Life Inside and Outside the Quake Zone

One week and two days after the earthquake, and life in Christchurch is still in flux.  The CBD is still cordoned off and inaccessible.  I heard on the news last night that 2/3 of the office buildings downtown may be damaged beyond repair.  We have even heard talk of relocating the business district to the plains west of the city.  That is an interesting thought, considering that the September earthquake’s epicenter was in Darfield—off to the west of the city.  Geologists have discovered that Christchurch is built on a vast network of faults, a network that is separate from the large Alpine Fault that runs down the center of this island.  Geologists have had their eyes on the Alpine Fault for years and have paid little attention to Christchurch.  With all of man’s brainpower, we can’t outsmart the earth and Mother Nature.

People are still digging out from the liquefaction mess.  Yesterday was very windy and everyone in the city was asked to wear face masks.  Most people have water and power restored, but some do not.  We are still boiling all of our water, but, at least in our part of the city, we can flush the toilets sparingly. 

Many people have left Christchurch, and some will never return.  There is much talk on the news of landlords and renters.  Does one still pay rent if the property is condemned?  Can a landlord put a tenant out if the property is ruined, even if the renter has no where else to go?  I’ve been wondering about all these people who were forced from unsafe homes.  How do they continue to pay a mortgage and pay rent?  Where will they all go?  Many have fled to the North Island or to stay with family in other cities for a time, but they still have to face the situation here at some point.  So many questions.  So many lives turned upside down.

The kids from the university have organized a student army.  The army of 12,000+, have been available to help individuals or businesses.  It is inspiring to watch them with their donated shovels and wheelbarrows, lending their muscles and backs to those in need.  Other universities in New Zealand are allowing students to transfer from the University of Canterbury, and promising to make the process hassle-proof.     

Each day they release names and show pictures of the dead; a baby who was sleeping in his bed when a TV toppled over and killed him, a 14 year old boy last seen heading into the city to buy himself a birthday present.  So much sorrow. 

There were no church meetings held in Christchurch on Sunday.  Engineers must declare the meetinghouses safe before any one is allowed in them.  Perhaps we will know by this weekend whether or not we have any functioning chapels.  Meanwhile, the stake organizes crews to help people move from their homes, clean up their yards, etc.  There is no Bishop’s Store House here.  Instead, people take food and other necessities to the Relief Society presidents who disperse from their homes. 

As for us and our assignment, we are are waiting to see what will happen with the institute.  Before the quake, we were seeing and feeling a difference.  The numbers were growing; the YSA seemed to be more unified.  We had a program for searching out and inviting the inactives.  We had two large classes on Thursday nights and we were starting the daytime classes with the university students.  Choir was growing.  Now…?  Last Thursday we had only a handful of kids and they were all from our area—the part of town that was relatively unaffected.  We will see who shows up tonight. 

Other than the Christchurch Institute, our work goes on as normal.  We still work with our online seminary class and supervise the seminaries and institutes on the rest of the island.  This week we spent five days traveling and meeting with students and teachers south of Christchurch. 

Saturday we went to Ashburton for piano lessons.  The piano classes just keep growing.  I now have 17 students.  I reassigned groups for next week—five groups with 3 or 4 in each group.  It is rather tricky to keep families together so that parents don’t have to make several trips, and to keep students together with others of the same ability and knowledge.  I’m quite relieved to find that my perfectionist attitudes have left me on this mission, and I am quite willing to do the best I can under the circumstances.  All of these kids are interested and eager to learn.  There are three or four that I would classify as gifted.  Vine played in Sacrament meeting last week.  I hear she didn’t make one mistake, and that the whole branch and members of the stake presidency that were visiting, were very impressed.  She leaves for a mission to Missouri next month.  Her sister, Mata, will be ready to step in when she leaves. 

Saturday evening we visited with the seminary teacher in Timaru, and visited with Sam Middlemiss (an online student) in Waimate.  We spent the night and attended church in Oamaru.  The Oamaru branch membership is mostly Tongan, and that little chapel is overflowing.  Our seminary teacher there, Longo Kaufana, is also the primary president and the chorister in sacrament meeting.  The lessons and talks were wonderful—very sincere and heartfelt.

On the way to Dunedin, Sunday afternoon, we stopped in Palmerston to visit with Kelyn Witehira, also an online student.  Kelyn is the cutest boy, but much more interested in sports than seminary.  I hope that we can keep him going.  He gave me permission to nag.  We also stopped in Waikouaiti to visit with another online student, Mikara Hunter.  Mikara is one of my best students.  He is dedicated in his work and has an honest and sincere heart.  It was fun to meet him and tell him, in person, how much I appreciate having him in the class.

Sunday night we went to the home of President Jeff Mitchell and his wife Shona.  Shona is the institute teacher, and they were hosting an opening social.  It was fun to see the large group that they had in attendance there.  Monday morning, we were up early to attend the seminary class in Dunedin taught by Ivor Anderson.  I’m always so pleased to see these kids up early, dressed in their school uniforms, and participating in seminary. 

Monday we traveled to Invercargill and Bluff via the Southern Scenic Route.  It was spectacular with lots of green rolling hills…

until we hit the coast.

We took a little detour, much to John’s dismay, but ended up finding another favorite spot—Nugget Point.  From a parking lot, we walked along a beautiful trail out to a lighthouse.  We felt as if we were on the edge of the world.

More scenes of the Southern Scenic Route…

We arrived in Bluff in time to eat at The Drunken Sailor (an appropriate place for missionaries).  We tried their renowned fish ‘n chips.

View from the window at The Drunken Sailor…

Tuesday morning we attended seminary in Invercargill.  DeAnne Wilson taught a lesson from the Doctrine and Covenants to her two students.  These young men really know their scriptures, and we enjoyed a short visit with Sister Wilson and her husband Murray before heading to Gore.  In Gore, we met with Elder and Sister Risenmay and heard of the miracles that are happening in that branch.  They had 30 people to church on Sunday (that is a record for them) and they attribute it to the study of the Book of Mormon. 

We stopped in Omakau to visit with Brother Kahukura, whose seminary class with his two granddaughters has been interrupted by a family problem.  The girls are living for a time with their aunt and uncle, but we are praying that they get back to their granddad’s home where they are loved and taught the gospel. 

Then on to Queenstown where we visited with the missionaries and the newly called institute teacher, Johnny Whu.  They are excited about their Book of Mormon class and are hoping for miracles in their branch as well.

The last time we were in Queenstown, it was cloudy and late at night.  This trip, we saw why it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in New Zealand.  Queenstown is on the shores of Lake Wakatipu with the Remarkables in the background.

The water in this lake is sparkling clear.  These rocks are under water.

Wednesday, we drove back to Christchurch through some beautiful lake country.  First, Lake Wanaka…

Lake Hawea…

Lake Pukaki with its milky waters…

and, Lake Tekapo, also with milky water and these trees growing out in the lake.

Lest anyone think that all of New Zealand is gorgeous and full of water, I’m posting some pictures of some of the “Wyoming-like” terrain that we drove through.  First, the road from Queenstown to Wanaka…

and, between Twizel and Fairlie…

I forgot The Roaring Meg, or The Stream That Roared.  This is just a short distance outside of Queenstown.

We love the beauties of this island.  God’s handiwork is breathtaking.  But we love His people the most.  Our love for our mission is directly correlated to our love for these people.  The teachers and their efforts to help their students increase in faith and testimony, the students and their enthusiasm for life and their unfolding grasp of the gospel, the Young Adults and their love for each other and their Heavenly Father, all make our experiences here very fulfilling.  I find myself asking many times, “What if we hadn’t come?  What if we hadn’t met these people?”  We would have missed out on so much that is good and wonderful.  Our circle of love would have been so much smaller. 

Some of the YSA gave us a “heart attack” the night before the earthquake.  We love each and every one of them.