Monday, February 06, 2006
Hurricane Katrina and Great Earthquake in Kobe
The charity party we held in Kobe last month was a great success. And the money raised that night is going to help people suffering from natural disasters of the tsunami in India, earthquake in Pakistan and hurricane in New Orleans. As a citizen in Kobe, which was severely damaged by the great earthquake in 1995, I do hope the money will reach the people in need there and help them to restart their lives again.
Last night, I watched a documentary on New Orleans, four months after the hurricane. Although four months have passed, nothing seems to be changed in the lower ninth district. All houses were broken down and the debris are left there as if the city had been hit by the hurricane the day before.
Four months!
Four months after the earthquake, Kobe was on the course of rebuilding and most of public transportation was recovered as it was before. We seldom saw debris at that time. City government and National government funded enough to remove all the debris! People who lost their homes were living in apartments, even though they were temporary, and struggling to restart for better Kobe.
What's going on in the US?
Why can't the richest country in the world take better care of its own people than Japan did? Why haven't they finished repairing even the levees yet? What are they going to do when the next big hurricane hit the city again?
Rebuilding Iraq?
You should take care of your own.
I really feel sorry for the people in New Orleans. They need help! They need hope! They live in the richest country in the world and if their government does not help them, who can they count on?
The tanka poem below was written for children who lost everything because of war,
but tonight I dedicate it to people in New Orleans.
In a town full of
Debris left after an air raid
A cat is crouching
Alone with his whiskers cut
Looking up to the full moon
"Flowers and Bombs," p. 51
The charity party we held in Kobe last month was a great success. And the money raised that night is going to help people suffering from natural disasters of the tsunami in India, earthquake in Pakistan and hurricane in New Orleans. As a citizen in Kobe, which was severely damaged by the great earthquake in 1995, I do hope the money will reach the people in need there and help them to restart their lives again.
Last night, I watched a documentary on New Orleans, four months after the hurricane. Although four months have passed, nothing seems to be changed in the lower ninth district. All houses were broken down and the debris are left there as if the city had been hit by the hurricane the day before.
Four months!
Four months after the earthquake, Kobe was on the course of rebuilding and most of public transportation was recovered as it was before. We seldom saw debris at that time. City government and National government funded enough to remove all the debris! People who lost their homes were living in apartments, even though they were temporary, and struggling to restart for better Kobe.
What's going on in the US?
Why can't the richest country in the world take better care of its own people than Japan did? Why haven't they finished repairing even the levees yet? What are they going to do when the next big hurricane hit the city again?
Rebuilding Iraq?
You should take care of your own.
I really feel sorry for the people in New Orleans. They need help! They need hope! They live in the richest country in the world and if their government does not help them, who can they count on?
The tanka poem below was written for children who lost everything because of war,
but tonight I dedicate it to people in New Orleans.
In a town full of
Debris left after an air raid
A cat is crouching
Alone with his whiskers cut
Looking up to the full moon
"Flowers and Bombs," p. 51
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Kokopelli Charity Gig and Heartbeat Party II made a great success!
January was a very exciting month for me. I had two charity events and had been busy preparing for them. I had a lot of meetings, got to know many wonderful people, got a lot of help, and did the publicity in a radio program of Kiss-Fm Kobe!
Thanks for a lot of help from friends, the two events were held successfully and could raise a lot of money! All the money will go to help children in Afghanistan and people struggling in India, Pakistan and New Orleans.
Here is our thank-you letter on Heartbeat Party II:
Dear Friends,
Hello from Kobe and Rokko Island. Thank you to all of you who came to Heartbeat Party II and made it such a great success. We had over 150 people attend and were able to raise ･250,400!!!
Donations can still be sent by those who were unable to come. By bank transfer to:
Tsunami Relief Fund
Futsu Account 339 3324 562
Mitsui Sumitomo Bank, Rokko Island Branch, Kobe
We really appreciated all the wonderful talent shared so warmly by the many artists who participated on Saturday.
We would like to especially recognize the artists (Kosaka Misuzu and Kagi Yasuhide) and musicians (Alicia Saldenha, Ana Gholston, Cocoperi, Cosmo, Dan Kane, Harvey Thompson, Katsuki Band, Paul Fleischer, Sabrina Patrick, and Tenaj) who gave their time, talent, and heart. DJ/MC Alan Gibson did a wonderful job as usual, and we got really great support from the Kobe Bay Sheraton Hotel through Raymond Tait and Mark Robinson.
We are working directly with folks on the ground in the areas hit by the Great Tsunami, the earthquake in Pakistan, and Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, and will get donations directly to those most in need. David will be delivering some of the money directly to the people in the tsunami-hit area in February through the NGO there, LAFTI (www.lafti.net).
For further details please contact one of us at one of the addresses below.
Thanks so much!
All the Best,
David, Kaoru, and Kazuko
David Blake Willis, Kaoru Kobashi, Yoshio and Kazuko Awamura
For Friends of LAFTI
DWillis108@hotmail.com,
kaorukobashi@hotmail.com,
kaz-kaz@mvd.biglobe.ne.jp
January was a very exciting month for me. I had two charity events and had been busy preparing for them. I had a lot of meetings, got to know many wonderful people, got a lot of help, and did the publicity in a radio program of Kiss-Fm Kobe!
Thanks for a lot of help from friends, the two events were held successfully and could raise a lot of money! All the money will go to help children in Afghanistan and people struggling in India, Pakistan and New Orleans.
Here is our thank-you letter on Heartbeat Party II:
Dear Friends,
Hello from Kobe and Rokko Island. Thank you to all of you who came to Heartbeat Party II and made it such a great success. We had over 150 people attend and were able to raise ･250,400!!!
Donations can still be sent by those who were unable to come. By bank transfer to:
Tsunami Relief Fund
Futsu Account 339 3324 562
Mitsui Sumitomo Bank, Rokko Island Branch, Kobe
We really appreciated all the wonderful talent shared so warmly by the many artists who participated on Saturday.
We would like to especially recognize the artists (Kosaka Misuzu and Kagi Yasuhide) and musicians (Alicia Saldenha, Ana Gholston, Cocoperi, Cosmo, Dan Kane, Harvey Thompson, Katsuki Band, Paul Fleischer, Sabrina Patrick, and Tenaj) who gave their time, talent, and heart. DJ/MC Alan Gibson did a wonderful job as usual, and we got really great support from the Kobe Bay Sheraton Hotel through Raymond Tait and Mark Robinson.
We are working directly with folks on the ground in the areas hit by the Great Tsunami, the earthquake in Pakistan, and Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, and will get donations directly to those most in need. David will be delivering some of the money directly to the people in the tsunami-hit area in February through the NGO there, LAFTI (www.lafti.net).
For further details please contact one of us at one of the addresses below.
Thanks so much!
All the Best,
David, Kaoru, and Kazuko
David Blake Willis, Kaoru Kobashi, Yoshio and Kazuko Awamura
For Friends of LAFTI
DWillis108@hotmail.com,
kaorukobashi@hotmail.com,
kaz-kaz@mvd.biglobe.ne.jp
