Thinking of Mayumi

Another update from Mayumi:

As many of you know now, Kazuki and I made it home last night.  When the earthquake hit Japan,

we were on the plane and going about landing at Narita, but the runaway was shutting down and we

were turning over about one hour and ended up landing at Haneda, another airport, in Tokyo area.  I had to stay over at the air port with Kazuki.  We got a blanket and emergency food.  While I was tending Kazuki trying have him sleep, some old lady saw me and asked JAL worker to let us stay in a quiet room with the priority (usually only special members and business class) because I was alone with Kazuki and returning from long international flight.

They kindly arranged and let us stay at baby lounge. There, Kazuki could crawls on the clean floor and had some better sleeps.  He even made a cute girlfriend there, her name was Natsuki (Summmer and Hope, Kazuki is Peace and Hope).  I don't know how many times I was encourage by my son's smiles on this trip.  He did hang in there also.  The following day, I was not sure that there was going to have a flight for Yamagata, my hometown.  I had only standing-by

ticket.  I was constantly praying and finally could a seat and there was a flight, and I wasable to go back to Yamagata. I took a taxi to home because there was no power at the time and it was unable to reach to my parents.  Made them relieved and so did I.  Justin had asked me to film their reactions of seeing Kazuki for the first time, but couldn't film because it was too dark.  They just repeatedly said, "So happy to see you."

My all family is also safe.  Yamagata has no major damage miraculously, but Sendai,

Fukishima, or Iwate, the pacific areas.  Some those areas are part of

my home stake.

I will try to stay positive here while being here and show them my

love and share my testimonies with my parents.  First of all, I

offered a prayer last night.

Kazuki and I are slowly recovering from the trip, and I am enjoying

Mom's cooking and Japanese Bath. Kazuki is also getting used to being

around my parents and showing his cuteness to them.

There are many lessons I have learned from this trip and disaster. 

But, I will write town another time.

Mayumi's husband posted the following update on Facebook:

Mayumi is fine and so is Kazuki. They never stayed at a hotel, but a worker from JAL broke the rules and allowed both of them to stay in a special Family room for JAL business members only. There Kazuki played with other kids while old grandmas and families shared onigiri and other treats with my family.

Also after many cancellations, a flight to Yamagata finally opened up. Mayumi bought the first ticket and arrived there safe. She took a taxi to her home and amazingly her Mom and Dad were fine and their home received no damage. They had coals warming the futons, and a non-electric kerosene stove cooking food. No electricity until just now. They still haven't been able to contact her two sisters, but will try now that they can use the phone.

While her parents place was miraculously preserved from damage, Yamagata was not all safe from the quake. Just before calling me, the opposite side of town just had their own quake separate from all the tremors related to the big quake that happened. She said many in Yamagata are seriously injured, (in another neighboring town 300-400 dead from the tsunami).

I cannot help but think her family is in such good shape because of one thing. All the prayers that went out to them. I know God hears and answers prayers. Answers do not always come soon or how we expect because it is always according to God's will, but in this case God blessed my family.

Thank you all for your help, generosity, and love.

I'm going to sleep easy now.

I'm sick at the news of the earthquake in Japan.  My friend Mayumi was on a plane with her baby to visit her family in Japan for the first time since her baby was born.  The earthquake must have struck while she was still in the air.

A friend in the ward posted this update on Mayumi:

Ladies,

This is Angie Archibald. I am Mayumi Wright's visiting teacher and am sick and
shaking right now upon hearing the news about the 8.9 magnitude earthquake in
Japan. Mayumi left yesterday with her baby Kazuki to visit her parents in Japan.
The flight had to make an emergency landing, as the earthquake occurred at some
point during her flight and the airport for which she was destined was
destroyed.

She is at a Hotel with Kazuki (in another Japanese city) and not able to reach
her parents. She left a voicemail for Justin, using a stranger's phone. The
earthquake occurred exactly where Mayumi's parent's live.

I am extremely concerned for Mayumi, as she was very nervous about the flight
and taking the trip alone with her baby. She is now alone in a strange city with
the baby, and not able to reach her family, which may or may not have survived.
Interestingly, a couple nights before her flight she had a bad nightmare about a
horrible earthquake in Japan and in the dream, she was wearing 6 watches. She
went out and bought a watch before her departure, just in case. :-)

I spoke with her husband, Justin, this morning and he is watching the news and
trying to find some peace as he awaits any news. He will keep us updated via his
facebook account.

Also, be aware, a tsumami is headed toward Hawaii today.

Please, please put Mayumi and her family in your prayers today. She needs more
than my VT companion, Jennifer Austin, and I can give.

Thanks so much,

Angie


Your prayers on behalf of Mayumi, her son, her husband and her family in Japan would be appreciated.