Slice of Life March Challenge. No. 6.
As I turned to take a step away from the counter, I felt as if my foot and the floor were not connecting. No, it was more like they could not connect. It was only for a second, but it was a strange and noticeable sensation. At first I wondered if I had imagined it, or perhaps I had turned too quickly and was a bit dizzy. I probably wouldn’t have given it another thought; however, my daughter-in-law said, “You felt that?” And then I knew. She continued from where she was sitting on the couch, “The couch just moved.”
A quick check on the internet confirmed what we thought: we’d just felt a tremor. It was 3.6 with its epicenter in Portoviejo, the city where we are.
I’m sure that experiencing an earthquake or even a tremor is not on my son’s *short list; however, to appreciate daily life among the people here, one must know of the earthquake that struck last April and of the enormous recovery that has and is still happening in this city. Underneath the surface there is a tension and a sadness, and there is resilience.
Backstory
Less than a year ago, on April 16, 2016, a 7.8 earthquake violently convulsed the coast of Ecuador and ripped apart everyone’s life.
Portoviejo was one of several cities that suffered massive loss. Though I’ve heard (my son, his wife and kids lived through it) and have read much and have seen the before and after, it is impossible for me to comprehend the death and devastation that struck this city of 300,000 last year. In less than a minute, over a dozen blocks in the heart of the city were destroyed. In less than a minute, people lost homes and businesses. In less than a minute, loved ones died. In the days that stretched into weeks and into months, hundreds of “after shocks” — many registering over 6.5 — continued to rock the land. So a tremor is not a small thing to them.
- Here is BBC news account on April 18, 2016.
- Here is a link to my son’s ministry website with photos and accounts in the weeks immediately following the quake.
- Here is a post I wrote for our church blog on August 22, one week after the quake.
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* When we arrived last week, my son had jokingly told me that he had a short list of things to help us experience true Ecuadorian living during our visit. I wrote of one here (a passing moment)… although I don’t think this one was on his list. Another one here (“greenfrost”), and a third one here (running water).
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2017 Slice of Life Story Challenge
Oh my…I just can’t even imagine this. You are right, though, we have such a distanced view of events like this – we can’t know the real terror until we are living it.
Looks like that short list is growing with a lot of unexpected events adding to it. I can’t imagine what it must be like to live through an earthquake.
I think the unexpected on the short list have been fulfilled. 🙂 I have new eyes and ears now when I read of news of disasters. They are really quite sterile coming across our screens on in print. After having survived the disastrous event, it is then about surviving in the days that follow — first physically and then emotionally. Power was off for days and travel into the area was totally interrupted… so it was several days before relief shipments could get to the people with drinkable water, food, and medical supplies. They essential were out of those things when the first trucks made it through. Banks were not operational, so many had no money to buy even if they could find things to buy. Thousands had no place to sleep. Those whose homes were not crushed or condemned chose to sleep outside for weeks–the aftershocks were so many and so big. The stench of death hung over the devastated areas. You are right, we can’t imagine it.
I’ve only been in minor earthquakes before so it is difficult for me to even imagine the destruction that you have described. I only visited Ecuador for three weeks last year, but your post still hit home for me. Thank you for the reminder to count my blessings!
-Amanda at https://teachingwanderlust.com
Ah, three weeks is a nice length for a visit. Did you go to the coast, north of Guayaquil? Or were you in Quito and the mountains? The coast is where the earthquake and after shocks did all the destruction.
I did 8 days in the Galapagos, Cuenca, Montanita, Quito, Otavalo, and Mindo! I love Ecuador!
Lovely! A number of years ago, I had a custom-made leather blazer in Cotacachi, near Otavalo. Cuenca is a beautiful town, fond memories of my son’s wedding there.
We stopped in Cotacachi for lunch but I couldn’t didn’t find the good places to shop and seemed to see the same stuff again and again. I would love to go back with someone who knows where to get proper custom leather!
We had lunch there too… at a lovely restaurant, but I don’t remember the name now. The couple we were with knew where to have our jackets made. Took them two days.
Wow! How terrifying! I’ve never been in an earthquake before, but I imagine it feels (literally and figuratively) unsettling.
Even though we live in the US portion of the Ring of Fire, I’ve not experienced a major earthquake. Small ones are enough.