TOKYO — The Southern Baptist relief effort in Japan is moving forward, in spite of uncertainties about the ongoing nuclear crisis in the northeastern part of the country, the executive director of Baptist Global Response announced March 18.
A “second wave” team is following the two-member assessment team that arrived March 12, said Jeff Palmer. Two disaster relief specialists are joining the additional two assessment experts, giving the new, four-member team an opportunity to launch the initial Southern Baptist disaster response.
“This initial response team includes members of the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Network from South Carolina and Alabama,” Palmer said. “They are heading into Tokyo to set up a command center for a unified Southern Baptist disaster relief base.”
Because government restrictions prevent a large-scale overseas volunteer effort, the initial relief projects will be conducted in partnership with Japanese Baptists and other humanitarian groups, Palmer said. The projects will focus on earthquake survivors outside the tsunami zone, where the nuclear crisis is most serious.
“Because so much of the U.S. media coverage is on the nuclear crisis in the tsunami zone, we aren’t seeing how serious the situation is in other areas,” Palmer said. “The area devastated by the earthquake is much larger and the conditions in those areas are very serious. We can do a lot to help people in desperate need because of the earthquake while we wait for the nuclear situation to be resolved.”
The area around Sendai in northeastern Japan has been gravely threatened by a nuclear crisis since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami knocked out cooling systems at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant. Four of the plant’s six reactor units have experienced fires, explosions or partial meltdowns. Emergency responders have been dumping tons of water on the reactors in hopes of preventing a disaster.
Based on the disaster assessment conducted this past week, the initial relief effort will focus on life-essential items: basic food items, water, blankets, hygiene supplies and kitchen utensils, said Pat Melancon, BGR’s disaster management specialist.
“Based on past experience and what we’re seeing on the ground in Japan, things like this will be the greatest help to people who are just trying to survive while the country’s recovery effort gets underway,” Melancon said. “These are the things our on-the-ground partners in Japan are asking for.”
The first round of relief supplies also will include radiation detectors, Melancon added. “We are taking the possibility of radiation exposure very seriously,” he said. “We’re going to be real careful with that part.”
BGR hopes the new team will be able to set up supply channels within a week so Southern Baptist relief supplies can begin moving into the country, said Ben Wolf, who with his wife, Pam, directs BGR work in the Asia Rim.
“We know how anxious our Southern Baptist disaster relief specialists and other volunteers are to come to Japan and help,” Wolf said. “They know people are in desperate need, and they are willing to take whatever risks are necessary to take the love of Jesus to hurting people.
“The reality, however, is that right now we can’t go ourselves, so we will focus on praying and giving so our partners in Japan can get the job done,” Wolf added. “Because of the scale of this disaster, recovery will be a long-term challenge, and we believe there will be plenty of opportunities to go in months to come. For now, donations to Japan relief, especially to the general fund, are the critical need.”
The senior pastor of Tokyo Baptist Church said he has been amazed at the outpouring of concern from around the world.
“I have been overwhelmed with e-mails from people and churches from all over the world who want to help, people we know and people we don’t know, said Dennis Folds. “These are difficult times but it is a time like this that we can make an impact for the greater good, for the Kingdom.”
