As of March 28, more than 10,900 people lost their lives and more than 17,600 people still missing. The number of refugees is approx. 240,000. W e have not had this enormous size of natural disaster for many many years. We, Japanese, forget easily that we are living on the four (4) plates pushing each other; North American, Pacific, Filipino and Eurasian plates.
Sendai Diocese has set up “Sendai Diocese Support Center”(SDSC) on March 17 at Motomachikoji Catholic Church in the center of Sendai. In coordination with SDSC, Mr. Nozomi Sugino entered into the earthquake and tsunami stricken Sendai Diocese from March 23 to 28 as a leader of 7-men Catholic Shinsei Kaikan Youth Volunteer Team from Tokyo Archdiocese. He was asked to set up a satelite support center in Ishinomaki, one of the severely stricken areas. He was speechless to see the devastation. The second Youth Volunteer Team will be dispatched from April 1 to 6. The followings are some of his photos in Ishinomaki. 
We have great concerns on the radiation from the earthquake and tsunami stricken Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant No. 1. Four (4) out of six (6) reactors are having serious problems. They are trying very hard to regain control over them, but radioactivity, water and debris are slowing down the progress. People in the 20 Km radius were asked to evacuate, and in the 30 Km radius are recommended to evacuate. We need to be calm as well as cautious against radiation. Please pray with us for the engineers and workers working hard to stop contamination on site who risk their lives.
With prayers