Hi, fans of skippy’s list, I’m back from the dead. Rather appropriate for
someone who primarily wrote articles about zombie games, isn’t it?
While I am currently trying to figure out some new material to come up
with, I have a much more pressing concern to talk to you about. We’ve all
heard about the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that has slammed into
Japan and caused devastation throughout most of the country. I’m sure some
of you have donated money or goods to the Red Cross and other similar
organizations. I’m writing here today to get the word out on a smaller but
nevertheless important mission.
For the tl;dr folks, you can find out how to donate as well as
information on who’s going over there and how the money will be spent at the
following link:
http://funds.gofundme.com/34n9w
Here’s the rundown. Danny Iverson is a good friend of mine and a pastor
who runs a youth mission in Newark, NJ. I am by no means a Christian, but I
nevertheless consider him a mentor and good friend. He has never pressured
me about my religion, and the time we’ve spent together has been filled with
wonderful and thought-provoking debates on theology and other matters.
Danny was raised in Japan as a Christian Missionary and has spent most of
his childhood and adolescence there. He’s fluent in Japanese, and his
parents still live there running the mission and living in the
community.
After the earthquake hit, Danny knew he had to go help. While the U.S.
State Department is advising Americans that traveling to Japan is a really
bad idea here, he is going to help out his family and the community that
they’ve become a part of.
The Red Cross, the Japanese government, and other relief agencies are
doing all they can, but it’s always the smaller towns and villages that
receive supplies and help fast. On Monday, March 21st, Danny and three
others (all of whom speak Japanese to one degree or another; relief workers
who can speak both English and Japanese are sorely needed, as an aside) are
going to Iwaki, Japan – 30 miles south of the nuclear reactor that is
currently not in the best condition. He’s bringing water filters that can
run through 15 gallons a minute so they have clean water, as well as other
necessities. They are also bringing in donated telecommunications equipment
so they can stay in contact with the rest of the world from Iwaki.
They’ve set a goal of $10,000, and Danny has already put $3,500 in plane
tickets on his own credit card – something he really, really can’t afford
right now. (As his friend, I take comfort in the knowledge that he’s very
fiscally responsible and can handle that level of debt coming out of nowhere
if he had to.) Every dollar can help. I’m as broke as an infomercial cooking
appliance, but I’m trying to scrape together what money I can to chip
in.
Again, you can read all of the details at the link I posted above. If you
can’t spare any financial help (or very little) and still want to do
something to help Danny get boots on the ground in Iwaki, then please pass
the above link around to your friends, family, and co-workers. I thank you
for your time.
-Ihmhi
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