In a news release from the ELCA, the president of the Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church (JELC), Rev. Sumiyuki Watanabe, shared thanks for the ELCA, Lutherans worldwide, their prayers and support in this time of need in Japan. Speaking from the Lutheran World Federation-sponsored meeting he was attending in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, he stated, “Those in attendance at this meeting have remembered us in their prayers, and I feel great joy for the Lutheran family. Please continue to remember and pray for us.”

As reports have come in over the weekend it has been learned through the Rev. Hiroaki Fujii, pastor of Sendai Lutheran Church, that his family and all of the children of the congregation’s preschool program are safe, though some of the teachers have not been heard from. Sendai, a city of more than 1 million people was near the epicenter of the earthquake and was one of the hardest hit regions by the tsunami. Contact in the region has been spotty as cell phones continue not to work and gasoline has been scare. The greatest need expressed was for food and water.

To learn more read the full ELCA News Release.

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Our thoughts and prayers remain with Japan’s communities impacted by today’s earthquake, one of the largest in history.  As we continue to monitor the situation, the ELCA has been in contact with companions throughout the region threatened by the earthquake’s ripple effect sending tsunami waves throughout the Pacific region.

Reports from ELCA Global Mission personnel located in Latin America state that precautionary measures were taken to evacuate most coastal communities.  Anxiety in the region decreased after initial reports from Hawaii indicated the impact would be less than originally anticipated.

Chile continues to wait for the last tail end of the tsunami to come to shore sometime late tonight.  According to ELCA companion EPES in Chile, since early this morning families were informed about the situation in Japan.  In coastal areas, schools were suspended so that families could take precautionary measures.  In Penco, families of two camps that EPES continues to work with after the devastating 2010 earthquake have moved to elevated areas or are awaiting further instruction from government authorities.  Local news services report some 80,000 to 130,000 Chileans are part of the country’s evacuation measures.

The video below from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) illustrates the earthquake’s ripple effect through the Pacific region.

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Just before 2:45pm local time in Japan (early morning in the US) one of the largest earthquake ever to hit Japan, with a magnitude of 8.9, struck around the town of Sendai causing massive damage and creating a tsunami with waves up to 30 feet. As of this morning the situation is being assessed by ELCA with its companion on the ground, the Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church (JELC). In looking at the situation Pastor Eric Anspach-Hansen of Tokyo Lutheran stated, “Hopefully our church [the ELCA] will be able to get involved in the relief work in the coming months.” Through its predecessor bodies the ELCA has had a relationship extending back to 1892 with the local Lutheran community in Japan. As more is learned about the impact of this disaster, we will continue to build on this long-standing relationship.

As of date it has been learned that the 22 ELCA Missionaries (and 3 dependents), sent by ELCA Global Mission, working in the area are all safe and accounted for. We are still awaiting reports on how the local JELC churches have been affected, particularly in and around the area of Sendai. As the news was reported at a Lutheran World Federation leadership conference in Malaysia, attended by leadership of the JELC and ELCA, a representative from the Australian Evangelical Lutheran Church, which has recently been dealing with massive flooding and an earthquake in New Zealand, stated that of all the outpouring of help from the international community “prayer was the most important gift.” This sentiment was echoed by ELCA Missionary in Japan, Ally Streed, “Please keep the people of Japan (and just Japan in general) in your thoughts and prayers. This is the biggest earthquake they’ve seen since the Kobe earthquake of 1995.”

As we await more information and determine how best to respond please share the gift of prayer, for those who have lost their lives, those that deal with the devastation left behind and those who come to their aid. May God grant strength and peace where they can be found.

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ACT Alliance photo credit: www.flickr.com/photos/geoftheref

The above title is based on a report by Linda Macqueen of the Lutheran Church of Australia’s Lutheran magazine on the aftermath of a 6.3 magnitude earthquake that struck Christchurch, New Zealand. It is in reference to the congregation of St. Paul’s Lutheran in Christchurch, who will be meeting for worship Sunday outside of their building which has been declared unsafe to enter. They are hoped to be joined in prayer by Lutherans and other Christians throughout the world as the Lutheran Church of New Zealand’s president, Rev. Robert Erickson, calls for this Sunday to be a day of prayer for those affected and those working for on their behalf.

Though this title is in reference to a single, and powerful, act of worship at St. Pauls, it can aptly describe the role of the church overall. As reports slowly roll out because of lack of electricity and communication they are filled with pieces about how people are serving the neighbor and being served by the neighbor in their time of need. I have read about Australian doctors, in Christchurch for a convention, who are without shelter or water but are still finding ways to serve, of Church World Services finding ways to stay in communication and continue to serve the population even though they do not have access to their downtown offices, of pastor David Lipsys who was on the Northern island of New Zealand at the time of the quake and is trying to find a way back to be with his wife and congregation in their time of need, and so on.

Part of what is so amazing is that this area is still recovering from the aftermath of an earthquake that struck earlier in September of last year. Through it all they have continued to be strong and even to increase their support of brothers and sisters around the world in places like Haiti, Chile and Pakistan who have also been struck by natural disasters.  So hopefully this Sunday you will be able to say a prayer for the people of Christchurch and the surrounding area as they continue to find ways of living into and through God’s grace amidst tragedy. For though the building crumbles, the church still stands.

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Map of Mentawai Islands

It’s been almost four months since a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake producing a tsunami with 9 foot high waves hit the Mentawai Islands of Indonesia causing over 500 casualties and leaving over 11,000 homeless. Since that time reconstruction and aid has been consistent but slow on account of the difficulty actually getting there (only one weekly boat trip from Sumatra to the islands) and the lack of working communications once there (limited phone lines, spotty cell phone reception and rolling brown outs). The ELCA, through the ACT Alliance, has helped to support the ongoing response of its partners on the ground.

What I was really excited to see when reading the ACT Alliance update on the situation was that along side the much needed aid of mobile clinics, home reconstruction and sanitation, one of the partners (Yakkum Emergency Unit (YEU)) had also built a football (soccer) field. The field now gets daily use and YEU has reported that they see happier faces than prior to the the field being built.

Why this excited me was seeing the recognition of life as more than subsistence alone. In the call to serve the neighbor, I believe Christ means not only to their physical needs but also their spiritual well being. What a gift to bring the gift of a smile to a player or fan and the joy of a hard played game as well as the comfort of a warm meal, a solid roof over one’s head and the caring hand of a medical professional in one’s illness. It is amazing to see all the ways that Christ continues to work.

So as you continue to pray for those affected by this natural disaster and those who are dedicating themselves to meeting their needs, add a few prayers that the weather may be fair, the soccer balls ample and the shots true.

No one has been able to say specifically why * on February 4th fighting broke out at the disputed Preah Vihear between Thai and Cambodian military forces, but the outcome has been a handful of deaths and injuries on both sides and 1500+ families fleeing from their homes. In response to this displacement the ELCA, and partner organizations, have given financial support to Life With Dignity (LWD), our local partner on the ground. The funds will be used set up a camp to provide stable conditions for temporary housing, clean water, sanitation and food.

The hope is that the fighting will not escalate further and thankfully there has been a ceasefire in effect since February 8th. At the moment the goal is to help people momentarily displaced while they wait to return home. Please join us in praying for the people of the region that they may find peace in this period of uncertainty and that the two sides may find a peaceful and agreeable solution.

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* Though the reason for the recent outbreak of violence is not know the general reason for tensions stem from the Preah Vihear temple sitting on a disputed stretch of border between Cambodia and Thailand. The dispute has gone on since France withdrew from Cambodia in 1953, was heightened in 1962 when the International Court of Justice ruled the temple to be on the Cambodian side of the border and peaked in 2008 when UNESCO accepted Cambodia’s bid to list the temple as a World Historical Site, a move Thailand disagrees with.