We have hope

It's easy to sing songs in church without concentrating on the words. Not so yesterday. As we sang "The reason I live is to worship you," I was struck again with God's mercy to let us live through the earthquakes while so many did not make it. Later we sang, "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness...my anchor holds within the vale..."

We have hope, but we're surrounded with people who do not have hope. Missionaries and other Christians in Japan are rallying. We were expecting this (though as a "someday") so were ready in many ways. This could be the hour where many Japanese turn to the only sure foundation.

The whole world is praying for Japan. Please pray for us as we seek to be warmth in the cold, be a light in the darkness, and offer solid hope to the wavering hopeless.

Our electricity will not be regular for some time now. I do not anticipate regular internet accessibility. We deeply appreciate your prayers and concern. Please consult this website for further updates. I will try to write once a day as I can.

I'm off to school to meet in the dark and chill with the other administrators to come up with next steps for our students. Russ will go to the care center. While it would be comforting not to be separated as we anticipate more aftershocks, we are in this country to offer hope rather than for our personal comfort. We are only inconvenienced. We do not feel fear. Our hope is in the Lord and not in the earth.