Japan is a proud nation steeped in the traditions of Honor and Dignity. Asking for help goes against the very core of their personal and collective identities. The people of Japan desperately need our help; let us not make them ask.
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The Numbers are Staggering
It has been 9 weeks since the earthquake and tsunami struck Japan on Friday, March 11, 2011. To date, there are still over 125,000 Japanese citizens living in makeshift shelters set up in local schools, government buildings and firehouses. Many of these shelters have little or no electricity, heating, or running water. Add to that the number that have moved in with family and friends, hotels and hostels, and the number soars to almost 400,000 that have lost their homes. Over 14,500 are confirmed dead; almost 11,000 are still missing. There are over one hundred thirty orphans.
Individuals have endured the loss of family and friends, their homes, cars, and all of their possessions. Many are still wearing the clothes they had on when the earthquake and tsunami struck. Families have been torn apart or destroyed. Entire communities have been wiped out: homes, schools, businesses, infrastructure, and livelihoods are in ruins. The personal and collective psychological damage is immeasurable. The people of Japan face a long and difficult road to recovery, healing and rebuilding of their communities. Community begins with the individual, and before they can begin the task of rebuilding their physical surroundings, the individuals must regain their own personal senses of dignity and empowerment.
Further complicating relief and recovery efforts, the rainy season is almost upon the affected area, reliable information is difficult to come by, and businesses and drivers are now refusing to deliver critically needed goods to the evacuation zones for fear of radiation exposure. The Japan Self-Defense Force is overwhelmed with trying to clear the way to remote communities, repair critical infrastructure and with supplying the most basic of needs. American mainstream media has already begun to move on to more popular and ratings-grabbing topics like Libya, politics, and Spring Training. But the devastation won't go away with less news coverage. It will take months and years to recover and rebuild; it will take lifetimes to heal.
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The time for aid is not over; it has only just begun
Please consider giving to one of the Charity Organizations listed below. They are all currently active in Japan, helping to bring relief to those that need it most:
Messages for Japan
The time for aid is not over; it has only just begun
Please consider giving to one of the Charity Organizations listed below. They are all currently active in Japan, helping to bring relief to those that need it most:
Messages for Japan
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Our compassion and willingness to act, with unconditional immediacy and sympathy towards others in times of need, are what define us as individuals and as a society.
Our compassion and willingness to act, with unconditional immediacy and sympathy towards others in times of need, are what define us as individuals and as a society.
A Very Sincere and Heartfelt Thank You.
DeliverRelief
