HELP stands for House in Emergency of Love and Peace. This shelter for Asian women and children was established in 1986 on the 100th anniversary of the Japan Women's Christian Temperance Union.
Keiko Otsu came to HELP after many years of active concern with welfare issues. Born into a business family in Osaka, she and her brother and sisters attended a private Christian school. It was her mother's decision that Christianity should be part of her children's education.
"I joined a students' movement that helped support the children of coal miners," Otsu said. "During our vacations we went to Kyushu, where we found the wives and children of coal miners were living miserably in old, damp accommodation. They were poorly nourished. Some of the children didn't go to school because they were taking care of younger children. We went as student volunteers. As we could, we provided milk and bread, and helped tutor the children. Students from many schools and from women's colleges joined in."