Ishinomaki. March, 2013

My web site: www.arito.com


Continuing on with some more image from my Tohoku trip last month.

Shortly after the Earthquake and Tsunami in March 2011, I went to Ishinomaki to volunteer in the relief efforts. I was assigned to look over the cookout we had going at the Shelter at Okaido Elementary School, and subsequently spent most of my time in Ishinomaki there. The shelter closed in October that year, but I've kept in touch with some of the families and people I had met and became friends with. Visiting them is one of the things I look forward to every time I get a chance to head over to Ishinomaki. On this trip, just seeing how much the kids have grown made me realize that two years have already passed since that day.

None of them really complain or even talk much about their situation, but I could sense that life definitely isn't that good, and the future remains quite uncertain. Still, it was nice to see that they all seemed a little happier and a little less stressed than the last time I saw them.


引き続き先月の東北旅の写真です。

震災直後に始めて石巻へ行った時から、僕が向こうにいる時間はずっと炊き出しを担当していた大街道小学校の避難所。そこで仲良くなり、今でも石巻へ行くと必ず会いに行く人や家族がいます。

先月、久しぶりに会うと子供達はまた更に大きくなっていて、たまにちょっと大人っぽい表情も見せるようになり、震災からの２年という月日の流れを実感しました。そして、あの場所で、ああいう状況下で出会い、今こうして一緒に遊んでいる事が不思議でたまりません。

一緒にお茶していてもあまり多くは語りませんが、今も沢山の苦労と不安を抱えながら生活している事は言葉の端々から感じます。それでも、みんな前よりは少し元気になった姿を見ることが出来て本当に嬉しかったです。