Our hearts and thoughts go out to the people in Japan who have been and still are immensely affected by the 8.9 magnitude earthquake and following tsunamis that slammed their country last week.
It is impossible for any of us here to fully grasp the pain and fear they must be experiencing.
The damage caused will likely last for years, as aftershocks continue and the list of lives lost grows.
The earthquake may have happened thousands of kilometres away, but the disaster our neighbours are facing across the ocean reminds many of us here and around the globe that we should never take life for granted.
The aftermath of the devastation is heart-wrenching, as grocery-store shelves are bare, as families wait helplessly for word of what happened to a lost loved one, as rubble of destroyed homes is washed out to sea.
The disaster may have other far-reaching environmental effects that are, as yet, uncertain.
Though the future of Japan looks bleak, hope for a faster recovery is possible, if B.C., the rest of Canada, and the rest of the world for that matter pulls together to help Japan.
Many organizations are accepting donations, including the Daybreak Rotary Club in Williams Lake, which, in partnership with California Sushi, is organizating a fundraiser dinner at the sushi restaurant on Sunday, March 20 between 5 and 8 p.m.
The cost is $25 a person for a buffet dinner.
All proceeds go to the Rotary Club in Japan to help with relief efforts.
Those who cannot attend the dinner but still want to donate can contact the Daybreak Rotary Club.
Please help Japan.