John Hayes knows a challenge when he sees one. The disaster relief coordinator from Birmingham Baptist Association sits in the midst of a big one in Tokyo — trying to find access to the disaster zone.
Hayes is part of Baptist Global Response’s second assessment team for the Japan earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis. The team is experiencing road block after road block.
“Normally, the doors are open for us to work immediately in countries because they have nothing,” he said. “In Japan, we are learning to work through their culture and abide by the government laws for access.”
Right now, Japan requires special government permits to even gain access to the main road leading to the distraught northeast. Back roads are open, but with a gas shortage, many cars remain stranded along this route.
Hayes points out that the Japanese have plans to help their own people but there are still gaps that Southern Baptists can fill. With entire villages wiped out, trauma, shock and grief will run rampant. The confirmed death toll from the earthquake and tsunami is above 10,000, with more than 17,000 missing at press time.
Japan government officials say it will cost as much as $309 billion to rebuild the country after the deadly earthquake and tsunami. The cost is about 6 percent of Japan’s total economic output in 2010 and the cost estimates continue to grow every day. According to the World Bank, Japan will need up to five years to rebuild and recover.
The devastation has been described as the country’s biggest crisis since the end of World War II.
At press time, the assessment team hoped to make a trip to the earthquake and tsunami area March 28.
The International Mission Board is encouraging Baptists to pray for Japan throughout April.
A daily prayer calendar, interactive prayer map and other resources are available at eastasianpeoples.imb.org.
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