3rd Letter on the Disaster from Japan + Links

Dear friends,

Trucks continue to roll out of our church loaded with food, water, fuel, and other supplies being rushed to the disaster-stricken areas in northern Japan. So far we have been able to send about 10 tons of supplies, and we have other trucks lined up. Our fellow MTW missionaries in Chiba and Tokyo and their related churches have continued to send tons and tons of supplies as well. You can view pictures from one of the recent trips from our church by clicking here. Be sure to see the pictures later in the series. These are taken on a trip to Sendai, when our partnering church there asked our group to take supplies to a local school serving as an evacuation shelter. Before that they had only received supplies for 70 people, but they had over 500 there. They had no heat in the cold weather there. The ones in charge of the shelter said, "Is that really okay to just take these things for free?" What a privilege to be the hands and feet of Christ in this time of devastation for so many. On another trip very near the border of the evacuation area near the nuclear power plant, our crew was able to take supplies to a nursing home that had not yet received any supplies in over a week, because they are not an evacuation shelter. The churches in the areas to which we're going are taking the supplies that we carry and distributing them to the people in great need in the area. Our latest trip was to Ishinomaki, one of the towns that was wiped out by the tsunami.

Tomorrow we will send two trucks and a van (along with a nearby partnering group), with 5 tons of supplies and 10 volunteers. Tom will be driving again, and they will stay a couple of days to help out in the area. They will serve in a number of ways, including deliveries and clean-up. Along with the physical needs, there is obviously an excruciating need for emotional/spiritual care. The church there is asking for help on that front as well, and we are hoping and praying to be able to provide help in that way. Some of the team members this time will focus on talking/counseling with people one-on-one, including three women who will make the trip this time. (Amy Newsome is one of them, for those of you who know her.) There was even some talk of the possibility of Tom singing and playing the piano for the people there. You know how healing and comforting music can be. Another similar trip is lined up for shortly after they return.

We want to send you a couple of great links to see more updates on the relief efforts here by MTW missionaries in Japan, along with some pictures and videos:

* Wayne and Amy Newsome--our team leader/church pastor and his family: http://newsomesinjapan.blogspot.com/

* Roger and Abi Lowther--MTW music missionaries in Tokyo: http://rogerlowther.blogspot.com/

(Sorry, but we don't have a blog ourselves at this point; maybe we need to look into getting one going soon.)

This week I read the story of Jesus feeding the 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fishes to Ian and Liana, after watching together a short video of taking relief to the devastated regions (you can see people lined up to get the water, etc...... at http://vimeo.com/21221181). Ian (our 5-year-old) said, "Mom, can I give all my money to send stuff to those people?" I said, "Yes, honey, you sure can! That would be a great thing to do and this is a great time to do that." So he eagerly went and poured out the contents of his piggy bank, wallet, and "generosity fund" and put it all in an envelope. He said, "Maybe God will make this like that fish and bread the little boy gave." It surely warmed our hearts, and we praise God that tomorrow his $33.34 worth of food and other supplies will be on the truck his daddy will be driving, trusting God to bless and multiply grace to those who receive it. He's also been rounding up manga Bibles and candy from his "stash" to take. It's wonderful to see God using this to work grace and compassion in our children's hearts too. What a blessing.

Thank you so much to so many of you who have GIVEN SO GENEROUSLY to help in this time of crisis, as well as giving financial support to allow us to be here in the first place. We are regularly sending people out to buy food, water, fuel, etc., to be put on the trucks along with all that is being donated here. We trust God will use all of our 'loaves and fishes' to feed the multitudes here--not only physically but spiritually and for all eternity.

So much else is happening, and it is hard to report it all in the midst of everything. A couple of notes:

* The LORD helped us finish recording the gospel rehearsal cd that we will be sending this week to hundreds of families all over Japan in the gospel choir network we're part of (Hallelujah Gospel Family). We included a "bonus track" of (Tom's arrangement of) Amazing Grace in Japanese and English, including an interlude with several scriptures being read. We pray God will use this cd profoundly in people's hearts during this time when so many are hurting and so many more are gripped with fear (and as we hear that thousands of people listen to these cd's over and over and over...) One of our choir members told us that her two children go to sleep listening to our rehearsal cd's every night. Hear Amazing Grace by clicking here. (The scriptures you'll hear in Japanese are Psalm 46:1-3, Isaiah 41:13, John 3:16, Isaiah 43:4, & Hebrews 13:5b-6a.)

* My sister Delaine is planning to come in a couple of days on a one-week trip to help out with relief efforts. Yea! We get to see her! I (Teresa) am checking into trying to spend a couple of days volunteering along with her and her group (after Tom returns).

* Great conversations are happening about the gospel. One of our choir members said the other day, "What is God?!!" We are continuing to seek God for wisdom and boldness to take these opportunities to proclaim the only true safe place, the LORD our God. We are planning some talks, particularly with Bruce and Susan Young, veteran missionaries to Japan, being back in town for a couple of months.

We pray God will continue to help us "lift high the cross," our only true lasting and salvation as we seek to bring comfort and help to those reeling from disaster and hope to those gripped with fear. God have mercy on the people of Japan.

God bless you. With love in Christ, our true and lasting comfort who enables us to comfort others,

Tom, Teresa, Ian & Liana Wilson

MTW Missionaries to Japan

"...whoever sows generously will also reap generously.....Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God."

-- 2 Corinthians 9:6, 10-12

Tom, Teresa, and Ian Wilson • 2-9-15 Mitake, Togocho, Aichi-gun, Aichi-ken, 470-0156 Japan • tomteresawilson@gmail.com

Tax-Deductible Donations: Payable to Mission to the World • PO Box 116284, Atlanta, GA 30368-6284

(Account # 018228)

For disaster relief donations:

The account is 93993 Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. You may give online: click here . Or you may send a check to:

Mission to the World
P.O. Box 116284
Atlanta, GA 30368-6284
(Please be sure to write Project # 93993 on the memo line. )