the Most Rev. Nathaniel Makoto Uematsu, NSKK primate, in a recent statement.
"The steering committee ... [is] calling for help in supporting the victims of the disaster not only from the various churches and related groups of the NSKK, but also in cooperation with other church denominations and overseas churches as well," said Uematsu. "We humbly ask for your understanding and support, and especially your prayers for the success of this undertaking."
The "Let Us Walk Together" project will be based in Sendai, where an NSKK office for disaster response was opened on May 6.
In addition to conducting support activities through the Sendai office and in other disaster-stricken areas, this project will conduct public relations, liaison, and accounting functions with the cooperation of NSKK provincial office staff, an NSKK release said.
"We will carry out activities supported by the prayers and monetary contributions of Anglican churches throughout Japan and the world," the release said. "We will respond to such prayers and support through our reporting and publicizing of relief conditions and relief activities."