Best friend

This dog looks so similar to my own dog in marking that I did a double take when I first saw the video.

Here is an English translation of the voiceover exchange between the two reporters in the clip (translation courtesy of Toshiyuki Kitamura):

We are in Arahama area. Looks like there is a dog. There is a dog. He looks tired and dirty. He must have been caught in the tsunami. He looks very dirty.

He has a collar. He must be someone's pet. He has a silver collar. He is shaking. He seems very afraid.

Oh, there is another dog. I wonder if he is dead.

Where?

Right there. There is another dog right next to the one sitting down. He is not moving. I wonder. I wonder if he is alright.

The dog is protecting him.

Yes. He is protecting the dog. That is why he did not want us to approach them. He was trying to keep us at bay.

I can't watch this. This is a very difficult to watch.

Oh. Look. He is moving. He is alive. I am so happy to see that he is alive.

Yes! Yes! He is alive.

He looks to be weakened. We need to them to be rescued soon. We really want them rescued soon.

Oh good. He's getting up.

It is amazing how they survived the tremendous earthquake and tsunami. It's just amazing that they survived through this all.

Source of the translation from The Lookout by Brett Michael Dikes.

More ways to help our Japanese friends

For those still wanting to help, here are sites where you can do so:

From the Newsroom of Yahoo, listed are organizations like the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army where you can channel your donations.

Taro Aihara, a friend from Japan forwarded the Earthquake Information Website by the Anglican Kani Mission. Listed here are Anglican churches affected by the tragedy. Links where you can search for friends. Also listed are hotlines of the Philippines Embassy, 24-hour Translators for non-Japanese speakers and the hotlines of the Anglican Kani Mission.

donate to the Japan quake & tsunami victims

For those who want to donate to the Japan quake & tsunami victims here are tweets from reporter Kara David:

1. karadavid Globe subs can #helpJapan via mobile donations @philredcross Send RED (amount) to 2899. You can donate 5 25 100 300 500 OR 10006 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®Retweeted by imileto and 10 others
2. karadavid ‎​Smart subs can #helpJapan via mobile donations @philredcross. Send RED (amount) to 4143. U may donate 10,25,50,100,300,500,10006 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®Retweeted by imileto and 8 others
   
   

Prayer appeal for the people of Japan

Kanan Kitani, a Japanese participant in the 2010 Basic Ecumenical Course (BEC) of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) posted this in her facebook wall:

"The death toll after the earthquake and tsunami is more than 900, with about 700 others reported missing, and some 210,000 people had been evacuated in north-eastern Japan...Please do continue praying for the sufferers in Japan."

She added "The situation in Japan is horrifying. We are now highly cautious about the leak of radioactive cesium from nuclear power plant."

As I write this, there were reports of an explosion in the Fukushima nuclear power plant from the Japanese media and several people appear to have been injured.

I am appealing for prayers as this new development compounds the suffering of the people already in shock from the effects of the earthquake and tsunami.

update: here is a link of the Fukushima nuclear power plant explosion

Mourning daybreak

I can't imagine myself waking up this this kind of destruction and I thank God that He spared our country from the predicted effects of the tsunami but as the images in Japan flash on my screen I could not stop the tears from falling.

Although thankful when I heard the news that a friend Taro was safe, I still have to hear from others. I am still worried, I've been through many relief operations and I know the horror stories of death and destruction. I continue to pray that my Japanese friends are spared and that their country be given strength in facing the destruction that mother earth dealt them.

Earthquake hits Japan

A magnitude 8.9 earthquake hits the northeast coast of Japan causing a 10-meter tsunami inundating the nearby coastlines and farmlands washing away everything including cars, boats and buildings.

Tsunami warnings were then issued in nearby countries. Here in the Philippines, alert level 2 has been raised in 19 provinces warning residents to be alert of, at most, one-meter tsunami waves that could hit around 5 to 9pm Manila time.

My prayer is that the Philippines, who is just now recovering from the effects of typhoons from last year, be spared from another disaster as the whole world prays for Japan and its people as well as for our Asian neighbors who might be affected by this recent calamity.