TSUNAMI

Japan’s Rising Sun flag has been dimmed, but not blacked out!

The Japanese are the world champs at suffering “outrageous misfortune.” They live in an arena of high (and frequent) seismic activity. Getting repeatedly “smacked down” in their battle with nature. Their faces are etched with the perpetual blows of combat. Yet, they never give up the struggle, or move.
The images on my TV are hard to even fully take in; pictures of incredible violence as the wave swept in, then pictures of an old man sitting on the foundation of his house, staff in hand, just looking...
The devastation is complete! Nothing left for miles on end. It looks like Hiroshima. Will totally devastating events never end for them (from whatever source)?

SOME FACTOIDS

GEOLOGIC:
“The nation of Japan has moved 8’ towards the North American continent, and has dropped 2’.
The “mean North pole” was shifted by about 2.5 centimetres (1 inch) in the direction of 145º East Longitude.
They also found the earthquake decreased the length of day by 2.68 microseconds. The quake also affected the Earth’s shape. They found Earth’s oblateness (flattening on the top and bulging at the equator) decreased by a small amount. ”
(Information courtesy of nasa ).

Death Toll:
USA: 1 (confirmed)
Japan: 10,000+ (2,000 bodies washed ashore on Sunday)

RADIATION LEAK:
Several nuclear reactors have been damaged and their containment of radiation has been seriously compromised, forcing the evacuation of a 30 mile zone around the plant. People being ordered to leave or stay indoors (when for some they have no doors to stay inside of).
As the days go on now the leaks and wind currents are driving the threat towards Tokyo.

Financial Devastation:
The economy of the N.E. part of Japan is shattered. But this economic tsunami will travel across the ocean and affect not only the USA, but many, many countries. So far just the storm damage is:
USA: 10’s of millions of
dollars
Japan: billions & billions
(if not trillions)

PHYSICAL & EMOTIONAL
SUFFERING
This is an emotional tsunami for not only the people of this region but those of us watching the videos on our evening newscast.
How quickly it’s all washed away — One’s whole life gone in a heartbeat. The lucky ones perished quickly
But the end did not come quickly; some were washed out to sea where death came slowly; some trapped under rubble with their life slowly slipping away amongst great suffering.
As we ponder this it shakes us to a 9.0 inner reality check as we ponder the why of it all. Those “on site” have to deal with this as well as search for the missing.

ON SITE:
The spirit of the Japanese people astounds us, even a 70 yr old couple returned to their badly damaged home and just started cleaning and rebuilding; not waiting for someone to come and help them.

IN TOKYO:
In Tokyo though there has been a run on food and many are fleeing in panic over the reactor problems

HERE ON THE WEST COAST:
At Gold Beach, Oregon, a Medford woman was swept into the waves but rescued by a nearby couple.
Here, in Newport a man on our jetty survives a surge by clinging to the rocks — a very lucky man. Although, here on Nye Beach the surge wave was only two or maybe 3 feet, at most, it’s still enough to sweep you away.
One person in California, was not so lucky and paid the price.
A run on Iodine broke out on the West Coast, even though the government says there is no danger to us, we are just too far away.
People clearly don’t trust government statements. We tend to react instinctively and impulsively. Even though we are told that taking it may make us sicker than if we don’t, we go grab as much as we can get our hands on. How easily we panic.

Finally
If the reactor problem goes “worse case” this tragedy may expand to truly global proportions, and it might foreshadow a verse in the book of Revelation 6:14 which speaks of “mountains” and “islands” being “moved from their place.”
My advice here, don’t panic, let all this humble you; and realize that, “there but for the grace of God go you and I.” And pray for Japan.