A riveting account of Japan's triple disaster and an insightful look into what the responses of its people reveal about the national character Blending history, science, and gripping storytelling, Strong in the Rain brings the 9.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Japan in 2011 and its immediate aftermath to life through the eyes of the men and women who experienced it. Following the narratives of six individuals, the book traces the shape of a disaster and the heroics it prompted, including that of David Chumreonlert, a Texan with Thai roots, trapped in his school's gymnasium with hundreds of students and teachers as it begins to flood, and Taro Watanabe, who thought nothing of returning to the Fukushima plant to fight the nuclear disaster, despite the effects that he knew would stay with him for the rest of his life. This is a beautifully written and moving account from Lucy Birmingham and David McNeill of how the Japanese experienced one of the worst earthquakes in history and endured its horrific consequences.

Kenji Miyazawa (1896-1933) is now widely viewed as Japan's greatest poet of the 20th century. Little known in his lifetime, he died at 37 from tuberculosis, but has since become a much loved children's author whose magical tales have been translated into many languages, adapted for the stage and turned into films and animations. Recognition for his poetry came much later. 'Strong in the Rain' - the title-poem of this selection - is now arguably the most memorised and quoted modern poem in Japan.

Being Strong in the Lord explains that for you to withstand the plans and intents of the devil, you have to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His Might. And you will see the offensive and the defensive weapons that the Lord has provided for us, in order that we may be strong in Him. Our obligations to contend earnestly for the true faith, to take the Gospel to the end of earth, and to fulfil whatever ministry the Lord has given us, need that we be strong in the Lord, for weak and fearful men will not fulfil the Purpose of God.