Oklahoma Students Reach Out To Online Classmate In Japan

Dan Bewley, News On 6

JAPAN -- A California woman living in Japan knows what it's like to feel love from Oklahoma. Tiffany Benson is the wife of a Marine stationed in Japan.

Benson lives in Japan where her husband is a Sergeant Major in the Marines. The couple and their three kids live several hours south of where the March 11th earthquake and tsunami hit the country.

"Many people here are just really concerned and saddened for those that have lost their homes," she said.

Benson's actually from California but she's taking classes online with Oklahoma Wesleyan University in Bartlesville.

When the tragedy struck, Benson's online classmates noticed she hadn't been posting anything online. They became worried but eventually learned she and her family were doing fine.

That's when the university, led by employee Janet Lightfoot, decided to extend an Oklahoma hug. It came in the form of care packages. There were Thomas the Train toys, a T-shirt for dad, a book by the Pioneer Woman, and a bib for little Nathan.

"They just wanted to share God's love with us," Benson said. "I know that in addition to the gifts which were very nice they have all been praying for us and I specifically ask for prayers for protection for my boys, my young sons, from the radiation."

Benson says the radiation is the big concern now. She no longer goes to her favorite produce stand in the city and she's only using bottled water.

But, she says her family will make it through and believes the love and prayers she's getting from Oklahoma are big reasons why.

"So blessed to be part of a school that really came forward and showed how God's hands and feet can work all the way across the world," she said.

Benson will graduate this August from Oklahoma Wesleyan with a Bachelors of Science in Nursing.