Thinking of Philippine in Fukushima
Philippine Duchesne was moved by a strong call from God to go and be with native people in North America. Passion to bring the love of God led her to a land and people unknown to her. She travelled by ship, which took her two months – no internet, no smart phone, no Skype. While in America, she had to wait and wait for the letters from Sophie Barat. Faith, courage and patience enabled her to carry on her mission to spread the love of the Heart of God.
Today it is easier for us to go anywhere, to reach out to people living at a distance. However, not far from us, people live far away from these benefits. The tsunami survivors with whom I have been sharing stories for the past two years are such people.
Here in Fukushima, Japan, after the triple disaster of earthquake, tsunami and the nuclear power plant accident, in March 2011, countless people, after all these years, are still forced to live in a very tough situation. They do not know what their life will be like, when they will be able to go back to their own town, or when they can find jobs in a safer place. They have few certainties at all.
Newcomers cannot understand fully the suffering of these survivors. However, at least, we can be with them – to walk, to cry, or to laugh with them, even when we do not have the language to show our feelings towards them. Isn’t this how we too, like Philippine, can spread the love of the heart of God and show that God is always with us?
Masako Egawa, RSCJ, Province of Japan Image: Piles of black bags filled with radiation-contaminated soil stretching far and wide – Masako Egawa, RSCJ
