Finding Freedom
July 2011
Banner photo: Finding Freedom [© Dariush M./Shutterstock]
Care for the Heart
Hideaki Kamaya (first from left) helping prepare food for earthquake survivors in Miyagi Prefecture [© Seikyo Shimbun]
The Soka Gakkai Headquarters dispatched teams of youth members to provide support in the affected regions. Hideaki Kamaya from Tokyo was part of one such group to travel to Northeast Japan. The team, the fourth to be dispatched, was in the affected area from March 28 to April 5.
Hideaki explained: "Our group included young people from all over Japan. We were assigned to various community centers, mainly helping with unloading and distributing emergency supplies. One of our biggest functions was to allow the local people to rest. They'd been working flat-out since the day of the earthquake, and desperately needed a day or two off."
He realized that it was not so much the physical destruction as the emotional devastation that was taking its toll on people.
"People who've been staying in the community centers ever since the earthquake have nothing to do. They'd like to go to where their homes were, but what can they do? They can't begin to reconstruct their lives because there is no clear guidance as to whether or when their communities will be rebuilt."
And life in the shelters is tough. "Those who are seeking shelter at places such as local elementary schools have nearly reached their limits in terms of physical and mental strain. Families of five are crammed into small spaces and forced to sleep almost on top of each other, with just a blanket spread over the hard floor. They're only able to take showers about once a week. With no television, there is a severe lack of information."
Adding to the stress are the crowded conditions and the lack of privacy. "Although many would like to outwardly express their feelings of despair, they're surrounded by people who are undergoing the same struggles, making it almost taboo to do so. Under such circumstances, all they can do is wait for things to improve, even just a little."
One of the first things that struck Hideaki was the overwhelming number of elderly people in the shelters. "Those who are able to move and work leave the shelters during the day to do whatever they can, such as removing debris from around their disaster-struck homes. In contrast, the elderly people, many of whom are limited in mobility, just sit there."
Evacuees living in a community center [© Seikyo Shimbun]
In such conditions simple acts of kindness go a long way. "I had the opportunity to talk to several people living at the shelter. They seemed to enjoy the company. It was almost as if the fact of having a conversation meant that they felt needed and appreciated.
"It's not as if they could receive any material assistance through such conversations. It's not as if their dire situation changes. But even a simple conversation can help them feel that there is someone who is waiting for them to feel better--that they are somehow needed."
One of his responsibilities was to drive local Soka Gakkai leaders to visit and encourage members and local residents in inaccessible areas such as Ishinomaki and Higashi Matsushima. Even though their homes may not have been destroyed, many had been cut off completely by the breakdown of the transport system. "These are all people who are struggling to restart their lives against the odds, but they were so overwhelmingly grateful to see a familiar face after so long, and to share their struggles with someone who cared deeply about their well-being. I was really struck by the importance of human contact, how crucial person-to-person interaction really is."
He continues: "Through my Soka Gakkai activities, I've always been reminded about the importance of treasuring each individual and of meeting with people and listening to what they have to say. Being able to truly understand what this means and realizing how profound it is to be able to meet just one person--this, I feel, is what I gained the most through this experience, and I will never forget it."
It is acknowledged that, as time passes and immediate material needs are met, the ongoing stress and anxiety over the uncertain future faced by many in Tohoku and elsewhere in Japan mean that psychological support and strengthening bonds of friendship within local communities will become increasingly crucial. It is here that organizations such as the Soka Gakkai, with a focus on spiritual well-being and existing networks in the affected area, can play a significant role.
