Here We Go Again

Someone told me today that New Zealand has experienced over 7,300 aftershocks since the September earthquake.  They say we are in uncharted territory, that no earthquake stricken area has had to deal with that number of tremors.  Because of their frequency, we are unrattled by most movement.  It becomes a guessing game; how big do you think that was?  We wait 20 minutes, go to ‘GeoNet’, and see how good we’ve become at seismological calculations.  We’re getting fairly accurate.  When we know one is over 5 we start worrying about where everyone is, whether they are hurt, and if there is more damage to homes and infrastructure.  So when yesterday’s first big aftershock of 5.6 hit, I was instantly worried about John who had gone to Pak ‘n Save in the mall to buy groceries.  The mall worries me.  It has two stories, heavily stocked shelves that fall, and a cement parking terrace that could trap and squash.  I was at the institute building and immediately tried calling his cell phone.  Phone service is sporadic after earthquakes so I couldn’t reach him for a few minutes.  When he arrived back at the institute, he told about going through checkout as the quake hit.  Things did fall off the shelves, people screamed, and the checker immediately hit the ground.  He finished what he was doing just in time for the security officers to usher him and all other shoppers out of the mall.  We watched as the university was evacuated, again, and we knew that all businesses and schools would also be closing and sending everyone home.  It was a lucky thing, because about 90 minutes later, the 6.3 struck which did damage to more buildings.  Many people are without power (a particularly difficult thing considering the freezing temperatures), again, many are back to using chemical toilets, again, and all of the city is asked to boil their water, again.  It will take a few days before all of the buildings in the city can be inspected and cleared for reentry.  Schools remain closed.  I’m not sure about stores.  I haven’t been out to check. 

The 6.0 quake was perhaps the strangest one we’ve been in.  We were driving home to our flat and stopped at a stop sign.  It felt like someone had picked up our car and was tossing it around.  On the sidewalk was an elderly Asian lady who was holding onto the traffic sign in her attempt to remain upright.  We ended up going back to the institute and spending the afternoon there with the YSA who made their way to the IB for companionship and conversation.

Some people in Christchurch are nonplussed and insist that they are going to stay put and rebuild.  This is there home.  Others feel trapped because they have mortgages to pay, jobs in the city, and other factors making it impossible for them to move.  A final group says this is the last straw; they’ve had enough and are moving out.  People always ask if the quakes frighten me.  They really do not, but I don’t have a home here to worry about.  My children and grandchildren are miles away (ironically living on the Wasatch Fault).  I think it would be a different story if this was my permanent home.  It feels a bit like being in one of those horror films or natural disaster movies where the eerie music plays, you know very well that something terrible is about to happen, and you want to shout at the silly people, “Get out of there you idiots!”

We had another 11 or 12 quakes in the night, but we only felt the one at 3:00 am—a 4.9.  We are having a missionary fireside tonight.  Elder Snow and Elder Callister are coming.  I think it is still on.

News from last week—Our Institute Choir performed for the first time ever. Ellen Chan directed as they sang ‘Lord Accept Our True Devotion’  for an education fireside where Elder Hamula and two administrators from BYU Hawaii spoke and encouraged the young men, young women, and young adults to get an education.  Elder Hamula very firmly told the people in attendance that when it comes to choosing between culture and commandments, you choose commandments.  He told the parents that they should not have their children quit school and give up opportunities for education so that they can work and earn money for the family.  This is a big problem here and I wondered how his advice was taken.  Cultural issues create many problems and they seem to be the most difficult to overcome.  The Samoan ward, Wainoni, has a wonderful group of Young Adults.  About 25 to 30 altogether.  They do not attend institute.  They do not come to YSA activities.  They remain separated.  We have been working for the last few weeks at getting to know them.  We attended their FHE on Sunday night.  They were so welcoming and kind.  We had a wonderful time, but whenever we suggested they join us in institute or participate in stake YSA activities, they hurriedly changed the subject.  Two of the girls, Sara and Missy, attended our FHE last night.  One Wainoni girl, Tusi, sang in the choir (the choir was superb, by the way).  Baby steps.

Wainoni FHE.

Faava, Sauni, Adele, Ginger, Tusi, Sara, Missy, and Pisila.

Tuki.

Dave and Susan, the YSA reps.

We went to Ashburton for piano lessons on Saturday.  Three kids, Jacob, Marina, and Mata had pieces ready to play on Sunday.  We made the trip again on Sunday to hear them.  It was one of the sweetest moments of my mission so far.  I wish you could have seen their faces as they finished.  They were trying so hard not to smile and show their delight, but it was in their eyes.  They were amazing and I was so very proud of them.  Their parents were almost as proud as I was. 

On the way home, we noticed that snow had finally dusted the tops of the mountains.

  

I leave you with just a couple of New Zealand sights—their graveyards are very quaint.  This country is relatively young and their cemeteries are no older than ours, but they look much older because of the moss and mold growing on the headstones.  These pictures are from the cemetery in Ashburton.

Completely surrounded by this lovely fence.

One more lovely New Zealand tree.  I love the interesting trunks.

Quakes and cold, no worries.  Kiwi’s are hardy.  We wimpy and pampered Americans are taking their lead.  We are hoping to become hardy. These 12-14 hour days are helping that process a bit.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY BEAUTIFUL JILL!!!!