What can I do to help?

"I can't do anything..." or "There is nothing I can do..." are the incorrect answers.

The correct answers are:
"I can do something!" or "There is definitely something I can do!"

Mr. M is a doctor. I met him on Monday morning. He works for a National University's hospital and told me:
"My friend, another doctor, is a member of the DMAT team. (The DMAT team is a special unit of doctors who respond to disasters.) He already went to Tohoku, and he told me he is trying his best, but the situation is bleak...I want to help if I can. But my turn is not now. Now is it DMAT''s turn. In the future, I will be able to go to the area on a different team of doctors and help people. Then it is my turn. So, I just have to wait for my turn."

Mr. M is correct. Everyone's turn to help will come. We just have to wait and be patient. And we have to take action and make our turn.
And in the meantime, we have to do whatever we can, from Osaka, to help. There are many ways to help! Many many ways. You just have to think. "How can I help?" "What can I do?" If you think long enough, you will find the answer. Even if you can not help the people in Tohoku directly, now, then finding a way to help indirectly is OK.

An old wise man used to take me out for dinner and drinks often. I once said to him. "I feel very bad because I can never repay you for all of this." He said, "Don't worry about repaying me. In the future, when you can, please take another person out. Please help another person. If you do that, then you will also be repaying me."

This is a very simple example of helping indirectly.

Here is another example.

Since the earthquake my wife has prepared a super earthquake evacuation bag. It is filled with food, water, batteries, flashlights, clothes, underwear..and more. Preparing this bag is great for us, but that doesn't help other people. However, she tells her mother, and her co-workers about this bag and how important it is. Then, maybe her mother will tell her grandchild, and maybe her co-workers will tell their children, and then maybe those children can learn from that. This is helping. It may be a small, but it is what is necessary to be done now. It is what she can do now.

Then, yesterday, we donated 30,000yen to the Japanese Red Cross.
If you want to do so, here is the link:

https://gienkin.jrc.or.jp/application/corporate

If that money is big or small or medium, I don't know nor care. But it was what we could do now. In addition, I also want to donate clothes to the survivors in that area as soon as possible.
And donating blood is also a good idea.

Next, I will think of another way to help. The ways to help are endless...

Also, I really think that it is important for everyone to keep this motivation to help for at least one year. At least! Keeping this motivation, continuing to try to help, and not forget, is so so important!! I urge you. Please think of how you can help, and also please keep this motivation for at least one year!!