A prayer for New Zealand

I have lived through a multitude of tragedies and life experiences. 

I have never lived through an earthquake. 

I have surfed and played on the beach in a hurricane.

I have never played during an earthquake.

I have hidden in my basement during countless tornadoes. 

I have never hidden in a doorway or under a desk in an earthquake.

I have seen an erupting volcano. 

I have never seen an earthquake.

I have seen pictures of the destruction, the desolation, and the despair. And I have seen nations rebuild from that destruction, reunite in their desolation, and revive themselves from their despair.

The pictures coming out of New Zealand this morning are heart wrenching.  I remember making my then 5-year-old who was home on suspension from school watch CNN all day when the Haiti earthquake hit.  That day he learned how an earthquake happens and all about plate tectonics. I didn't teach him what to do if he were to ever experience an earthquake, but rather them mechanics behind one.  Because at 5 years old you don't care a whole lot about what to do, but more about why it happens.  I took him to the bookstore and got him a book about earthquakes and used saltine crackers to demonstrate how the earth's plates move against each other.  After learning all this all he wanted to do was watch CNN that day and for weeks afterward. His biggest concern was where the people who had lost there houses were going to sleep at night.  His compassion for the people displaced and injured in that quake was amazing. I can only imagine what he's going to say when he sees pictures like this:

If you'd like to keep an up to the minute timeline you can visit the TVNZ site here

I am still looking into ways to help and will keep you updated on that.