Day 2 – Minamisanriku

We drove up to Minamisanriku to where the tsunami was at the highest point. Many of the towns were completely demolished. The only homes left standing are on the higher hillsides. Most of the families still alive are living in those homes or shelters. Many of the men left are now working outside the area in other cities. The fishermen are working doing something other than fishing.

A fishing engineer came and visited and talked with me. He also asked me to add him to my Facebook friends list.

We talked to many people and handed out clothes. Some of the locals talked and joked around with us and took photos with us. We played with the kids and blew bubbles.

I met one family of four generations. Their homes are no longer standing and they all live in the shelter. Miki and her daughter Megumi and her newborn baby with no name yet along with the grandmother and grandfather. The grandfather came out later and gave me some tomatoes he grew to thank us.

I felt I didn’t want to take them but I also didn’t want to Insult him. So I took them.

They basically have nothing, but want to give us back something to thank us for giving them clothes.

Not many people around the world would do something like that as a gesture!