DALLAS—Texas Baptists are providing a van for the Japan Baptist Convention to transport people and supplies in the area affected by the tsunami.
The Baptist General Convention of Texas has wired money to the Japan convention for the van and hopes to provide funds for the Japan convention to purchase as many as five additional vans they need for relief efforts. The Japanese Baptist Church in North Texas in Dallas also has raised enough money to pay for a van for the Japan Baptist Convention.
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A Texas Baptist relief team returned in late March from asessing needs in the devastated region around Sendai, Japan.
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“Unlike most churches and individuals in the United States, many Japanese do not own personal or church vehicles,” said Chris Liebrum, who leads Texas Baptists’ disaster response.
“Most people use the advanced mass transit systems. However, current conditions require that the Japan Baptist Convention have the ability to not only be more flexible with their transportation but to have vehicles that they can use to haul supplies such as food and cooking equipment to the areas around Sendai. Japanese leaders also need these type of vehicles to transport relief workers both from their country and others who will come to Japan to help with the relief.”
To give funds to provide vans in Japan, visit www.texasbaptists.org/give. Money given to the Texas Baptist Disaster Relief offering will go to purchase these vehicles. If additional money is given beyond what is required, those funds will be used for other disaster response needs.
The decision to purchase the van is the latest effort in Texas Baptists’ work with the Japan Baptist Convention following the tsunami. The BGCT already wired $25,000 to Japanese Baptists, Texas Baptist Men sent an assessment team to Japan, and Yutaka Takarada, pastor of Japanese Baptist Church of North Texas, plans to return to Japan to talk with Japanese Baptists about relief efforts.
Meanwhile, Texas Baptist Men disaster relief volunteers continue to distribute water and other provisions to victims of wildfires in West Texas and provide chain-saw units to clear debris following tornadoes in Alabama. To support TBM disaster relief ministry financially, visit www.texasbaptistmen.org.
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