A few weeks ago, I posted here asking for help to leave Japan under threat that my son would be further abused and that I would be deported or worse. Thanks to a number of you, we got out and we made it to Ireland. I cannot thank all of you enough for your shocking generosity and the promptness of it which let us relocate just in the nick of time. It will never be forgotten.

Right now, we are being fed and given basic toiletries, but there some food & personal items that we have to provide ourselves. And I am flat broke now.

We both need warmer clothes, and my son needs bigger clothes. He also needs diapers, wipes, and various food items since he can’t always eat what’s being served at the shelter. We’re not allowed to cook for ourselves and food cannot be stored in our room, so everything we buy has to be ready to eat and eaten outside or in the dining hall.

To be clear - we’re no longer in imminent danger, we won’t starve or become homeless. This is for if anyone wants to help us prepare for winter and make things easier for my little guy. To give you an idea of what I was regularly buying for him and the prices:

Repeating purchases:

• bananas (bunch) - €3~5
• boxed fruits (such as grapes) - €4
• juice boxes - €3
• crackers - €2~5
• take-out meals - €15~20
• diapers - €6
• wipes - €2
• tissues - €3

Things that only need to be bought once:

• Winter jacket - €30 each
• Pants - €15~30 each
• Child’s hat, glove, and scarf set - €15
• Child’s pajamas - €10
• socks & underwear - €10~15

Stupidly, the only way I can receive money at this moment is MoneyGram, even Western Union will not work given the current situation. The reason for this is because my passport is being temporarily held until my application is completed. Western Union will not accept my Japanese ID for identification, MoneyGram will. I realize that really narrows down the number of people who could realistically help, but I have no working bank accounts or electronic services until our registration process is completed. And that could take weeks.

If you are willing to use MoneyGram (either going into a physical location or using their website), or if you know of any other safe and reliable alternative that I’m unaware of, PM me and I will give you the necessary details.

[UPDATE 28/11] The weather has gotten very cold in the past week, to the point where we cannot go outside at night (and some days) just wearing hoodies. A kind friend here in Ireland has lent my son a cap and gloves, but we both still need proper jackets. And my phone number will shut off tomorrow unless I can pay €20, but I have been completely broke for some time now.

To make matters worse, our enrollment in financial aid has been delayed due to a clerical error that requires me to wait to have a replacement ID card issued. I was told that it would only take a few days, but the card was requested over a week ago and I still have not gotten it. Despite having everything else I need to apply for financial aid, I cannot even start the process until I receive that card.

I had hoped that by now someone would help us get the things we need, or multiple someone would through a few Euro to us here and there. But so far no one has responded to this post. If you can help, please help. Anyone with a credit card can use the MoneyGram website. Unfortunately, I have not been able to figure out another way to receive money that doesn’t involve begging on the street.

Once we start receiving financial aid, I will take this post down. If you have any questions, just ask here or message me. Thank you for your time.