Japan Bible Society helps with donation of wristwatch computers to September 11 victims

TOKYO, Japan — The Japan Bible Society (JBS) has helped a Japanese high-tech communications manufacturer donate a thousand watch-sized computers to victims of the attacks of September 11 in the United States.

The OnHand PC, produced by Japan-based Global Com, is advertised as a smaller version of the palm-held Personal Digital Assistant while offering almost the same facilities. It can function as an appointments calendar and an address book, and also offers off-line Internet browsing and facilities including downloads and computer games. The manufacturer says it has more than 30 applications altogether.

Comfort

After Tomokuni Matsumura, the president of Global Com, heard about the attacks of September 11, a Christian friend suggested he donate OnHand PCs with daily Bible verses ready installed as a way of offering comfort to the survivors and rescue workers.

Mr Matsumura contacted the Japan Bible Society which assisted his effort and co-ordinated the donation with the American Bible Society.

The OnHand PCs were sent to the then New York City mayor, Rudolph Giuliani, via the Community Assistance Unit of the mayor’s office, and were given to the recipients on January 3, 2002. On February 4, the Rev Makoto Watabe, General Secretary of the JBS, visited the Community Assistance Unit of the Mayor’s Office and the ABS offices in New York with Mr Matsumura. (WR 368/38 - 6.02)