It’s 8:30 the power just turned off,
everything is pitch black. Immediately, my mind wonders back to the
day I walked with the girls to the beach. As we walked to the beach
my fav girl, Pierina told me about that August night when the
earthquake hit. She pointed at the basketball courts showing me where
everyone had run to after the storm. The dead were all placed on the
one hand side as some of their family gathered around. Meanwhile,
everyone searched for loved ones in disbeleif of what just happened.
The darkness remains. Fear…
As our walk continued the girls showed
me where they used to live. All that remain is rubble. Pierina showed
me where her bedroom used to be, the kitchen, the other girls room
etc. Amongst the rubble was mud, dirt and a pile of memories. I
talked with Pierina about how she is doing dealing with all of this,
if she had nightmares or was ever scared. Holding her hand looking
into my eyes she said, “Yes, it used to be really bad, but now that
you are here everything is better.” Heartbroken…
Tonight I am mourning. My heart aches.
As we sit in the pitch black, pictures run through my head as if I
were there. I picture this family in panic, I see Jessica (the mom)
gathering the girls as the floor shatters and the water fills the
home. I imagine them running in a crowd full of people in terror
trying to keep everyone together scared to pieces. Running in the
crowd they passby others who are carrying the dead. Finally, they get
to upper Tambo de Mora, about a mile up the road still crying
hysterically with eveyone else. The slideshow continues. Crushed…
They gather here on the concrete
basketball courts of the school, just waiting filled with so much
pain. In the crowd they hear the screams as people cry out for their
loved ones not knowing where they are, the screams of those gathered
around the dead, the screams of pure fright and fear. The tears
flow….I am there in this moment. What happened next? I know
nothing. This is so hard…
Where do they go that night, I have no
idea. I wonder if they slept on the basketball courts, holding onto
one another tighter than ever or if they couldn’t sleep even a wink.
When the sun comes up the next morning they return home just to
experience the fear and emotions all over again seeing their home in
shambles. They sort through the rubble trying to gather whatever they
can, still there seems to be no end to the tears. So much hurt…
Within the next two days they rebuild
with few resources, tarps and a hay-like material for walls. And this
is where they are today. Yesterday Jessica told us about the girls’
routines. After getting up and playing for a little they might eat
just a little then they all shower. After this they sit and wait.
Sassy Sas looks around asking…where are my friends! And they
countdown the minutes until we arrive. Joy, pure joy…
We have only 10 days left. Some are
ready to get outta here others have checked out early… but for me,
I absolutely dread the day of saying goodbye. I feel the pain they
experienced that late August night. I grieve with them. Everyday, we
share joy fellowshipping together, we laugh together, smile together,
cry together, talk with one another, I think about them when I am not
with them and countdown to see them again after every goodbye. This
blackout reminds me we are here to love on them, help them rebuild,
establish relationships, play with the children, heal the sick and
ultimately make eternal differences in their lives so that one day we
will rejoice together in Heaven! Overwhelmed with peace…
Jesus, as my heartbreaks, I am filled
with joy because of your great love! So here’s to the friends that
become family, the sadness that changes to joy and to the One who
gives us neverending hope in all circumstances.
An hour and a half has passed, the
darkness remains. They are in my heart tonight, forever and always…
