Although only a very small percentage of Japanese are Christian, as they usually do following disasters, church networks are working very well to help coordinate housing and other relief efforts, and they were activated immediately after the earthquake. I left Tokyo with my family last week to stay with friends in Kobe and attended services at Kobe Union Church last Sunday. There were a number of other displaced families who attended services and many congregation members were hosting people who had fled areas up north.

One member had been to Costco and had purchased futons and other supplies, preparing to host dozens of people at his besso. To my knowledge the churches don't have a central website but are coordinating through the old fashioned email and telephone methods. I don't have any numbers, but based on the conversations I heard from church members and the pastor, however, there are a lot of people currently being housed and plans have already been made to bring many, many more to homes in Kansai.

I can also say from observation in Kobe this week that I've run into a lot of people from up north who are staying with friends, relatives, and sometimes strangers (such as those hosted by KUC members). Of course, Kobe is probably more accepting of housing displaced people than other parts of Japan because of their own recent experience with destructive earthquakes. Even given that background, however, it has been truly inspiring to se the generosity of Kansai families to take so many people into their homes.

Best,
Mary Alice

Mary Alice Haddad
Government Department
Wesleyan University
mahaddad@wesleyan.edu