I asked my cousin, Masako in Sendai for help. Masako is a new mother and works at her husband's hardware store. She called the Miyagi police, the Miyagino ward office, the neighborhood association that watches over the area, and finally drove to the address that Frances had. She took photos, talked to a neighbor and sent the information back to me to forward on to Frances.There still hasn't been direct contact with Frances' family, but we know that they are all right. Masako was not able to get more information other than to give Frances the phone number of the police station because Japan has very strict privacy laws. Frances called the number and was eventually able to get more reassuring information.
I found this comment from Frances this morning:
"Because of Kay and her cousin Masako I was able to find my missing relatives in Japan. They were not affected by the earthquake and are fine. Thank you Kay and Masako. You went over and above! What wonderful sweet women you both are. I feel like I have two new friends. My family cannot thank you enough!
Love,
Frances"
After feeling pretty wonderful how that all turned out, I got a second e-mail from Frances that she'd heard about another earthquake. Good grief! It was 7.1 this time.
The next e-mail came from Masako:
"As you know, we got another very big earthquake again before midnight for about 30 seconds. It was so scary but okay. The NHK radio news reported that a TSUNAMI was sure to come and people around the coastal area should run away to higher places.
(But this time, the height of the TSUNAMI was predicted as one meter, compared with 16m of March 11th.)
Anyway, we were relieved that electricity and water didn’t stop this time. (Gas service has not recovered, yet.)"
Art just reminded me that we were in Japan last year from March 22nd - April 7th. Imagine if we were there this year. It would have been a totally different trip if we would have gone at all.Did I mention that we are planning to go next year?
Masako is quite the angel.
ReplyDeleteGreat teamwork.
Poor Japan, shaking again.
Are you going to be in stress when you visit next year, like you are in the suspense movies?
It doesn't look all that warm in the picture from last year. I wonder what that picture would look like if it had been taken today. Japan has been through so much, but it is people like you who help things get better by thinking of ways to help. Blessings to you.
ReplyDeleteKay, you and Masako are sweet people! I am so glad Frances found out her relatives were all right. Japan has been hit with so many devastating things in such a short period of time-my heart goes out the the country, the people and all those loved ones that haven't found their loved ones yet.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad this wasn't the year you were going!! HUGS!!
Kudos to you and Masako for providing so much help to Frances. These kind of stories are the bright spots in the midst of so much tragedy.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful feat you two accomplished and how relieved Frances must be. It is easy to understand the difficulty in finding loved ones must be and how frustrating for the family far away. What a blessing you provided that family.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you all weren't there this year.
Awww, look at Yuki's sweet little baby:
ReplyDeletehttp://idfspokesperson.com/2011/04/08/idf-doctors-treat-new-mothers-and-their-babies-in-minamisanriku/
You and Masako are indeed wonderful, caring people and I wish there were more like you!! Your post warmed my heart this morning and that's a wonderful way to begin the day. I do hope there are no more earthquakes and tsunamis!!! Japan and it's people have suffered enough! Hope you and Art and your Mom have a lovely weekend!
ReplyDeleteSylvia
it's an amazing world of communication these days...
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you are planning another trip. It shouldout. be quite interesting comparing what you saw before to what you'll be seeing on this trip.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you've had good news on all the people you've inquired ab
good work Kay. Do you think it will be okay to go next year?
ReplyDeleteThaank you so much for this update Kay. You are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteYou also saw New Zealand long before their earthquake. Lucky you!
ReplyDeleteAll this turmoil makes me wonder if it is wise for us to buy a Japanese car.
This was a great and wonderful thing that you did. I'm thankful that yesterday's aftershock did not do much damage, but I can't imagine what it did to the fragile state of mind that so many must feel.
ReplyDeleteTravel during these times does come with a new sense of being aware of the unknown that can quickly change everything.
I can't imagine how difficult it must be for people there now. I'm glad you have been able to help people, Kay.
ReplyDeleteI feel nothing but admiration for the way the Japanese have conducted themselves throughout these past few weeks. I think a little anarchy scratches the civilized patina off the surface of people and you get a PEEK (eh cuz?) at the real substance beneath, and it is a frank and honest, sometimes ugly revelation. I think of what happened with Katrina and the outcome there, vs the tsunami in Sendai; from a civil standpoint, I don't see much difference. The physical assaults were similar. But what a tremendously different reaction from the Japanese people.
ReplyDeletewalt
Wait a minute....
ReplyDeleteKAY was in New Zealand and there was an earthquake. Kay was then in Japan and there was earthquake. Coincidence?
hmmmm.
walt
Kay - what wonderful coordination for information! I sure wish we could "arrest" your relatives and have them live in Hawaii. In sharing your posts, it does sound like they are doing well and providing goods to the people needing supplies from their store. You are a little blessing in a chaotic world. DrumMajor
ReplyDeleteYou and Masako both went above and beyond. I hope this second earthquake didn't inflict worse damage on a populace that has had to suffer too much already.
ReplyDeleteDina: Very possibly I will be worried. My mother is always convinced there's going to be an earthquake when we're there. She's still OK with going though. She wants to see her siblings.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the link and thank you to all those wonderful Israeli soldiers! What a blessing they have been.
Christine: I don't know if it'll be OK next year. We were planning to go down south so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Granted down south, there are volcanoes and earthquakes, too.
Gigi: Ummmm... how does the earthquake make buying a Japanese car worrisome?
Walt: We're planning to go to Yellowstone and Alaska this year. You think they'll try to keep us away?
Drum Major: I was really trying to convince my cousins, Aunt and Uncle to come to Hawaii, but they said they couldn't. Ulterior motive... I wanted to carry Masako's baby. :-)
So glad that family is well. Also, very glad you didn't go there this year. Next year...I might worry about you a little.
ReplyDeleteHi Kay,
ReplyDeleteyes, there was a big earthquake even in Tokyo since that terrible earthquake.
and there are still aftershocks.
today there was a small earthquake twice....
it was good there wasn't an earthquake when you came to Japan.
by the way I love Russell Crowe!
he stared in Gladiator.
he was soooooooooooooo cool!!
actually I didn't know the word of " stir fry ".
yes, I wanted to say " I stir fried Daikon leaves. "
I learned one word from you.
Thank you very much!
I love daikon leaves. they 're sooo delish.
my father-in-law threw away them, too.
but I asked him to send me them.
because he lives in Kansai-area and his vegetables are not contained radio active material.
by the way do you know england has been throwing away polluted water by radioactive material in the sea for 30 years. so Norway or other countries got angry with it.
sometimes it's happier when you didn't know the truth.......
I feel for the people that are in harms way, they are still in our prayers. God bless you for helping out.
ReplyDeleteWonderful detective work. You should work for the Red Cross!
ReplyDelete