I received this letter from the President of the Goi Peace Foundation. The Goi Peace foundation is an NGO dedicated to promoting world peace, transcending all boundaries of race, religion, or politics, with a belief that peace begins in the mind of each individual. The letter read;
Dear Martha,
Two weeks have elapsed since the devastating earthquake and tsunami struck the Northeast region of Japan. It is the most powerful natural disaster in Japanese history, and its aftermath has been enormous.
On behalf of the Goi Peace Foundation, I would like to express my sincere sympathy and condolences to the victims of the disaster in the afflicted areas, and to our international friends, I would like to thank you for the many prayers and thoughts extended to the Japanese people. We are continuing to receive many messages from our partners and supporters from all over the world expressing their solidarity and offering their support at this time of need. It has been a great encouragement for us and all our members throughout Japan.
We at the Goi Peace Foundation are committed to doing our utmost to find ways forward out of this crisis, so that all those lives will not have been lost in vain, and so that people who have been afflicted will be able to stand up again with new hope for the future. We are envisioning that the restoration that will take place will not only be a restoration of what was there before, but a creation of a model of a new civilization. To this end, we are planning to cooperate with people of wisdom and vision from around the world. We will keep you posted of our plans, and we hope you will support our efforts in any way you can.
May Peace Prevail on Earth
Hiroo Saionji
President
The Goi Peace Foundation
Here, we would like to share some positive stories picked up from various sources, which represent the spirit of the Japanese people demonstrated after the disaster:
– Someone overseas called me on my cell. She said she wanted to connect to anyone who is in Japan, and so she called the country code and their own mobile number, which happened to be the same as mine. I didn’t fully understand everything she said, because it was English, but I knew enough to know that she really wanted to support the Japanese people. It really gave me so much hope.
– Last night when I was walking home (since all traffic had stopped), I saw an old lady at a bakery shop. It was totally past their closing time, but she was giving out free bread. Even at times like this, people were trying to find what they can do and it made my heart warm.
– In the supermarket, where items of all the shelves fell, people were picking up things so neatly together, and then quietly stand in line to buy food. Instead of creating panic and buying as much as needed, they bought as little as they needed. I was proud to be a Japanese.
– When I was walking home, for 4 hours, there was a lady holding a sign that said, “Please use our toilet.” They were opening their house for people to go to the restroom. It was hard not to tear up, when I saw the warmth of people.
– At Disneyland, they were giving out candies. High school girls were taking so many so I was thinking, “What???” But then the next minute, they ran to the children in the evacuation place and handed it to them. That was a sweet gesture.
– My co-worker wanted to help somehow, even if it was just to one person. So he wrote a sign: “If you’re okay with motor cycle, I will drive you to your house.” He stood in the cold with that sign. And then I saw him take one gentleman home, all the way to Tokorozawa! I was so moved. I felt like I wanted to help others too.
– A high school boy was saved because he climbed up on top of the roof of a department store during the flood. The flood came so suddenly, that he just saw people below him, trying to frantically climb up the roof and being taken by the flood. To help others, he kept filming them so their loved ones could see. He still hasn’t been able to reach his own parents but he says, “Its nobody’s fault. There is no one to blame. We have to stay strong.”
– There is a lack of gas now and many gasoline stations are either closed or have very long lines. I got worried, since I was behind 15 cars. Finally, when it was my turn, the man smiled and said, “Because of this situation, we are only giving $30 worth gas per each person. Is that alright?” “Of course its alright. I’m just glad that we are all able to share,” I said. His smile gave me so much relief.
– I saw a little boy thanking a public transit employee, saying, “Thank you so much for trying hard to run the train last night.” It brought tears to the employee’s eyes, and mine.
– A foreign friend told me that she was shocked to see a looong queue form so neatly behind one public phone. Everyone waited so patiently to use the phone even though everyone must have been so eager to call their families.
– The traffic was horrible!! Only one car can move forward at green light. But everyone was driving so calmly. During the 10 hour drive (which would only take 30 minutes normally) the only horns I heard was a horn of thank you. It was a fearful time — but then again a time of warmth and it made me love Japan more.
– When I was waiting at the platform, so tired and exhausted, a homeless person came to us and gave us a cardboard to sit on. Even though we usually ignore them in our daily life, they were ready to serve us.
– A beverage company is giving out free drinks, phone companies are creating more wi-fi spots, 1,000,000 noodles were given by a food company, and everyone is trying to help the best way they can. We, too, have to stand up and do our best.
– Whenever there is a black out, people are working hard to fix it. Whenever the water stops, there are people working to fix that too. And when there is problem with nuclear energy, there are people trying to fix that too. It doesn’t just fix itself. While we are waiting to regain the heat in the cool temperature or have running water, there were people risking their life to fix it for us.
– An old woman said, on a train: “Blackouts are no problem for me. I am used to saving electricity for this country, and turning off lights. At least, this time we don’t have bombs flying over our heads. I’m willing to happy to shut off my electricity!” Everyone around couldn’t say a word in response.
– When I grow older, I am going to tell my children and grandchildren, “When your grandma was young, there was a big earthquake in Japan which brought the world to one. And everyone worked so hard to help support each other and everyone was shining. To be able to tell that story, I’m going to work hard in rebuilding that work.
– In one area, when the electricity returned, peopel rejoiced. And then someone yelled: “We got electricity because someone else probably conserved theirs! Thank you so much to EVERYONE who saved electricity for us. Thank you everyone!”
– In Korea, a Japanese man got a cab ride and when it was time to pay, the driver refused and said: “You are Japanese, yes?” Yes. “When you go back to Japan, please donate the fee.” Beyond nationality or politics, we are all the same.
– My 10-year-old son, with tears in his eyes, handed his piggy bank to me, saying: “I don’t care if I cant buy my comic books, I want to save japan!!”
– I told my parents, who are living at the evacuation center, to come to Chiba where I live. And they got mad at me. My Dad said, “There are people who sustained far more damage than us, and they are not leaving. We certainly can’t leave! I will come to your place when we finish reconstruction here. So you do what you can from where you are.”
– I saw a man at the evacuation center crying when people brought food to him. It was the first time in 3 days that the food was brought to their center. But his next words surprised me. “I am very grateful that we are provided with food. But, but, the city next to us they are not receiving any food at all. Please go to that center as well.”
– An old man at the evacuation shelter said, “What’s going to happen now?” And then a young high school boy sitting next to him said, “Don’t worry! When we grow up, we will promise to fix it back!” While saying this, he was rubbing the old man’s back. And when I was listening to that conversation, I felt hope. There is a bright future, on the other side of this crisis.
(compiled and translated by Yuka Saionji)
May peace forever prevail over the earth
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