March 14, 2011
By Jill and Alan Kropp, serving in Japan
As reports on the devastation in Japan continue to pour in, Alliance workers in the country, including Jill and Alan Kropp, are grateful for the prayers of the Alliance family. The following is an adapted excerpt from an update the Kropps sent on March 13, 2011.
By now you have heard of the 8.9-magnitude earthquake that struck northeast Japan, just off the coast of Sendai, a city of 1 million people. The earthquake lasted five minutes and was the largest ever recorded to rock Japan. It was so intense that we felt the “swaying motion” even in Nagoya, some 450 miles south of the epicenter.
While superior Japanese engineering and construction managed to withstand the earthquake and the aftershocks, the shear volume and force of the tsunami destroyed almost everything in its six-mile path. In northeastern Japan, more than 5 million people are without electricity. A meltdown at one of the nuclear power plants in northeast Japan appears to be imminent. The death toll is rising every few hours. The death toll is now more than 1,000, and we fear that these figures will multiply exponentially in the ensuing days of search and rescue. The scale of destruction is colossal!
As we follow the reports and see the images on the news, we are in shock, disturbed, and dismayed by what has happened. The land of Japan, the place we now call home, and the people whom we love so dearly have experienced unimaginable devastation and loss. As one international colleague said, “I think it is safe to say that Japan will never be the same again!”
Over the last 24 hours, we have appreciated your e-mails and messages via Facebook. We, along with all of our other Alliance colleagues, are safe. We feel encouraged knowing that you are praying for us and for the Japanese people during this disaster.
We ask you to continue praying! Pray for the 126 million people of Japan, of whom less than 1 percent know Jesus. Pray that God will give us wisdom as we seek to be Jesus’ hands—visible instruments of His love and hope during this tragedy. Pray that the Church of Japan will become a united force tangibly showing the love of Jesus—ministering to the whole person.
What you can do:
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For up-to-the minute developments on Japan, check out CNN’s “this just in” blog. Note: Clicking on this link will take you off of the C&MA Web site.