Ah these past two days have been great looking back on them, but a struggle to get through them. Everyone has been working at the Asian Rural Institute on a farm there that grows organic vegetables and has cows pigs and chickens. The work has been the hardest, but as far as what I had in my suitcase, I was most prepared to work at A.R.I. We weeded lots of rice fields, harvested potatoes, mixed feed for the animals, the tasks go on. I appreciate the lightness of my work in the Crash warehouse even more now aha. But that's a secret. The heat out in A.R.I. was nearly unbearable but by the second day there, everyone was used to it and we worked with our best. We met lots of kind people who welcomed us, even though it was a short time, into their loving community of Christ and servanthood. Everyone there had simply pure hearts of gold, despite the challenges they have had to face since the March 11th earthquake and the nuclear crisis Japan is still dealing with.
A.R.I., as well as many farms in Japan have been affected tremendously by the radiation poisoning. Their crops have been affected because radiation goes down deep into the soil, and while the crops they grow may look alright, they are affected by radiation. Because the long term affects of ingesting even small amounts of radiation are still unkown, farmers across Japan are finding it difficult to continue selling the vegetables they grow or the milk from their cows with a clear concious, even if the Japanese government wants to make lenient rules that make it okay for the farmers to continue selling. Walking around A.R.I., there are many places where the staff there will share with you saying, "There was a crack that crossed the road and went up the wall of this building when the earthquake hit" or "There used to be a stone wall here, and it crumbled down entirely when the earthquake hit". While nuclear radiation may be the highest concern to farmers in Japan, at A.R.I., the devastation they are facing is tangible, as we pull potatoes from the ground, not knowing whether or not they are safe to eat, and even if we think they are now, will we regret it later..?
Please keep A.R.I. in your thoughts and prayers, as well as the farmers of Japan. Nuclear radiation is something that takes years to wear off, and many farmers have lost their livelihood because of the crisis in the Fukushima plant. I pray that they would be able to move forward still, even though they are being asked to leave so much behind, and continue their beautiful lives. And for the concious of the farmers who are still able to use their land, that they would have wisdom and do as best they can, what they feel is right.
I sound juvenile, but I have to be honest and say I never knew just how deep the affects of the nuclear crisis in Japan were, because there are farms everywhere in Tohoku. We drive past at least 20 on the way to A.R.I. every day, and those farms are all going through the same struggles as the farm that A.R.I. has. It's really heartbreaking to see and experience the feeling that all of their hard work may be useless, all of the planting, weeding, harvesting, may be for nothing, and they may have cancer later in their lives. It makes me really sad when I think about these people who I have been able to work with for three short days, that they want to be committed to keeping A.R.I. on it's feet, and are risking their lives in a way I could never do. It's humbling to me and it really makes my heart sad for them.
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