Cleaning Up

The following update is from the Japan Assemblies of God blog:

"Praise God. Thank you for all of your prayers.

"Starting today (29^th) the disaster relief volunteers made up of pastors, Bible school students and believers sent out from the JAG will begin their 3 day/2 night ministry. From the first day a group of 20 people tackled the job of cleaning out the 30 centimeter (~1 foot) deep mud that the tsunami deposited in the houses of the Arai neighborhood in Higashi Matsushima city. They served by shoveling out mud, discarding furniture, dragging out tree branches and logs… and ended up covered with mud from head to toe! After they finished working they prayed over each household and ask for God’s healing, comfort and encouragement. Also, a believer who is a physician came along with us and gave examinations and distributed medicine within the neighborhood. A 20 member team working for 3 days and 2 nights is trivial. 100 people, even 200 people is insufficient. At any rate numbers of ministers and servants are needed. We have sufficient amounts of materials and food. What we lack is “man power”. In places where the Japanese military and municipal workers cannot make it to, civilian strength in our case unified Christian power is needed. We would be grateful if you would do everything possible to gather large groups of people and enroll as volunteers. We would also appreciate your prayers for those who are coming to the disaster areas and getting their hands dirty cleaning out the mud."