Love is What Makes this World Beautiful

While in Hualien, Taiwan, Danny and I went for a visit to a the Tzu Chi Buddhist Foundation. I really didn't know much about it before going... just what I read on the Taiwanese Secrets travel site - there's a beautiful roof and free lunch. Free lunch!? I'm there.


It turned out to be an incredible organization founded by a Taiwanese nun in the 1960's - that has expanded from an initial local effort of running free clinics, to building a national network of hospitals and schools, to doing international relief work in times of crisis.

I was especially interested to hear about their relief work in Japan since the tsunami, (which includes preparing and delivering hot meals to the people who lost their homes), since I have been looking for a venue to volunteer once we return to Japan.

We missed the free lunch which was a slight bummer, but were recommended to try out the food at the Tzu Chi Hospital next door. I don't usually go to hospital cafeterias expecting much, so you can imagine my delight when we were served this miso hot pot (below). So fresh, nourishing and delicious!

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Prayers for Japan

As I'm sure you have seen in the past few days, the news from Northeastern Japan has become even more heartbreaking since photos and video footage from those who were on the ground as the tsunami hit made their way to the media. Heartbreaking and horrifying.

I feel very much how I did after evacuating New Orleans in 2005, watching news of the city's unraveling from nearby Lafayette... not knowing at the present what to do besides pray. Pray that families are reunited, pray that no more lives are lost, pray for all the medical and rescue crews working.

The dangerous radioactive leaks from the plant in Fukushima is not yet under control, so I am staying alert to its condition. Right now I appear to be a safe distance away from the site, 250 miles. The best news source I have found for staying up to date on this situation is: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nhk-world-tv, where they are doing direct translations of the Japanese news.

Source of Above Photo: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/03/japan_earthquake_aftermath.html (Accessed 3/15/11).

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Tsunami News

I had just gotten back to the Atsusaka's in Izunokuni when we felt the first of the mild tremors that this region received. We immediately flipped on the TV, and watched in shock as the effects of the 8.9 quake elicited a ravaging tsunami on the northeastern coast of Japan. Ms. Astusaka told me that a tsunami of this magnitude only occurs once a lifetime.

The only real repercussion here was the immediate shut-down of all public transportation. Danny was in the nearest city about 1 hour away teaching yesterday afternoon. Without a train to ride back to Izunokuni, Mr. Atsusaka graciously drove the 2 hours to pick him up and bring him home. We talked to the Atsusaka's daughter, Yuko, who lives in Tokyo (about 150 miles north of Izu) last night, after she finally got home from work. It took her 2 hours to make the walk back to her quake-ransacked apartment.

All this is to say we were spared the worst of this devastating disaster, and I will keep you posted as I find out more information.

Love,
le.

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