By Alex Murashko
Special to ASSIST News Service
LAKE FOREST, CA (ANS) -- People in Japan have not rested since March 11, 2011, the day the country was rocked by devastation. Conflicting reports of the threat from the leaking radiation from a nuclear plant has left many in a perpetual state of fear.
Yet, there are many brave people living, working, doing their best to cope ... and in some cases, becoming heroes.
Miya Smith, who is an Orange County, Calif., resident and member of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, has a brother working at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. His job is to supervise a portion of the 500 men now working to save and restore the plant.
Miya writes:
“My brother is 37 years old and a civil engineer. He works for one of the major construction firms in Japan, in its Sendai branch. He is a ‘site’ (called ‘Genba’ in Japanese) guy ... not an office worker. His main job is to supervise and manage tunnel projects. He has been all over Tohoku area over the years, building tunnels for the bullet trains, highways, etc. He is currently working (until the earthquake) on the subway extension tunnel in Sendai city. They do public works with TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company, who operates the plant) sometimes, and TEPCO asked their contracting firms and suppliers to build tanks inside the power plant to store the highly radioactive waters from the damaged reactors.
“His job description is ‘construction supervisor’ or ‘construction manager’ (Genba kantoku, in Japanese), so he will oversee the workers and site of the construction, kind of like a project manager. He started his new project yesterday.”
Here is a portion of a letter written to Miya from her brother:
“We are building tanks to store the contaminated water (from the damaged reactor) and it should complete sometime mid-May. Construction site is about 100 meters from Reactor No 3 and 4 and is within the power plant.
“My job is to supervise the workers, but also includes the site supervision, so I won't be able to go outside the ‘danger zone’ while on my assignment there (he will be there for 3 weeks - Miya). But I haven't been told that we will be going inside the reactor building or something like that. We will need to change the protective suit and mask at least twice a day to take a break, etc. To save the people from radiation, I'll go, and will watch for the workers safety as well as mine.”
Miya writes on her Facebook wall yesterday after posting her brother's message:
“I heard on the news from this morning that after the big after shock today in Fukushima, all the workers were evacuated from the power plant for now. There are up to 500 workers a day. There are many people risking their lives doing this. Lord, please protect them!”
Please continue to follow the story of Japan. We love and pray for the people. Pray for Miya’s brother and the 500 nuclear plant workers. Pray for Japan!
Note from the author: “PEACE in Japan” is about praying and serving with the Japanese Church. The Japan PEACE Team of Saddleback Church exists to support existing partnerships and cultivate new relationships with pastors, churches, leaders and missionaries who love and serve persons of Japanese descent for the sake of Jesus Christ. The Purpose Driven Fellowship of Japan is also helping this effort. Go to http://peaceinjapan.com to follow our story.
Alex Murashko is founder and editor of Outreach New Media. Murashko has been a reporter for the Los Angeles Times, Press-Enterprise, Christian Examiner, and ASSIST News. He is a volunteer for the Communications Department at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif.Twitter: http://twitter.com/AlexMurashko
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/amurashko
Email: alex@alexmurashko.com
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