My heart is so heavy for the people of Japan. I do not watch/listen/read the news in the mornings, usually, but I did learn this morning of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and can hardly comprehend it. Some of you may not know that I lived and worked in Japan for 2.5 years, a long time ago (pre-marriage). I absolutely fell in love with the country and the people. Most of my friends are located southwest of Sendai and Tokyo, so I am fairly confident of their safety. But I have some missionary friends who live in or near Sendai who I am praying for. And though I did not know most of those affected personally, my heart is heavy for all of them.
Japanese people are very connected to one another, in ways that Americans find hard to fully comprehend. They have a strong national identity, and very deep ties to their own history and ancestry. When one part of the country suffers, truly they all do.
When I have time, I'll dig out some old photos of my time in Japan, scan, and post them. It was a wonderful chapter in my life!
Please, please keep the Japanese people in your prayers.
I am so burdened by what is going on in Japan, too. We were on vacation in Japan and left less than 48 hours before the big earthquake/tsunami. And, in our short visit (about 5 days), I fell in love with Japan and the people of Japan. With your having lived there for several years, I can hardly imagine how you came to care for the people. I'm praying multiple times every day!
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