ASIA/JAPAN - Support via radio for victims and prayer for “friendship between China and Japan”

Tokyo (Agenzia Fides) – In addition to humanitarian aid, the Japanese people also need psychological and spiritual sustenance: Christian radio began with this conviction, reported missionaries in Japan to Fides, and has been unceasingly broadcast in Japanese, with the aim of helping local people to overcome the present tragedy.
Radio HCJB (Herald Christ Jesus' Blessing) based in the United States, and radio partners in 100 countries throughout Asia, Africa and Latin America, is producing and airing numerous programs in Japanese, dedicated to encouraging and consoling the victims, and accompanying them in prayer, to help them trust in Divine providence. As reported to Fides, the Christians from the HCJB Japanese program are trying to bring hope to the Japanese people: “This is the time to build a new Japan. When one life ends, there is another beginning. Japan hopes in God.”
The listeners of a local radio station in Tokyo are calling the transmission to express their sympathy or vent their sadness. Via the radio, they get a sense of the closeness of the faithful from around the world. In particular, the local faithful hope and pray that “the Lord, at this tragic time, may take away the hostility and help develop friendly relations between China and Japan”, and also invoke divine help to end the nuclear crisis, to prevent the outbreak of epidemics, and to help and give strength to the missionaries and volunteers who are working to help the refugees. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 30/3/2011)