11 Days Later...

"Remembering God's goodness is a good cure for doubt."

   Well 11 days have passed... We've continue having earthquakes, not aftershocks, but new ones. They just not stop. I've experienced more earthquakes in the past eleven days, then many people in a lifetime! I don't think that makes me an expert though.


   We are still being cautious about the food and electricity.Demand is still higher then suppl, but we have had pretty good meals in the middle of it all. Gas is a bigger issue. It's hard to find a gas station with enough gas to fill big vehicle, and the prices keep going up.

   As you may know, the nuclear plant is not under control yet. Just this past weekend hundreds of citizens from different countries such as US, Mexico, France, Italy, and others have gone back home. CNN news posted this morning:
'' [8:29 p.m. Monday ET, 9:29 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] The U.S. military is considering the mandatory evacuation of thousands of American troops and their families in Japan out of concern over rising radiation levels, a senior defense official said, according to CNN's Chris Lawrence. The official, who did not want to be on the record talking about ongoing deliberations, says there are no discussions to evacuate all U.S. troops across the country. The talks have focused exclusively on U.S. troops in Yokosuka, just south of Tokyo, the official said. Yokosuka is home to America's largest naval base in Japan.
[9:30 p.m. Monday ET, 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] High levels of radioactive substances have been found in seawater near the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, its operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Tuesday.
Levels of iodine-131 in the seawater were 126.7 times higher than government-set standards, the electric company said on its website. Its monitors detected caesium-134, which has a half-life of about two years, about 24.8 times higher than the government standards. Cesium-137 was found to be 16.5 times higher than the standard.''


   On better news, This catastrophic even, has brought many to Christ. We just had news from churches in Fukushima, Sendai , and Miyagi areas, where people have become christians. Some of them are workers at the Fukushima Plant. We pray for them, since they have gone back to work and are trying hard to get the cooling systems up and running.


   Church of God, in Higashi, Totsuka (my church here) had a rice ball sale last weekend, and all the money was going towards the donations found. Pastor's in the affected areas have requested our help. There are some areas where it7s been cleared for people go back home, the problem is that their houses are destroyed, on inhabitable. They are tired and many survivors are sick. so our church decided d to do more then send money (which is really needed too). The pastors, deacons, and leaders of the church had a meeting at 7am Thursday morning, to discuss about this issue. In this meeting was decided to do more then collecting money and get a group from church to go to the refugees centers in the Sendai and Miyagi area. A 14 pass anger van with gas, canned food, rice, and a group of volunteers will be leaving from Sunday, March 27 until Wednesday. this will be the first of many trips we hope to make. I'm still not sure if I'll be able to go. I really will like to join the group, but we are planning on leaving space in the van for some people who might want a ride back with the group. The group would be traveling along the Japan Ocean, avoiding the Fukushima area.


   Many of you have asked if there are ways to help those needed it the most here and the answer is yes! There are several ways:

   1. Prayers, I really appreciate all the churches and people who have been praying for me and for Japan.

   2. Money donations are also being collected since its the easiest thing to get to the pastors there.

  3. Donations of rice, gas, canned food, clothes, and medicine are also necessary. (for those in US and Mexico, it would be easier if you deposit the money in my account.


U.S.:
Gloria D. Rivera
PNC 4203886444

Mexico:
Gloria D. Rivera
HSBC : 4048344162


   We had planned to move to a different apartment before everything happen, so this Saturday we did. Since it was so busy, I didn't have time to think or worry about all that has been going on. It was such a strange feeling. It's not that I live worrying what will happen every second of my day, I just can't help to think about it since the situation is all around me. A question concerning my future here has come up in several emails, text, calls etc. I still haven't decide to go back yet, but today while reading about the possible evacuation of the US Military base families which is in the same area as me, I considered the possibility. I'm trusting that God will guide me to make the right decision if the situation arises.

Thank you for your prayers, support, care, encouraging words, and love.