Several people let me know today about the Samaritan's Purse delivery of food etc. for Sendai. I was really happy to know that they had coordinated with CRASH the Christian organization that OMF is partnering with in the relief effort on this end for delivery to evacuation centers, especially ones the government hadn't gotten to yet. The main problem so far is not that there is no food, but that it's difficult to get food from collection depots around Sendai into the area evacuation centers. Sendai was able yesterday to receive a supply ship at their port.
Read a report from one of our missionaries in Sendai who seems to be having the time of his life ministering and witnessing to Japanese people.
Read one comment that it would be good if people in developed countries made sure that missionaries who are already serving here were fully supported before just donating willy nilly to the general 'cause'.
Two OMFers doing some scouting along the coast to see where we should send a team, got government permission to get gas and to travel on the expressway rather than the back roads. It really pays to have people on the ground who know how things work here and follow accepted cultural procedures. Doing it the Japanese way is important for getting things done and being accepted.
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