I keep avoiding this post, because it's hard for me to write and to put into words what I heard and felt. First of all, I didn't see any devastation. I only stayed in my hotel, rode the bus, and was at the airport. Nothing around where I was showed any damage at all.
But then I met some flight attendants who actually live in Japan and were there when the earthquake and Tsunami happened. I heard their stories, saw their fear, and could not help but feel sorrow that words cannot express. The morning I met them, there was a newspaper article in the Japanese paper, showing this Grandmother who had been rescued after 10 days of being "lost". One of the flight attendants translated it for me.
The grandmother was with her 16 year old grandson in her kitchen when the earthquake hit. 10 minutes later, the Tsunami followed, and their house was split from it's foundation, and swept away in the flood. They were alive, but their kitchen became their boat to ride the tide. They had food and a blanket, as well as a cell phone. Her son knew they were alive because they were able to text him. But he couldn't find them because the house was no longer where it should have been. 10 days later, the grandson climbed up onto the roof and rescue workers found them. . .over 1 km away from where the house was before the Tsunami. This story brought hope after many days of pain. But the tragedy continues.
While I was there, I felt more than 12 "aftershocks", which really were earthquakes in my book. It was very unsettling. I had an emergency bag packed and ready to run with should the need arise. Every evening at our hotel, we would meet together with co-workers and hear any updates about the situation. We had evacuation plans in place, a plane ready and fueled up, and would have been fine had anything happened.
But I don't want to ever forget what it feels like to actually be on the same soil of a country who, 10 days earlier, suffered a devastation so horrible. The casualty number rises as more days go by. Who knows how long it will take to rebuild. AND, the country continues to shake. . .literally.
The people of Japan expressed their thanks to us that we as an airline actually continued flying into the country. Other airlines chose not to. Because of us, we were able to bring multiple loads of cargo for them, and many teams of rescue workers. We were heroes.
But I consider the real heroes the ones who, after the tragedy, choose to pick up and start afresh, and keep trudging away at life. I just showed up. They endured.
Now, more than anything, I pray they find the God of Isaiah 40:25-31:
“To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.
The grandmother was with her 16 year old grandson in her kitchen when the earthquake hit. 10 minutes later, the Tsunami followed, and their house was split from it's foundation, and swept away in the flood. They were alive, but their kitchen became their boat to ride the tide. They had food and a blanket, as well as a cell phone. Her son knew they were alive because they were able to text him. But he couldn't find them because the house was no longer where it should have been. 10 days later, the grandson climbed up onto the roof and rescue workers found them. . .over 1 km away from where the house was before the Tsunami. This story brought hope after many days of pain. But the tragedy continues.While I was there, I felt more than 12 "aftershocks", which really were earthquakes in my book. It was very unsettling. I had an emergency bag packed and ready to run with should the need arise. Every evening at our hotel, we would meet together with co-workers and hear any updates about the situation. We had evacuation plans in place, a plane ready and fueled up, and would have been fine had anything happened.
But I don't want to ever forget what it feels like to actually be on the same soil of a country who, 10 days earlier, suffered a devastation so horrible. The casualty number rises as more days go by. Who knows how long it will take to rebuild. AND, the country continues to shake. . .literally.
The people of Japan expressed their thanks to us that we as an airline actually continued flying into the country. Other airlines chose not to. Because of us, we were able to bring multiple loads of cargo for them, and many teams of rescue workers. We were heroes.
But I consider the real heroes the ones who, after the tragedy, choose to pick up and start afresh, and keep trudging away at life. I just showed up. They endured.
Now, more than anything, I pray they find the God of Isaiah 40:25-31:
“To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.
Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the LORD;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
