1-20 First-Year Girl
On March 11th, I was at Osabe Elementary School. Suddenly, I felt a strong earthquake and was really afraid. Out in the school yard, I found large cracks in the ground and lots of people from the area had gathered there. Ten or twenty minutes later, someone shouted that a tsunami was approaching and told us to run away. Together, we ran to higher ground. I could see Kamiosabe from the garden of the elementary school, but it was almost completely swallowed up by the tsunami. I wondered to myself in fear what would happen next. I spent that day at a community center where there was very little electricity and food, and went back home the next day. Several days later I learned that my family members were safe and I was so happy I felt like crying. I wanted to be of some service to others, I helped separate and carry the relief goods that were delivered every day and went to the community center to help with the cooking.
A few months after the disaster, we started our new junior high school life. Lots of donations and messages of encouragement arrived at our school. When I saw these things and messages, my heart was filled with gratitude. Although we lost many things, we are looking towards the future and doing our best to get on with our lives. Now I can see that the disaster wasn't just a bad thing. Through this experience, I realized the connections between people and the bonds between us. I'll never forget the disaster and I'll treasure the relationships between people and the lives saved from this disaster each moment of my life.
1-20 中１女子
三月十一日、私は長部小学校にいました。とつぜん強い地震がきたのですごく怖かったです。校庭に出てみると地割れがとてもひどく、地域の人たちが集まってきました。数十分後、「つなみがくるからにげろ」という声がきこえみんなで高い所へにげました。長部小の畑の所から上長部がみえましたが、ほとんど波にのまれてしまい、私は心の中で「これからどうなるのだろう」と不安になりました。その日は、電気や食べ物が少ない中、コミセンにとまり、次の日に家に帰りました。何日かたって、家族のぶじを知り涙が出るほどうれしかったです。
私は人のやくにたちたいと思い、毎日とどく支援品を分けて配ったり、公民館にご飯をつくりに行ったりしました。
そして震災から数カ月がたち私たちの新しい中学校生活がスタートしました。学校には支援品や声援がたくさん届きました。その支援品や声援を見ると感謝の気持ちでいっぱいになりました。
私たちはたくさんのものをうしなったけれどその中でも私たちはこれからの未来に向かってがんばっています。震災はわるいだけではないと分かりました。震災で人と人とのつながり、絆があるのだとじっかんしました。
私は、この震災を忘れず人と人とのつながり、震災で助かった命を大切にしてこの瞬間を生きていこうと思います。