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SHERMAN, TEXAS —On July 1, archivist Justin Banks will leave the security of the Austin College library for the chaos of the rebuilding efforts in tsunami-ravaged Japan.
“I was invited to participate in humanitarian relief efforts in Japan,” Banks said. “I will likely be doing clean up and other general relief work with the goal of extending hope and encouragement to those affected by the tragedy.”
He was invited to join a relief group from The Hanna Project, a non-governmental organization which “exists to bring help, hope, and healing to those in need around the world,” according to the organization’s website. “We focus on meeting practical needs and providing direct solutions to real problems,” the website says.
Banks will be serving in Japan July 1-13, working in the hardest-hit areas. His parents served as missionaries in Hokkaido, Japan, for most of his childhood, and Banks is fluent in Japanese.
“I wanted to go almost immediately, but my contacts in Japan told me to wait until the first responders had cleared out,” he said. “So I waited, and when the invitation came to join THP Team Japan, I was able to respond ‘yes!’ without any hesitation.”
Banks will fly from DFW International Airport to Salt Lake City, Utah, where he will meet with other volunteers in THP Team Japan. From there, they will fly to Tokyo and then to the northern island of Hokkaido, where they will meet the final members of their team, missionaries who reside in Japan and have been participating in the recovery and relief efforts since the tsunami. The team will then head south, taking a ferry between the islands, and driving to their final destination. The circuitous route will allow the team to avoid the radioactive zone.
Though there may be concerns about safety, Banks said his faith in God, his deep concern for the Japanese people, and the support of his wife and family have encouraged him to go regardless.
Donate to support the project at: http://www.hannaproject.com/support_detail.html?id=10
Austin College is a leading national independent liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas. Founded in 1849, making it the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original charter and name, the college is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA). Recognized nationally for academic excellence in the areas of international education, pre-professional training, and leadership studies, Austin College is one of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges that Change Lives.
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