Twenty four years ago today, I was sitting in a humble home in Chillan, Chile, teaching a family about the gospel. It was a sweet experience. First of all, all the people in the area called our companionship - the "Ten". My companion, Hermana Wimber, was tall and VERY slender. She was the "1". Me - well shorter, rounder, cuter - I was the "0". We had tracted out this family by knocking on doors. They had been waiting for us. While sitting there during the discussion, the floor began to shake. They knew immediately what it was. When we left their home 30 minutes later, we stepped outside and I was in awe of what I saw. The Sun was like blood. Huge, round and deep red. We found out that a 7.8 earthquake hit in the ocean near Valparaiso. We saw no damage in Chillan. A week later, we had exchanges. I was now companion to Hermana Azucar who was from San Antonio. San Antonio received a lot of damage and Hermana Azucar hadn't heard from her family. So, at a Mission Conference with Elder James E Faust, my companion expressed concern for her family and we were given permission to travel to her home to check on her family.
Wow! What an experience that was. There was devastation everywhere. The clay homes, lay crumbled to the ground and amid the debris, many were already rebuilding - only to begin again - and again. For 18 days after the initial earthquake, there were over 2000 aftershocks that shook the earth and tore down any rebuilding that had begun. The hospitals were packed and the LDS church building was being used as additional space for the less severe cases. Within three days after the quake, the church had shipped supplies for simple wooden structures for the church members who had lost their homes.
So again, many of the Chileans have lost their homes and some - loved ones.
As I view the destruction of this last earthquake, I'm brought to tears. The damage encompasses more cities than I can count - and all of the ones I served in - Chillan, Talcauano, Penco - reaching south, east and north. The count of deaths is already over 700 and I suspect it will increase with time.
But as I remember the resiliency of my Chilean friends, I don't doubt that they will sustain their faith during this natural disaster and help others around them to retain hope.
3 comments:
I hope you don't mind that I shared this on my blog, Mom. All of the pictures from this last earthquake are devastating. Thanks for sharing your story from your mission--I never heard it all together like this before. I love you!
Thanks mom! I want to be able to share with my kids experiences like this- how much it strengthens ones testimony, how humbled someone becomes and how each of us should persevere in time of difficulty and struggle.
Isn't that what you did growing up in our home? Humbling, persevering, difficult and always a struggle with someone!
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