Our scheduled departure date has now been changed to June 2nd. Tonight we will be leaving Tokyo to head to Fukushima to see the area of devastation caused by the tsunami. We will be volunteering to help out for a couple of days in any way we can as there is still so much destruction.
Details are scratchy at the moment but we have heard they are still desperate for people to help the survivors. Families have now been allowed back to their homes and there is a lot of work needed to rebuild and maintain. We will leave on an 11pm bus arriving at 6am and then taking a bus to the coast to the volunteer centre. We will be allocated a family to help for 2 days of manual work.
We are very aware of the shadow of the tsunami as Fight House was set up as a hostel for children who have survived the tsunami and lost so much. They use this building as a retreat or sporting base for the kids. There are pictures in the mess room of some of the hundreds of kids that have passed through here.
It is certainly a real and humbling experience. The Japanese people I have meet so far have been very warm and kind. If we can help them in even a small part it would be good.
Wow Tracey- sounds like you are really in your element and I can’t wait to hear all about it in person! What an experience! Be careful- I’m sure the houses etc may not be 100% stable and we need you back here safe and sound- thinking of you over here.
Kate xx