Neighbors helping neighbors. And keep the faith, Ishikawa!

 August 1 

The Noto Peninsula is a hidden gem on Japan. Beautiful forests and fields, right on the ocean. And the forests are incredible. Our job is to help restore the area as best as we can.

The original estimate was 299 dead, about 1,200 injured, over 60,000 homes damaged. Many eventually find themselves in a "kasetsu juutaku," temporary shelters pictured above. We're guessing each unit is about 200 square feet, which includes kitchen and bathroom facilities. Many will eventually find themselves there, albeit there's some reluctance to do so. Plus there are some alternatives.

Here's an example. We returned to the house we helped clean out yesterday. I now know our purpose was to help prepare their home to receive family friends. The latter's home is still liveable, but will need several months for extensive repair and slight remodeling. We were assigned to help move furniture, books, and other goods that will be in the way of the reconstruction. Neighbors helping neighbors, indeed.

I also learned something interesting. There were numerous homes where the heavy tile roofs collapsed onto the house. Apparently the reason is if a fire breaks out, the collapsed roof will snuff out any flames from spreading. There were fires after the Noto quake, but the roofs minimized the potential damage.

The sign, loosely translated, says "Noto, be strong and persevere." We saw similar signs in Ishinomaki after the 2011 tsunami, then similar signs in Kumamoto after the 2016 earthquake. We feel privileged to contribute in some small way. More tales ahead, stay tuned.