During the month of November 2012, this quilt is being raffled to raise support for ongoing tsunami relief efforts in Japan.

Every $1 is one chance to win!

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Every individual donation given to NPO CRASH Japan from October 15th until the end of November, 2012 will be entered to win this gorgeous original "Origami" quilt. All proceeds will be used to help tsunami survivors in Japan recover through programs including OperationSAFE! A total of five quilts will be raffled from November until March.

More details on the Facebook event page!

Quilts for Japan

We will keep you posted on each of the five "Origami" quilts and the winners each month, but the real winners are the children who receive love and hope after going through the trauma of tsunami and nuclear disaster.

The fourth phase of CRASH Japan's Tohoku response focuses on nurturing relationships that have developed since the great disaster 18 months ago. Through field offices in Sendai, Iwaki, and Koriyama, CRASH is able to readily serve local churches and survivors in areas that have been at times overlooked. With the decommissioned nuclear power plant less than eighty kilometers from Iwaki and Koriyama, there has understandably been some trepidation. CRASH understands this, and is committed to working with organizations and individuals who can provide concrete facts regarding radiation risk while continuing to mobilize volunteers.

Pastor Kei Masui of Iwaki Christ Church started serving his church in Iwaki seventeen years ago. He and many other courageous pastors stayed put after the triple disaster. Pastor Masui shares in CRASH's vision and compassion for those who still live in Fukushima. At a temporary housing area in Iwaki, the CRASH PR team shot footage of Pastor Masui and a team of volunteers leading a day camp for children who have been displaced by the disaster (see video embedded below). In an interview not shown in the video, Pastor Masui shared about his role in responding to disaster saying, "Maybe the reason why I've ended up here is to minister to the many people who have evacuated from the radiation zone to Iwaki. As a pastor of a church, I think my job is to do what I can, faithfully, for my local community."

One of the ways CRASH Japan is continuing to raise support for survivors is through the recently launched Million Cranes Campaign. Responses have been coming in from around the world, as organizations in Germany, the U.S., and here in Japan have all folded cranes to raise support. Visit www.millioncranes.com to see the progress, to learn how to fold a paper crane, and to donate to the relief efforts. "Small" actions count; please think and pray about getting involved in Million Cranes and provide ongoing support for Japan.

Watch embedded video to find out more about how God is at work in Japan!

According to CRASH Japan Director Jonathan Wilson, "The core of the Christian response to the Tohoku disaster has been more than just bringing supplies or rebuilding homes. It's been being with these people in their time of trouble." Mobilizing volunteers who carry the hope of God with them wherever they go is the primary mission of CRASH Japan.

Until recently CRASH Japan has operated two bases north of Sendai, one in Ichinoseki and one in Tono. These bases have served their communities by mobilizing hundreds of volunteers. We are very pleased that we have recently handed over both of these bases to other groups who will continue touching the lives of survivors and bringing hope to a part of Japan where there are very few churches.

TEAM (The Evangelical Alliance Mission) has taken responsibility for the base in Tono. Veteran TEAM Japan missionaries Jim and Eileen Nielsen have been base leaders for the Tono base since soon after it opened in April of 2011. In that role they have provided strong, steady leadership. Under TEAM's umbrella, the Nielsens will continue providing leadership for this base. A wonderful recent development is that the Ichinoseki base will be run by the Iwate Church Network (3.11 Network). The 3.11 Network home page posted the following announcement:

Since the summer of 2011, CRASH Japan's Ichinoseki Base has hosted over 400 volunteers. With assistance from base staff who often worked from early morning till late at night, the volunteers have served surrounding communities hit hard by the earthquake and tsunami. They have reached out to survivors in many different ways, in word and through meeting felt needs, with amazing opportunities to share the love of God.

"CRASH Japan has provided valuable service to a large area in and around Ichinoseki, building trusting relationships with the people there. Taking over such an undertaking is a very challenging task. The 3.11 Iwate Network will, after the handover period in the first half of October, take time to find out how it can best serve in the communities through the Base. Your prayers are much appreciated." (3.11 Network Home Page)

Wilson responded by saying, "The mission of CRASH Japan has always been to bring help and hope to those in need by mobilizing the body of Christ to work through the local church. Our goal is to see those local churches continuing the long-term ministry that these communities so desperately need. The 3.11 Iwate Church Network is a perfect partner for the Ichinoseki Base as it is made up of local churches in Iwate that have been ministering to the disaster survivors from the very beginning. I am excited to see what God will do!"

In the video posted below, Jonathan Wilson states, "As we move forward in the next 6 months, we are going to be handing over much of our work to local ministries who now have the confidence of the people around them, to be able to minister to their towns. We ask that you would continue to pray, give, and send volunteers. We still need your help."

CRASH Japan director, Jonathan Wilson

After the disaster last year, CRASH worked with a baseball team from Tsukuba (Ibaraki prefecture) to bring equipment to a team in Onagawa (Miyagi prefecture) that lost everything in the tsunami. This past May, when a tornado hit Tsukuba, the team from Onagawa was able to help out and return the favor. See the touching story in this video.

On Sunday, September 9, the Onagawa Victory Reds baseball team arrived at Tsukuba Grace Chapel to play a "friendly game" against the Tsukuba Jaguars. After the triple disaster last year, the Tsukuba Jaguars helped CRASH Japan and Tsukuba Grace Chapel bring baseball equipment to the Onagawa Reds, who had lost everything in the tsunami. In May of this year, Tsukuba was also affected by natural disaster as a tornado ravaged the town. The Onagawa Reds saw this as an opportunity to come and encourage the team and town that had helped them the previous year.

The Yomiuri Newspaper -- one of the most prominent papers in Japan -- published that "a Christian volunteer network in Tsukuba put on this event for the children". CRASH provided financial support that helped Tsukuba Grace Chapel provide a very meaningful and fun event for these precious boys. In this picture, CRASH Japan is gladly receiving a special thank you gift from the baseball players. Watch for a video next week featuring this event.