Gatekeeping

Being a gatekeeper is a very difficult job. On the one hand, we have an amazing opportunity to meet each person to come through the center's door and show them love and help them rebuild their lives. On the other hand however, we see the varying levels of hardship and sort through how much to help an individual based on that perceived need. This struggle is a judgement call, often hindered by language obstacles. It is perhaps the hardest part of our job here and we deal with it every day.

There are the easy cases... the people who have truly lost everything, have no blankets on their beds and are struggling to make ends meet. When they are willing to admit their dire situation, we are able to give them quilts that they most desperately need. Their happiness is our greatest joy here.

However, our biggest challenge has been when the clear-cut lines of need are blurred. There are many individuals in Kessenuma that fared OK through the disasters and still live in their own homes (about 30% of the city was destroyed in the tsunami... a large amount, but thankfully still a minority of the population). Dan and I struggle with our human emotions revolving around "fairness," the inborn desire to judge levels of need and motivations behind coming to the center, and the frustration of living in a passive aggressive culture that would never directly point out someone's wrong-doing. There are points in every day that we feel at a loss as to what to say or do (in another language, no less) to keep the balance and make sure that we are able to help those truly in need vs. those who might use a new blanket, but don't really need a new blanket.

We have to remember there are other factors to consider... 1) Even if their house still stands, their job may have been eliminated by the tsunami and wouldn't have as large of an income to be able to purchase the things they need as easily (kerosene, additional blankets, etc.) 2) They may not be taking the blanket for themselves. Many people have asked to take additional blankets to those who can't come to the center (a problem expressed in Tanaka-san's report). This will distribute the quilts further than we would be able to ourselves. 3) For the Christians living in Kessenuma, this may be an additional way to witness to their friends, by showing Christ's love through the women who made the blankets for this community.

We are constantly reminding ourselves (or each other, as the need arises) that the ultimate goal is to share God's love through this project which should not be limited just to those most directly affected by the disasters. There is 99% of the population in Japan who don't know our Savior. No amount of blankets will ever save their souls. However, our family is the ambassador to the Truth, perhaps the first they've ever encountered... maybe the only they ever will encounter. So to turn them away based on our human discretion ends up being a moot point because God is efficient. He can still work through the generosity shown by people half a world away in hearts of those a bit more short-sighted or just plain selfish. Is it hard to not have enough to share with those truly in need? Absolutely. But for now we must do our best to explain that the quilts were donated to those who need them and leave the decision to take one or not on the individual's conscience and trust God to do His work. Each quilt has a label with information about the church body here in Japan... perhaps down the road they may seek to find out more. That's where our prayers lie now.




We have only 16 quilts remaining (of the 135 we had Wednesday morning, in addition to the 44 that was completely depleted from the first batch). I pray that they we are able to give these last quilts to those whose lives both physically and spiritually will be changed the most and that the hearts of the citizens here may be filled with God's grace.