Today we will report on our first trip to Fukushima of 2019.

This month, we visited Minamisōma City and Fukushima City on the 29th and 30th to perform thermotherapy. This month we were joined by a new staff member, now making us a team of 5.

Our newest staff joins us from Venezuela. She volunteered with us in the past, helping us with thermotherapy and yoga sessions. She is now an official part of our team!

 

 

 

《Thermotherapy》

We spent the first day in Minamisōma City, visiting the Ōmika Lifelong Learning Center and Omachihigashi Public Restoration Housing. The wind was very strong on our way from Tokyo to Fukushima, but we still managed to arrive on schedule.

Many of the residents at Omachihigashi were people we had treated before. We administered thermotherapy treatment to 19 residents in total. The cold had everyone feeling under the weather, but the residents told us the thermotherapy helped to warm them up. They chatted amongst themselves, drank tea, and played simple games while they waited for their turn.

 

 

Like last month, we treated 7 people at Ōmika Lifelong Learning Center. It was a heartwarming experience to be served coffee, fruit, and snacks at the places we visited.

The second day, we travelled to Fukushima City. We stayed at the main office of the non-profit organization Hanamiyama wo Mamoru Kai (Committee to Protect Hanamiyama). The Japanese allspice and plum trees were starting to bloom outside.

 

 

Although the weather was still cold, we could feel that spring was on its way.

We visited three locations in Fukushima; Hanamiyama wo Mamoru Kai, the children’s learning facility Rainbow House, and a community facility for restoration-related activities called Minna no Ie Second. We could not visit the Iinomachi Community Center this month, as a member of the family running the center came down with the flu. At Minna no Ie, we were met with both new and familiar faces. Many of the mothers at the facility were suffering from stiff shoulders and back pain. We hope that the thermotherapy helped to relieve some of their discomfort.

 

 

Unlike the 1st day, the weather was warmer and sunnier on the second. Compared to last month, there was less snow on the road and we were able to drive home safely.

In total, we administered thermotherapy to over 30 individuals, with 7 of them joining in our yoga session.

 

 

 

The mothers at Minna no Ie gifted us with towels and pajamas. We would like to bring them with us to give to the children in Nepal!

 

 

 

《Thermotherapy participants》:

Day 1: 7 at Ōmika Lifelong Learning Center, 19 at Omachihigashi Public Restoration Housing

Day 2: 12 at Minna no Ie, 16 at Hanamiyama wo Mamoru Kai, 7 at Rainbow House