After checking in at the center,our group headed in the direction of the home that had requested our help. I soon realized the beautiful scenery of the mountain and fields had changed- we were surrounded by rubble. The scenery continued for what seemed like forever...
Part way there,the road was gone.
I was surprised when we actually made it to our destination. When we showed up, the owner was glad to see us,
"I didn't know if you'd actually come."
The house had survived the tsunami. But the water was not running yet. The sliding doors in the front were taken away by the tsunami, making the inside of the house vulnerable to the dust from outside.
We were told to help remove the accumulated sand in the front and backyard from the tsunami. Broken glass was mixed in with the sand so we had to be careful. Using wheelbarrows, we carried the sand to its destination.
Another group had joined us and we were able to finish the task there earlier than expected.
During our break (and despite our kind refusal), the mom and grandma there provided sweets and beverages for us. The grandma talked in a heavy Tohoku dialect and I had difficulty understanding what she was saying. But the people there were so kind.
The owner let us know that by working along side us, he was able to gain back the motivation he had lost to clean up the mess. I will never forget the smile he had on his face throughout that day.
The family was planting sunflower seeds. They told us to come back to Rikuzen-Takata to see the flowers sprout in the summer time.
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| Cars showing up at the volunteer center early in the morning |
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| Rubble in every direction you look |
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