ACNS Primate of Japan announces project to support disaster victims

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Primate of Japan announces project to support disaster victims

Posted On : May 26, 2011 11:57 AM | Posted By : Webmaster

ACNS: http://www.aco.org/acns/news.cfm/2011/5/26/ACNS4871

> Related Categories: Japan

The "Let Us Walk Together" Project

NSKK Support for Victims of the Eastern Japan Earthquake
Greeting from the Project Director
The peace of Christ be with you. May 19, 2011
The earthquake which struck the Tohoku and Kanto
regions and most of eastern Japan on the
afternoon of Friday, March 11, 2011 registered a
9.0 magnitude­the strongest earthquake in the
country's history. The resulting enormous tsunami
wrought unprecedented death and destruction up
and down the coast, particularly in the
prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, and
Ibaraki. Current figures show roughly 30,000
people dead or missing. Many have lost family and
friends, homes and savings. Many still have no
choice but to stay in emergency shelters.
Moreover, this cataclysmic event seriously
damaged the Fukushima nuclear plant, resulting in
radioactive pollution which has forced not a few
people to leave the familiar surroundings of their homes.
Immediately after the earthquake, the NSKK
created a disaster response headquarters and
began a nationwide call for contributions to an
emergency relief fund. Also, in cooperation with
a similar response headquarters established by
the Diocese of Tohoku, we began asking churches
throughout Japan for emergency relief and needed
supplies. Supplies were collected at two sites,
the Chubu diocesan center in Nagoya and St.
Andrew's Cathedral in the Diocese of Tokyo. With
the help of various dioceses, collected supplies
were periodically transported to the Tohoku
headquarters. From there, they were distributed
as needed to churches and lay members, related
institutions, and emergency shelters in the disaster-stricken areas.
On April 1, an initial meeting of disaster
response-related representatives from the various
dioceses was held. It was determined that
essential infrastructure and supplies were slowly
being restored to disaster-stricken areas.
Accordingly, we stopped collecting supplies on
April 15, and sent final shipments to the Diocese of Tohoku after that.
At a second meeting on April 12, representatives
agreed that it was time for support efforts to
move to the next stage. Given the enormity of the
destruction involved, the long period of time
that will be needed to restore and rebuild the
region, and the international responsibilities
associated with the damaged nuclear plant, it was
clear that the affected dioceses could not be
asked to shoulder the support burden alone. While
respecting the social context and history of the
devastated regions, participants in the meeting
recognized the need for an organized response
from the NSKK as a whole. Representatives agreed
on a direction going forward: To carry out
support operations drawing on nationwide
cooperation under a new support structure, which
would include deploying staff and volunteers
chosen from throughout Japan to Sendai and other disaster-stricken areas.
At its meeting on April 14, the Executive Council
of the NSKK gave the go-ahead for this direction,
and a steering committee for NSKK-related support
and rebuilding activities was subsequently
formed. The first meeting of the steering
committee was held in Sendai on April 29, in
which various avenues for future activities and
structures were discussed, including the opening of a Sendai office.
The steering committee issued the enclosed
mission statement, 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. We
humbly ask for your understanding and support,
and especially your prayers for the success of this undertaking.
I would also like to share the news that the
Sendai office was formally opened at a Holy
Eucharist held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 6, at Christ Church in Sendai.
In Christ,
The Most Rev. Nathaniel Makoto Uematsu,
Primate of Nippon Sei Ko Kai (NSKK)

Mission Statement for NSKK Support for Victims of the Eastern Japan Earthqu ake
Project Name:
The "Let Us Walk Together" Project
NSKK Support for Victims of the Eastern Japan Earthquake
Guiding Statements:
·         We will walk together in respect for
all who face hardships arising from the Eastern Japan Earthquake.
·         We will walk together toward the
rebuilding of the lives and communities of the victims.
·         We will walk together, encouraged that
our Lord Jesus Christ also walks together with us.

Focus of Activities:

1.    We will carry out activities with attention
to disaster victims facing particular hardship
(elderly, children, those with disabilities,
foreign residents, low-income people, refugees)
2.    We will carry out activities with great
concern for the nuclear accident and its effects,
gathering and distributing information, and
pursuing responsible actions both in Japan and abroad.
3.    We will carry out activities supported by
the prayers and monetary contributions of
Anglican churches throughout Japan and the world.
We will respond to such prayers and support
through our reporting and publicizing of relief
conditions and relief activities.
4.    We will carry out activities from operating
bases located in disaster-stricken areas,
establishing a central support office in Sendai.
We will hire dedicated staff and recruit volunteers.
5.    We will carry out activities in conjunction
with Anglican schools and other institutions, as
well as with brothers and sisters from other church denominations.
6.    We will carry out activities to support
Anglican lay members affected by the earthquake,
and toward the rebuilding of affected churches and facilities.
7.    We will carry out activities in cooperation
with the dioceses affected by the disaster, and
with all NSKK dioceses, as a work of the whole Anglican church in Japan.
Structure and Roles:
1.    NSKK will form "The 'Let Us Walk Together'
Project: NSKK Support for Victims of the Eastern
Japan Earthquake." The project office will be located in Sendai.
2.    A project steering committee will be
formed, and will direct all project operations.
3.    An office head and several staff members
will be hired for this project. They, along with
volunteers, will conduct support activities
through the Sendai office and in other disaster-stricken areas.
4.    This project will conduct public relations,
liaison, and accounting functions with the
cooperation of NSKK Provincial Office staff.
5.    This project will manage funds raised
within the NSKK for the work of supporting
disaster victims, and will be responsible for the use of such funds.
Organization:
The "Let Us Walk Together" Project: NSKK Support
for Victims of the Eastern Japan Earthquake
Director: The Most. Rev. Nathaniel Makoto Uematsu, Primate, NSKK
Manager: The Rev. Jun Nakamura (Diocese of Tokyo,
Provincial Secretary for Mission)
Steering Committee:
·         The Rev. Makito Aizawa (Provincial General Secretary)
·         The Rev. Kei Ikezumi (Diocese of Chubu)
·         The Rev. Nobuya Ohmachi (Diocese of Hokkaido)
·         The Rt. Rev. Hiromichi Kato (Diocese of Tohoku)
·         The Rev. Tazu Sasamori (Diocese of Tokyo)
·         The Rt. Rev. Yutaka Nakamura (Diocese of Kobe)
·         The Rev. Kiyoshi Nomura (Diocese of Chubu)
·         The Rev. Kiyosumi Hasegawa (Diocese of Tohoku)
·         Ms. Keiko Murai (Diocese of Yokohama,
Chair of NSKK Women's Association)
·         + several local staff