Caring for the people of Kumamoto/Oita, Japan

Thank you, everyone, who attended the benefit concert and made generous donations! Sycamore will continue to receive donations for the people of Kumamoto/Oita though June 26. Checks should be written to the church with "Kumamoto Benefit" in the memo line.

We received the following letter from the Kyushu District office of the United Church of Japan:

Dear Sycamore Congregational Church

Attn: Rev. Yasutaka Yoshioka

We are very grateful to learn that your church held a music concert to collect donations to help victims of Kumamoto/Oita earthquake in Kyushu district and it came from all the way from the U.S. Thank you for your support and we are truly encouraged and gained strength.

We received your donations and encouragement. It will be used for recovery efforts in the affected area. Thank you very much.

People in Kumamoto and Beppu area are so accustomed to feel the aftershocks that they became to be able to tell the size after having more than 1300 aftershocks. On the other hand, we are afraid to have inequality within victims due to media coverage become less frequent.

We are hoping to support victims in long term support operation.

Although it is very difficult to have "visible and large scale support operation" due to aftershocks and devastation, we hope to make a small but steady effort as district. Please hold our support effort in your prayers.

We hold people in Sycamore church, Rev. Yoshioka and his family in prayer from all the way from Kyushu.

May God's grace embrace each one of you.

With gratitude

United Church of Christ in Japan Kyushu District Secretary,

Rev. Masayuki Niihori