Focusing on the Restoration of the Affected Community

The Konkokyo Youth Association Headquarters have been taking on relief activity roles in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture. The Youth Association has sent four expeditions, and seventy people have joined the relief activities as of the end of May.
Reverend Naofumi Inoue, Head Minister of the Konko Church of Ishinomaki and nineteen advance party members visited Ishinomaki City Hall amongst other institutions to make courtesy calls and to request a place for their camp. But, although the Youth Association had contacted the Ishinomaki City government numerous times in advance, the office was already overwhelmed with responding to other matters and problems.

Their negotiations seemed to be very difficult because the city was pressed by various issues, but fortunately a contact within the office knew the former head minister of Ishinomaki Church. From then on their negotiations went smoothly and the camp site was provided.

Reverend Inoue said, “What a miraculous thing that we could meet a person who knows our Faith in Ishinomaki, even though Konkokyo is minority religion around here! It is no doubt that Kami-Sama and Reverend Kimi Muto, our former head minister led us.”

The expedition members and Reverend Inoue held a discussion and decided to provide aid for reconstruction work in the Sumiyoshi area where the Ishinomaki Church was located. The very next day they started work on clearing and removing rubble.

These activities are ongoing to help the reconstruction of this area in an aim to please the people of the affected community as Reverend Inoue strongly wishes to do.