EARTHQUAKE!!

We were going about our morning routine when our world starting rocking. John was downstairs and I was upstairs. Since we have been in a few earthquakes, we knew that it was more than a tremor. Soon after the quake, there was a knock on our door. One of the staff here notified us that there was a tsunami warning, and we were to evacuate to the clinic. We took time to get dressed and gather our passports, etc. Well, in a few minutes, the security guard was knocking again telling us to leave. There was no power and no water. It is a good thing that we had at least brushed our teeth. We went to the meeting point and had to stay there until 11:30 when the tsunami threat was canceled. We stood with all the employees and talked. The Gringos were at the clinic where there was water and fruit and English-speaking help. We went with the people we know, which are all locals. We were making and getting phone calls from all the people we know. Everybody we know was fine, with no damage to their property.

When we got back to our condo, we found some cracks, a lot of roof tiles have fallen, no water and no electricity (they are connected because of electrical pumps). Soon the emergency power was on, and we had water and electricity. The head of maintenance came over to asses the damages. A lot of the condominiums had flooded. We were lucky that our water heater did not break. We have new neighbors. They just moved in this weekend and the husband went back to work in Peru (he works for an airline). The poor lady was by herself. She went in her pajamas to get her children from school. When she came back, she found her condo flooded. She just got her house in order and now she has a mess to clean up! We told her that they could come to use our bathroom, but they only ended up borrowing our broom.

We are looking at the local news, and there is a lot of damage in the zone near the epicenter. Again, we only know one family who lives there, but we found out that they are fine. This afternoon was spent cleaning up. There was a lot of plaster and dust. Some of my glass decorations broke, but I am very surprised that it was not worse.

Can you see the crack? Just one of a few-

On other news, we have been working very hard here. Our boy, Yirardi, and his parents are at the capital undergoing radiation. Today is actually his mother's birthday. We talked to her after the earthquake, and they are fine. We saw Yirardi's grandfather, who works here, and he told us that their house did not suffer any damage. Pray for them.

There is another man fighting cancer here. He is the manager of the motel and restaurant. He is not a believer, but we went with another Christian couple to his apartment last week to anoint  him with oil, and pray. He is also going through radiation. Pray for Jaime.

The couples' Bible studies are going well. They really have good, thoughtful questions. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will open their eyes to the Truth and that they won't be afraid to ask Jesus to come into their lives. Saturday will be our last meeting. I am sharing a lot in church also. Pray for the lot payments. It will take a literal miracle for these people to come up with the monthly payments each month. The two Sunday Schools are going well. I am so impressed by Kassandra. I gave her a website to download free materials in Spanish. She is using it and doing a great job. Our friends Carlos and Rosario came to visit last weekend. Since they were instrumental for us to start this work here, they can really appreciate how things are going. They were praising the Lord for His mercy and how He has blessed His work here.

Praising at Pinilla

Church at Cebadilla - just a tin roof and a few poles

Future worship leader - he brings his toy guitar and imitates the guitar player

I have not been blogging as much as in previous times because I am a reader for Perspectives in Spanish. I have 18 students taking it for credit. It really takes up most of my free time. Pray for all of these students who have a heart for world missions.

We are still having aftershcoks... until next time,,, form the beach...