Jonet Salon in Minamisanriku

Making aroma candles

Here we’re melting the wax with hot water

 

 

A lot of debris has been removed; including what had been lodged

in the disaster prevention centre, leaving just the frame. 

 

The buildings have gone and everything flattened

 

 

 

 

Shizugawa High School softball club practising
They use a different school building for lessons

We gave everyone in the baseball and softball clubs Jonet gift sets 

 

 

Temporary housing in the grounds of Shizugawa High School

  

 

Soup kitchen run by Tokyo University and Toyo University students,

part of the “You are not alone” project.

Today’s lunch menu is Chinese chilled noodles 

 

Members of the public health nurses support team from Kumamoto

and Kagawa took part too  

 

So did the men 

 

In the shelter 

 

Shaving oil pastels to add colour to the aroma candles 

 

 

 

On July 3^rd I went to Minamisanriku and for the first time participated in the Jonet Salon, where people can take part in relaxing activities and chat. I had been to Shizugawa in Minamisanriku many times before the disaster to go fishing, eat delicious seafood or just relax, so I was lost for words at how much it had changed.

Some of us went to the Hotel Kanyo and the others to Shizugawa High School, both of which are being used as shelters, to hold Jonet salons. At Shizugawa High School they made aroma candles and star accessories made from Japanese paper, as well as met with the sports clubs.

I went to the Hotel Kanyo where we did nail care, hand massages and made dolls from cotton work gloves. I helped make the dolls with the people who were sheltering there. They were really easy to make and looked very cute. While we were making them I was worried, as our dolls looked horrible compared to the finished example, but when they were finished they all looked cute in their own special way. Everyone was laughing while we made them, about how ugly they looked. It really helped to relax people and they started to open up to us.

“My house was washed away and I lost my son. My daughter-in-law and grandchildren came from overseas, but I don’t have anything to do every day,” a lady in her 70s told me. “I’m really glad I can make something like this by myself.”

Another woman in her 50s said “I’m so grateful to all the people who have given me so much help. I’m really happy I could join in, not just watch. The doll I made was so cute, it helped comfort me. I’m waiting to get a place in the temporary housing,” she explained.

It was a cloudy day, but the sea was very calm. A lady in her 80s said, “You can’t believe such a beautiful sea did such a terrible thing, it took everything. I lost all my craft tools, everything. I got to make a cute doll today for the first time in ages and I’m so happy. My grandchildren live in the temporary housing near here, I’m looking forward to showing them this, when they visit. Thank you.” When I asked what she wanted most at the moment, she answered, “I’m really grateful for everything everyone is doing, but I’d like to go home to my own house.”

Everyone who lost her house in the tsunami says the same thing “I want to go home.” It is very sad that they can never get their wish.

 My feeling on taking part for the first time was that the women affected by the disaster, were able to spend time relaxing at the salon like they were in their own home. If they could only stay safe here until they can find their own way to enjoy life.

As I passed through Minamisanriku on the way back, the sea mist was hanging in the air creating a fantastic scene. At the harbour there were lots of fishing boat flags, maybe some kind of event, and it made me feel the power of recovery.

Chikako

This time (well, every time) 3 members of Rise Together: Women’s Network for East Japan Disaster took part. A teacher from mallowshouse aromatherapy school in Chiba came and held an aroma candle workshop. Elementary school boys and girls joined in with making the glove dolls and the boys really got involved, doing a great job. Boys who can actively participate in making dolls will definitely grow up to be confident.

The Shizugawa High School baseball club who saved a lot of elderly people living near by from the tsunami, were away in a different prefecture practicing, so we gave the relief supplies to the school to pass on to them.

The public health nurses in Shizugawa, the people at the comprehensive care centre, and the staff at the Hotel Kanyo who are helping the town people over the long term, have all received gifts from all over Japan. These people who are working here are also disaster victims, and we are impressed that they continue to look after the townspeople.
A woman sheltering at the Hotel Kanyo said “We got haircuts from hairdressers who visited. But there was no water so they couldn’t do hair colouring. The water’s finally back on, so it would be great if a volunteer who can dye hair could come. I’m getting more white hairs and they’re standing out.”

Miyagi Jonet Office