TOGAJI, Japan – The scenic drive along the ocean-side road was always one of Yukie Otomo’s favorite routes — or it was until March 11.

The young pastor’s wife and her two sons were on their way home in Togaji, Japan, when the road started shaking. She felt the ground gyrate wildly and knew it was a powerful earthquake. Later she heard the government say it registered at 9.0-magnitude. The quake lasted a full four terrifying minutes.

“Everything was shaking something terrible,” Otomo said. “I was not sure I could drive because the road was moving so much. Things were falling and glass was breaking. People were panicking all over the place. I didn’t know what to do.”

That’s when Otomo felt the hand of God reach out to her. From the back seat, her 7-year-old son prayed aloud. The sound of her child talking to God in the midst of a crisis quickly calmed her down, especially when he ended his prayer by saying, “God is with us, Mom. We will be OK.”

Otomo stopped the car and collected herself. Something from deep within nudged her to take a different road home. Even if the higher back road was the long way to get to their home and church at the top of the hill, she and the boys agreed it was the best way.

As they headed up the hill, they heard the tsunami warning sound. The decision to drive on the higher road saved their lives.

“We managed to avoid the tsunami,” Otomo said. “Most people stayed on the main road after the earthquake. The tsunami wave came over that road and destroyed it. Most people that were on that road still have not been found.

“In the matter of an hour, our town was changed, along with our lives,” the pastor’s wife added. “For the first few days, we did not know what to do. The damage was so huge.”

Most of Otomo’s town was wiped away. Houses were knocked off their foundations, cars piled three high in rice fields. Bodies lay strewn among the debris and muck from the ocean. Communication was non-existent for days. Roads were closed, but that didn’t matter, since there was no gas available.

The Otomos finally managed to account for all 40 members of their small Baptist church, but many still have relatives missing. Some lost their homes and are staying in shelters.

Relief supplies started reaching the community a few days ago. Government cleanup crews are removing the debris and bodies. On Tuesday morning, police said the death toll had risen to 9,079, while 12,645 remain missing.

Things are finally starting to stabilize for this town, but Otomo said there are places further north that are still isolated and without communication.

“We are praying to find a way to gain access to those even more isolated than we were,” Otomo said. “We are not sure how to do it yet, but God will provide the way. We want to help in the right way and not in the bad way, being a burden.”

The Japanese Baptist church is trying to reach out to their community little by little. The pastor’s wife explained that most Baptist churches in Japan are very small and have very little manpower, so their best option is to do small ministries that make a real difference for the people they help.

Otomo said it will take years to recover — emotionally, spiritually, physically and financially — from this triple disaster. Experts predict Japan will face at least five years of rebuilding. Southern Baptists are mounting their relief effort in Japan through Baptist Global Response, a key partner of the International Mission Board in disaster relief situations.

Otomo encourages other Christians around the world to pray for Japan and for her small church.

“I feel an extra sense of peace right now,” Otomo said. “I know it is because people all over the world are praying for us.”

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To make a donation through the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware to help with the disaster response.Your gifts will be used directly on the field to bring assistance to those who are in need.

Donation by check:

• Make checks payable to "Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware" with the designation "Japan Disaster Relief" on the memo line and send to: Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware, 10255 Old Columbia Rd, Columbia, Md. 21046, Attention: Disaster Relief Japan.

Donation online (credit card):

• To make an online donation through the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware to help with the disaster response can be made here.

IMB has also established a relief fund for the Japan crisis. Donations may be sent to Office of Finance, International Mission Board, 3806 Monument Ave., Richmond, Va. 23230. In the memo line write “Japan Response Fund.” Or you can give online by going to imb.org and clicking on the “Japan response” button. For further information call IMB toll-free at (800) 999-3113.

Susie Rain is an IMB writer/editor living in Asia.