My stepson lives in Japan. He’s lived there for several years, and is now engaged to a lovely Japanese girl. Fortunately, he resides south of Tokyo, but that doesn’t mean we still don’t worry about him, or his fiance, or her family.
And we worry about the people of Japan, who are going through a crisis of a magnitude that most of us in North America can’t even imagine. There are so many immediate threats: the reactors potentially melting down, hundreds of thousands of people out in the cold without food, clothing, and shelter. Then there are the long-term impacts, physical and psychological, as the Japanese struggle to rebuild infrastructure and restore lives.
And who even knows how many important cultural and historical sites have been damaged or lost forever? In the immediate aftermath of such a crisis, that kind of concern slips well below the radar – as it should – but I suspect that Japan has suffered some significant and tragic architectural and historical losses.
Japan is the third-largest economy in the world, but it still needs our help. Here are some reputable charities where you can safely send your donation dollars. If you can contribute anything at all, please do.
I’m also a huge believer in protecting animals during a disaster of this nature. People are dependent on their animals for so many things, and they are often terribly neglected during a crisis. Here’s a very good animal charity to donate to:
World Society For The Protection Of Animals
Thanks, everybody. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Japan.