News

Japan: Christian Group Putting Down Stakes in Earthquake Area

CRASH asks for funding as they prepare to fan out across the affected parts of the country.

Christianity Today March 16, 2011

The group Christian Relief, Assistance, Support and Hope (CRASH) is setting up a forward base in Sendai, Japan to coordinate efforts to relieve the damage and hardship that Friday’s 8.9/9.0-magnitude earthquake left behind in a large swath of the island nation.

“We just confirmed that we have a location and trucks of goods will start moving there today,” CRASH spokesman Paul Nethercott told CT a few hours ago. “We will set up five more bases as soon as possible. We are doing this so we can send thousands of volunteers out where they are needed most.”

Nethercott said CRASH, who calls their relief initiative “Love on Japan,” sees it as a chance to “fill gaps” that the Japanese government cannot address and to “share the love of God with the people in Japan.”

Japan’s church is very much a minority. Less than 0.2% of the population identifies as Christian, and while some Christian cultural artifacts like Christmas and Valentine’s Day have made it into the larger population, much of Japan practices a mix of Buddhism and traditional Shinto beliefs and a large number profess no religion at all.

“The church is small here but it is full of courageous and committed people who are brave enough to take a stand for Christ in spite of pressure from family and friends not to,” Nethercott told CT. “We are closely connected with a very large network of Christians in Japan.”

CRASH has been part of Japan’s Christian community for a while, having built strong relationships with the Japan Evangelical Missionary Association and the Japan Evangelical Association.

“Many of the people I am working with I have known for over ten years,” Nethercott said. “Some a lot longer. We care about each other and we care about Japan.”

One of CRASH’s greatest needs, Nethercott said, is funding to “deliver water and other essentials ASAP.” Many older people in the earthquake-damaged area will not be able to clean up their own homes, he said.

CRASH is accepting donations through crashjapan.com. Many other Christian groups are working to flood Japan with assistance and providing opportunities to help—among them Samaritan’s Purse, World Vision, World Relief, Saddleback Peace Relief, Asian Access, and Redeemer City to City.

“Pray that God will bless the nation of Japan greatly as this great nation deals with a major crises,” asked Nethercott.

Our Latest

News

Died: John Huffman, Pastor Who Told Richard Nixon to Confess

The Presbyterian minister and CT board member committed to serve the Lord and “let the chips fall where they may.”

The Pastor Who Rescues People from Japan’s ‘Suicide Cliff’

Yoichi Fujiyabu has spent three decades sharing God’s love to people who want to end their lives.

An Ode to the Long Season

Why fans love a game designed to break their hearts.

Is This Heaven? No, It’s Banana Ball

What baseball’s most amusing team gets right about joy in sports.

News

Black Clergy and Christians Grapple with Charlie Kirk’s Legacy

Many say the activist’s inflammatory statements on race should inform how we remember his life.

News

A Sudden Death: Voddie Baucham, Who Warned the Church of Fault Lines

Known for confronting critical theory, moral relativism, and secular ideologies, Baucham died a month into leading a new seminary in Florida.

Why Many Black Christians Reject the Evangelical and Mainline Labels

The history of a prominent church pastored by MLK in Alabama shows the reason African Americans often don’t embrace either term.

News

Pastor Abducted in Nigeria Amid Escalating Kidnapping Crisis

Armed gang continues to hold him after family paid the ransom.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube