2011年7月18日月曜日

長島さんレポート110717

Dear Friends 17 July

In the morning on March 12th, I went to Tagajo campus together with my student, Mr. Sasaki.
The photos on my first report were taken on this day.
As I wrote on the first report, college chapel was filled with the people gotten away from tsunami.
Even on the chapel pulpit, I saw some people lying still in the blanket.
In the entrance of the chapel, some students were working as volunteers.
One student, Mr. Okuse whom I know well came up to me.
He evacuated from his apartment house in the water.
He and his friends were staying in the chapel.
In front of the chaplel, I saw some tents and Japan Self-Defense Forces.

I visited the college dormitory.
As the earthquake occured during spring vacation, all students except Mr.Sasaki had come back to their hometown.
The dormiory manager and his wife evacuated into their van.
They were warming theirselves by the oil heater.
I concerned about avoiding carbon monoxide poisoning.

After we came back to home, we visited the primary school near our house.
The gym was full of people.
There was heat but no relief goods.

Because we brought back a portable gas stove from the college, we sat around one-pot dish cooked at the table.
One of my graduates had sent me a lot of rehydratable noodle the last year.
He is the president of the noodle company now.
His gift saved us.
My wife's parents need care.
My wife's father didn't understand what happened.
It took one month to see home helpers comming their house.
We lintened to the radio with our heads under the covers.
We felt cold.
And there was evening, and there was morning-the second day.

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A few days ago, I received a telephone call from one of my graduates Mrs. Watanabe.
She let me know the wonderful news about the engagement of the another graduate Miss Itoh.
Miss Itoh was my seminar student.
Mrs. Watanabe and I exchanged the latest news about the graduates.
She attached in the email some photos taken in her marriage ceremony.
I saw old familiar faces in it.
She told me that she sent disposable diapers to her friend.
Another graduate evacuated to her relative.
Many graduates had difficult experiences from this disaster.
But she made me bring back to the fond memories.

I pray for all of my graduates.

fromsendai

Shinji Nagashima