CLEVELAND — It’s been nearly a year since a massive earthquake and tsunami rocked Japan, and
Meg Collins still can hardly believe the sight.
“Just stunned me,” she said, “Just taken aback. As far as your eye could see. Mile after mile of foundation, foundation, foundation. Just nothing was left.”
Collins just returned from a mission trip in Japan, which remains devastated after a 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami rocked the country last March.
“After the tsunami, there’s been so many tragedies, but there are some that really stand out,” she said. “And this is definitely one of them, that just touches your heart.”
The story touched the heart of her pastor and four other members of the Calvary Chapel in Cleveland.
They traveled the 8,000 miles to the country, where 15,000 people died from the disaster and more than 115,000 reportedly are without a home.
“A lot of the push is over. The first few months, the people go and then they forget,” said pastor Mike Bucher. ”And sure enough when we went, they said the work is still just as great, but people are not coming anymore.”
The group spent 11 days in the country, helping tear down and clean up homes in parts of the community.
“There were so many big smiles and they were just glad we were there,” Bucher said. “The biggest difference for me is realizing how precious people are, not just stuff. Our trials are nothing compared to that.”
One of the group’s main projects was helping create a coffee house, where they offered free drinks and some like Bucher’s son, Noah, would offer their musical talents.
“They asked me to perform a little concert, and I didn’t know that many songs,” Noah said. “But I would look up and I would see someone listening. They don’t even know what I’m saying, but for some reason I feel like I’m connecting with them, that what I’m doing now is for them.”
Pamm Hadchiti would often join Noah at the microphone, though she admits, she was a bit hesitant at first.
“I kept telling myself, ‘Pam, this isn’t for you,’” she said. “As far as entertainment and singing goes, they don’t really care if the people sound good, if they look good dancing. We had fun.”
Eventually, the stage where Noah and Pamm performed at will become a part of a church.
The group plans to return to Japan later this year to extend their mission of restoring faith and a community in desperate need of help.
They’re smiling again and they’re laughing. And you know, for everything they’ve been through, they deserve it, so I’m really happy to have given that to them.”