JIM NIELSEN REPORTS FROM NORTHEASTERN JAPAN

Dear Praying Friends,

Eileen and I have been up in the northeast of Japan for the past month now serving as CRASH Tono Base Camp Manager, Safety Officer and Church Liaison Officer. At present, we have 30 volunteers from the U.S,, Canada, So. Africa and Uganda serving through the base camp which presents us with many logistical challenges daily in keeping all the volunteers housed and fed as well as coordinating in getting them also deployed daily to the coastal disaster hit areas. 

As the CRASH Liaison Officer, we also have the task of coordinating our relief and recovery efforts through local pastors and churches here in Tono Shi, Iwate Prefecture, which also presents a separate set of challenges as there are few solid, evangelical churches in this area. We have a number of important meetings with key pastors in the next week (Pastor Kondo - 3.11 Network, Pastor Chiba -Conservative Baptist, Pastor Miura - Tono Bible Church) and would appreciate it if you would pray with us that we would see some good, long-term partnerships formed with these pastors and their churches in the days ahead.

We are thankful for the opportunity to serve the Lord here in Iwate Prefecture in the aftermath of such a devastating natural disaster in bring hope to the hopeless. We are particularly blessed to be working along side the local church to be an encouragement and help to them at this time of need. But also, to have the privilege of working along with the many Christian young people who are coming from all over the world as volunteers to serve the Lord here with us.

Thank you for your continuing prayers for us and the efforts of CRASH to bring healing and hope to the people of Iwate Prefecture and the Tohoku region.

In Christ and for His Glory, Jim and Eileen Nielsen TEAM-Japan