And the walls came tumblin' down

 (OK, my apologies to John Couger Mellencamp.)

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After our hiatus over the weekend, we returned back to the site we had visited last week to continue breaking down and removing what was left of a wall that collapsed during the January 1, 2024 earthquake. We assume the rest of the house had already been demolished and land cleared.

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Adachi and Egawa Sensei (Pastors) used the jackhammer extensively, that’s no easy task (that jackhammer is heavy!). However, there were sections of the wall more easily demolished with a sledge hammer. Aaron once again showed his power move, knocking down good sized sections of the wall via his physical labor.

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Aaron is the strong man of our team. He was amazing with the sledge hammer. Peter also did a nice job with the sledge hammer, both knocking down some of the wall as well as breaking down large chunks of concrete into smaller pieces for easier disposal.

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FYI, Peter’s hat is repping GLINTS, the missions organization we serve.

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It may be hard to tell from this pic, but we did demolish almost all of the wall. It was quite the task.

I did take my turn with the sledge hammer, unfortunately no photos. I didn’t do nearly as much.

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Instead, I spent more of my time bagging the concrete chunks, ready for disposal.

In some respect we were fortunate that it remained relatively dry during this visit (last time we dealt with as much mud as we did concrete). However, it also meant we were dealing with the heat and humidity Japan is famous for during the summer. For yours truly, it triggered a migrane, which necessitated me taking a couple of extra breaks.

We received a good question (Hi Shin!) as to what sites are chosen for our work. The churches in the area are our primary reference, they ask their neighbors if they’re in need of any help with post-earthquake damage. The churches then contact Noto Help, the local agency, which then sends out teams like ours to do whatever’s needed. I also think Noto Help also directly receives individual referrals.

We’re now past the halfway part of our visit to the Noto Peninsula. We were told our work with concrete demolition is done, we’ll receive a new assignment tomorrow. Please keep praying and stay tuned!

If you’re interested in supporting our work, here’s how:

By Zelle (preferred): Use donations@glints.org or 630-715-0734. Write in the comments section “Oda Global.”

By check: Make checks payable to GLINTS and send to GLINTS, PO Box 962, Wheaton IL 60187. On the memo section designate your donation to “Oda Missions Support.”

By credit card or PayPal: Go to www.glints.org/donatenow Write in the comments section “Oda Global.”

#glints #notohelp #WestlightCommunityChurch

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