Noto Help 2026

 

May 2026

今日は！(Hello!)

We get asked why we spend our summers doing disaster relief missions. It’s our way of sharing Jehovah-Rapha (The Lord Our Healer – Exodus 15:26) to communities healing and recovering from natural disasters.

https://www.bastillepost.com/global/article/5520045-two-years-on-japans-noto-peninsula-still-struggles-with-earthquake-recovery

For the past two years, our assignment has been to work with Noto Help with the recovery from the 2024 New Year’s Day earthquake (magnitude 7.6). A recent headline reported there’s still work to be done – progress is steady, but slow

We’re answering the call again this year. We’re returning to Noto from June 22 – July 4, 2026.

We’re pleased to introduce this year’s team:

Daniel Wasiel: I am a 15 year old sophomore attending Culver City High School in Culver City, California.  I am excited about this trip as I want to make a positive impact on rebuilding efforts in Noto and support the community as it continues to recover and grow.

Ty Watanabe: I am a 15-year-old and grateful to the Lord for being physically and mentally prepared for this mission trip. I pray that everything will go well and that everyone will stay safe. I am eager to serve the people of Noto after the devastating earthquakes and hope to contribute to rebuilding their homes.

Carol Miya & Miyuki Pugrad: Carol and Alan met as fellow Psychology grad students at sister schools, Cal State Fullerton and Northridge respectively. After earning her Masters, Carol turned her attention to raising her kids, becoming very active with their PTA and their church youth group. She also supported her family working at Kroeger markets.

Miyuki is Carol’s daughter, growing up with the youth at Anaheim Free Methodist Church. She is a Cal Poly Humboldt alum with a BA in Child Development. Miyuki is currently working on a Masters in Child Development at Sacramento State. She is a National Collegiate Wrestling Association Champion and has fallen in love with Japan since attending a wrestling camp in Miyazaki.

Alan Oda: I’m again the lead, serving in my capacity as Repeat Short-Term/Disaster Response staff for GLINTS – Global Intercultural Services (https://www.glints.org/global_staff/alan-oda/). This will be my tenth trip to Japan as a disaster relief volunteer. I just completed my 30th year of teaching Psychology at Azusa Pacific University. Our family attends Westlight Community Church.

Together, our team will be focusing on families living in temporary housing. We also anticipate tasks involving relocating households to-and-from their damaged homes, agricultural support, plus any general cleanup tasks.

We’re asking you to be our prayer and support partners. Details about how to pray for us will be posted at ayoda.tumblr.com or ayodanoto.blogspot.com. We’ll use these platforms throughout this year’s trip, you can also see photos and stories from previous years. If you can support us financially, details are provided below. Thank you for blessing us!  We look forward to sharing our work with you! Questions? Feel free to contact me at ayoda77@gmail.com. Your continued partnership is a blessing!

 

On behalf of the 2026 LA Noto Help team,

織田より (Alan) 

 

How to support us financially:

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.”

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