Call for prayers

Immediately after the March 11 deadly quake, these messages came in from Japan:

 From Saitama: “Okay lang ko diri pero ang nerbiyos nako grabe. Grabe ka kusog sa linog ug dugay pa gyud mahuman. Hangtod karon may aftershocks pa. Wa gyud ko matulog gabii kay taud-taod lang mosayaw na pud ang balay. Salamat sa prayers para namo tanan nga mga OFWs diri”.

 From Tsukuba. “ The quake was so devastating .... it is horrible to see town and villages totally gone in the northen part of Japan...... I had a bit sleepless night without electricity... but now I am fine.”

 Another one from Tsukuba: “Medyo spotty and weird ang celfone signals kaya hirap mag renraku (communications). Buti nalang at ok ang net. Kaso po nakakatakot sa bahay dahil almost every 30 min may aftershocks. Otherwise ok po naman kami sa Tsukuba. Don’t worry po at prayers nalang po sa mga victims. Buti na lang po at malayo ang Tsukuba sa dagat.

 From Tokyo: “We are now in Tokyo. We are alright. It was really scary, I was shaking with fear, like it was going to be the end of the world. I ran out of the house but (since) it’s also dangerous coz if the structures starts to fall from the buildings, you won’t know where to run, so we stood in front of our main door, not knowing what to do. The quake lasted for about 5 mins more or less, like it wasn’t going to end. Thank God we are alright, though there are still strong aftershocks. We’ve stock up on food and water just in case as we are advised to be on alert for the next few days.”

 Another one from Tokyo: “Thank you so much for your concern! I just got back home a while ago. I had a meeting in Tokyo when the earthquake started. By the time the meeting was finished, all the trains were stopped so I had to walk for nearly three hours to get back to my home. My daughter and my husband have to stay overnight at school and workplace but all our family are safe and sound. The roads are full of people, the telephone line was completely cut off and the earth is still shaking but at least I am grateful that I am back home with my son now”.

 This, too, from Tokyo: “Oks lang kami except that the whole house was a mess and that flight down 29 floors and the 9 hrs on the road to get home last Fri has left my body terribly sore esp the front, thighs and leg muscles. I can hardly walk properly

 Thought it was the end last Friday....”

 From the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo: “Dear mga kababayan: Nawa po’y nasa mabuting kalagayan ang lahat. For urgent messages to the Embassy, please e-mail to: [email protected]. We hope you and your family are safe. God bless po”.

 It is exactly 8 days since the March 11th deadly earthquake in Japan. Still, aftershocks are reported, perhaps not as frequent as the days immediately after the biggest earthquake that hit Japan but enough to leave those in Japan, especially those in the most devastated areas, still shaken, sleepless, and, stressed.

 Long queues for food, water, and gas, among others are still seen in many parts of the affected and neighboring areas. Remarkably, no panic, no looting have been observed. Instead, the silence, patience and discipline (among other exemplary qualities of the Japanese people) continue to receive so much praise and acclaim. Yet, so much more need to be done, so much more needing touch, assistance, prayers.

 Meanwhile, elsewhere in the world, earthquakes have also been reported and in our country, recent deadly landslides and floods in Tacloban and in parts of Bohol. Then, there are the political turmoils in Libya and Bahrain affecting more of our overseas Filipinos as well. All these developments requiring more and more prayers.

 So much trials, so much challenges, so much taking place at the same time all over the world, affecting so many people…

 Spiritual messages have been sent and exchanged through various media. There are reminders for the need for urgent, continuing prayers from our Lady at Fatima, at Akita in Japan and more.

 Definitely in the midst of all these uncertainties, now is the time for reflection, time for rethinking about nuclear plants, science, and the present global system, most especially, time for prayers, for continuing daily prayers that all will be well, that all will be safe and protected. Please, please, form your own prayer teams today if you have not done so yet.

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 Email: [email protected]