Direct from Japan/3

On 11^th March at 2:46pm I was preparing break time snacks in the kindergarten where I work. When I felt the earth shake beneath me I gathered the children straight away and we took cover, waiting for the quake to end. Even though I’m used to earthquakes I started to feel frightened when the tremors didn’t cease. In this circumstance we all felt the desire to help each other face any possible outcome together.

It was evening when parents arrived to pick up their children. Many of them had been forced to come by foot and cried tears of joy when they saw their children safe and sound. When all the children had left for home I breathed a sigh of relief and turned on the kindergarten’s T.V. to watch the news. It was then that I heard about the tsunami. Amongst the areas hit was my home town Miyako.

For six days I tried calling my family without any response. The more news reports I heard, the more I realised just how serious the situation was and the more I felt the spiritual and physical pain of the victims. It was the first time that I felt such a stabbing pain.

But at the same time I felt a strong call from God from within: “Do you really love Me? Do you really believe in My love?” “Yes Lord”, I replied, “I believe on Your love. I believe in Your love. You know I do”. And I understood that the moment had arrived to live the virtues of faith, hope and love with courage; I had to love everyone, to live reciprocal love in its fullness.”

The deep faith that everything God allows is surely part of a plan of love was confirmed in me. So I entrusted Him with all my worries about my family and decided to do His Will moment by moment. I tried to create a peaceful atmosphere at work: by supporting for my colleague who always arrived tired after a 3 hour journey due to train delays; by lending warm clothes to colleagues who were cold because of energy saving; and above all by dedicating myself to the children who, due to risk of further quakes, weren’t allowed play outside. Once again I felt peace within!

Meanwhile, I kept trying to contact my family without success. “When the tsunami hit my brother-in-law would have been at work in the city’s big warehouse, my nephew would have been at school near the port”, I thought to myself, getting carried away with worry. But in moments of anxiety I always received an email or a phone call from friends that comforted me. My colleagues were also close to me in my suffering and this filled me with gratitude.

On 17^th March the Gospel read: “Ask and you will receive”. It was the 250^th anniversary of the end of the persecution of Christians in Nagasaki. I asked Our Lady to let me know where my family was and, after mass, with peace in my heart I went home. Shortly afterwards, the phone rang. It was my father. “We are all well and the house is intact”, he said with a calm voice.

This experience thought me so much. I learned above all to share and embrace other’s sufferings and to spread the love and light received by God to all around me”.