3/15 Thurs: Ishinomaki

The saga of Gilbert's ministry in Ishinomaki is about to take a quantum leap forward, and we got to see some of the major reasons why:

• the two houses that are opening up for them are a remarkable provision;

• the location for the Ishinomaki community center outreach perfect;

• a potential staff member seems interested in joining their team.

We spent the day doing some people ministry with them and seeing the various component that comprise their outreach world. 

This morning after bkfst, we drove the local roads through Matsushima out to Ishinomaki. One of the effects of the earthquake out here was an elevation drop of 2 - 4 feet, causing frequent tidal flooding. Also long stretches of the railroad have been mangled or even washed away in places; it'll be years before the trains are running through here again. 

What remains of a local train station near Higashi Matsushima

We stopped for coffee and Gilbert's explained their current network of connections and how their strategy of cooperation is starting to gel.  It's quite amazing to see the scope of the foundation they've been able to establish during the past 10 months here. 

Gilberts diagraming their network of relationships and outreach connections

 About 11 AM we went to one of the 20+ temporary housing sites in Ishinomaki to visit with displaced survivors over lunch. Our entree there was with a group of volunteers from a large EFree church in Sendai who come out weekly to provide lunch and conversation. This time, as a special treat, a tea ceremony expert came with them and performed the tea ceremony.  Amazingly, we visiting foreigners were invited to sit in and experience it.  It was a smaller group of survivors this time; but the ones who came seemed to enjoy the chance to do the tea ceremony - two of them said it was their first time! - and to enjoy lunch and chat together.  This all is so seemingly mundane, but in the process of restoring your life after a terrible disaster forces you to rebuild your entire life, it's a significant element.

Chatting over lunch at the temporary housing site

Sylvia gets included in the tea ceremony

Ralph and Mark trying to not make fools out of ourselves

When we finished there, Gilberts took us to see the two houses.  The first one is older, and in spite of being quite close to the water, didn't have any damage.  But the house is in dis-repair and has a very weird history: years ago the owner passed away, and his nephew lived there until he vanished 10 years ago and nobody has lived there ever since then.  Inside it looks like the guy simply got up one day, made breakfast, left the house to get the paper and decided never to return.  Once the place is cleaned up, it'll be a super functional house for interns and visiting teams: 3 or 4 bedrooms, a large downstairs room, and decent sized kitchen/laundry/bathroom sections.  The Gilberts know the deceased owner's sister, who said if they want to clean it up, they can use it free of charge.  Amazing provision.

At the older house: Andy talking to the neighbor

The next house is where Gilberts will live.  It's in a perfect location and very centralized for their work.  It's only 3 years old, so it has some amazing, "like-new" features and custom design elements.  But the first floor got entirely blown out by the tsunami.  The owners are one of the connections the Gilberts have made, but have decided to move to Osaka, and are willing to rent at a very reasonable rate.  We we got there, a team from Samaritan's Purse was hard at work.  A previous team had removed the wall board and flooring, and cleaned out all the toxic mud from the crawl space, and sprayed bleach/cleaner on everything up to the water line - which in this house was just above the ceiling of the first floor . This team was installing insulation and replacing the flooring, and will soon start completing the walls and ceiling.  SP rebuilds to the point of livability, including replacing windows and doors for security, but then the occupants need to finish off with interior design work such as paint and wallpaper, lighting fixtures, etc.  So the Gilberts have a month of work in front of them, but will likely be able to move sometime in April or early May.  Another amazing provision.

At Gilbert's "new" house: note all the first floor damage

With the Samaritan's Purse team inside on the first floor

We headed across the city, stopping en route to visit a couple other cooperating outreach groups.  Then just 100 meters on the north side of the train station is the future site of the community center outreach facility.  Currently, it's an old, one story house that was remodeled years ago into a little church.  The church that meets there now will continue to use some of the space, but have joined in a cooperative agreement with 3 other outreach groups, included the EFree missionary group that Gilberts are part of, to replace the building with a three story community center.  I haven't seen any diagrams yet, but you can see the eagerness and delight in Andy and Lorna's eyes as the talk about it, and envision the huge potential a place like this will have to help the community and build friendships and grow the church.

At the community center site; train station in the background

In the late afternoon, we dropped off the Gilberts to have a meeting with a potential staff member.  After we went to the Aeon mall for coffee and a bit of grocery shopping, we came back and found the 3 of them still deep in conversation.  They kept talking for another hour - which indicates a lot of mutual interest.  This guy is really sharp, speaks fluent Japanese and English, and has been working with ministry groups around here, so is well connected in Ishinomaki.  If he is able to join the team, he'd be another amazing provision.

We grabbed supper at the mall, and headed home.  It was a long day, but thinking it through, it seems like a rather momentous day.  3/11 was a pivotal day of somberness and grief, but today was a pivotal day of excitement and joy.  Wow.