Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Buta Hama - Pig Farm

Michael, Jared and I signed up to be on one of the clean up/relief teams today. Two teams leave the base daily. As we discussed our plan for the day it became obvious Arielle was not comfortable being left home with the children all day so soon after the quake. I think her uneasiness was helped along by the many aftershocks we had last night. 


Bright and early Jared and Michael drove into the base. They discovered their mission today was to help clear wreckage from a local pig farmer.  As they drove towards the sight they realized it is less than 2 miles from our home. Wow...this brings home anew how close that wave actually came.  


THIS will make for Father/Son bonding (say ham sandwich)

This man had had 2,000 pigs before 11 March. He is lucky to have 400 left. 

To the left is his one standing building. He'll rebuild. (See that pretty house in the right corner? It's one of my local favorites and we drive by it often. I KNOW just where this is.)

Jared had the notoriety of finding the largest dead pig today.  Michael found, among other things, a Cannon EOS with a 70/210 lens....obviously it had seen better days.  We were told this was the hardest trip yet...it was smelly and hard work. They also had icy winds, rain, sun and snow - all in one day's work. They were met back at the base by a doctor and mental health. 

Below is the team! Go Team Misawa!

We've not been able to get out and about as we've been asked NOT to be American Tourists....so it was a bit of a shock to realize how close to our home the destruction had come. The ground rises and we are across the highway. BTW  I heard HWY 338 mentioned on news coverage. Mom, this is the hwy and we are about a mile UP the road (to the right).....Here's a photo I found on the Internet.....


One last discovery of the day. Sometimes the air around our subdivision is so rank we've often thought it was worse that baby diapers....mega diapers...now we know....when the wind hits just right we had the stench of 2,000 pigs blowing across our yard.  A friend is taking Jared out tomorrow. All thought he was active duty - but since he is only 17, he has to have an adult with him.  We appreciate all the friends that have volunteered to "watch Jared" so that he can get out and help. Red Cross insists a parent or guardian be with 16 - 18 yo...and since they are dealing with all sorts of waste and destruction it makes sense.

(If Michael or Jared have some thoughts to share, they'll update this later).

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

6 comments:

Renee said...

and since 17 yos can enlist - it's not surprise they thought he was an airman....
thanks to your family for helping with cleanup

Linda said...

The pictures are just unbelievable, DeEtta!

Deja said...

So...did they come home asking for BLTs? Or are they cured of eating pork for a while ::snort::

It is amazing how close the wave came. I remember talking to Jamin about it that Friday morning...he was amazed how close you were to the beach. And no damage. God is so good!

BTW, I'm glad you stayed home with Arielle and the youngers. I'm sure Arielle's nerves were much more at ease.

Jennifer said...

I had no idea it came so close to your home. Yipes!!!

Herding Grasshoppers said...

Wow. I knew you were close, but not how close.

Thanks be to God, you live on high ground!

I totally understand how Arielle feels :D

Julie

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

"I" had no idea HOW close it had come. All the comments were hear "No damage" must be based on Misawa AIR BASE and not the area.....though we do live in Oiriase....which is a street over from Misawa. ::grin::

Deja - I've asked that myself. We shall see....blessings in the storm? I laughed when they told me they cleaned up a pig farm....and reminded them there are toxins and parasites that can travel through the skin....take showers....and that workers wear protective clothes in American pig farms and shower before they leave the farm....I was sad when I needed to stay home but very glad I wasn't there when I heard what they'd done. They thought it pretty funny too....and I'm so glad to know the awful smell we get on windy days is most likely the pig farm down the road, hidden in the trees, and NOT fertilizer on the fields. LOL