11:30PM March 13, 2011


(nearly 57 hours since the initial 8.9 mag earthquake)

Plans to assist our neighbors affected by the tsunami are underway through my missions’ organization and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church/Japan Presbytery. If you would like to make a monetary donation to support upcoming work trips and various relief efforts, please earmark your contribution (made payable to “Missions Ministry Team”) “Japan Earthquake” and send it to:

Missions Ministry Team
2807 Traditional Place
Cordova, TN 38016-7414

Or visit the Missions Ministry Team website to make your [secure and tax deductible] donation online. (Be sure to specify that your donation is intended for use by Japan Presbytery’s tsunami relief support by typing “Japan Earthquake” in the “Specific Giving Areas” line.  You can select "Disaster Relief Fund" from the pull down menu for "General Areas of Giving.")

Another great option to support current and ongoing relief is through Jhelp. (I’ve taken this information from their website, which you can visit here.)

The Japan Emergency team is working in disaster shelters and proceeding to Northern Japan.

For information on family members team@jhelp.com.

The Japan Emergency Team is working on site near Sendai, delivering disaster supplies and assisting on site after the 8.9 Magnitude earthquake.

Volunteers able to reach the area are much needed. (From RheAnn: They are asking for people to work WITH them. Please contact Jhelp directly!)

Sendai, Japan
The Japan Emergency Team announces arrival of team in the Sendai area bringing emergency supplies and assisting on site with direct disaster assistance, distribution of supplies and assistance to survivors.


Supplies needed include canned and instant food, bottled water, sleeping bags, tents, powdered milk, home medical kits. (From RheAnn: If you discover that shipping is too expensive, consider donating money to The Cumberland Presbyterian Church—details above—so Japan Presbytery can purchase and deliver those items here. I will also be looking into arranging affordable shipping...)

Those able to assist with supplies and assist on site are asked to contact www.jhelp.com.

Donations may be made to:

Post Office Furikae 00160 7 162438 Nihon Kinkyu Enjotai



Or Donate Online through Paypal. (Let me know if this link doesn't work for you.)


The team can be reached at Country Code :

81 3 5780 1111
81 90 7170 4769
81 90 3080 6711 

In Japan at :

03 5780 1111 
0570 000 911

Supplies can be sent to:

Operation Japan
Box 65
Tokyo, Japan 106-8691

Those able to donate airline mileage for team members, volunteers ボランティア able to assist on site can contact team@jhelp.com

If you have any questions about ANY of this, e-mail me at rheann.in.japan@gmail.com. I may not be able to answer the question(s), but I can certainly try to direct you to someone who can. If you are supporting other organizations, GREAT!! I just wanted to present a couple of options that I feel are very reliable.

I plan to participate in whatever the church members here decide to do. As I said before, without strong language skills or transportation, I would merely hinder relief efforts at this stage. I have contacted a few different organizations to offer my home to a displaced individual or family. I will let you know if I am asked to host someone.

In the meantime, so long as I am able, I will continue teaching my classes. I'm praying for wisdom and clarity.  It's hard to imagine talking about grammar and pronunciation... Maybe I should remain flexible, for what my job has been may not be what it will become.

Tomorrow (and indefinitely) I could be without power for much of the day and night, so I will not be posting blogs. If something critical occurs, I will update through my RheAnn in Japan Facebook page or as a comment to this blog entry, so please check one of those places.

Continue in prayer and practice…as one.

Stillness: I took this photo the day before the disaster.