Monday, May 23, 2016

A Crazy Week of More Earthquakes

Well Quininde is looking a lot different than when I came here, this week there were 2 pretty strong aftershocks from the big earthquake that hit Ecuador a month ago and it took a little bit of a toll on the city.

The first aftershock was Wednesday night at 3 in the morning. My companion and I were asleep and then I felt some heavy shaking and felt like I was getting thrown out of the bed and my companion is like vamos, We live on the second floor so we ran down the stairs and went to this basketball court outside of the house where the whole neighborhood went as well and we were just there feeling the earth shake and watching glass shatter in houses and watching houses move and it was so crazy and all of the light posts like exploded. I had to call the other missionaries in the district and they were all fine and I reported that to the zone and then we tried going to sleep, but I couldn't sleep for like 2 hours after that cuz I was so shocked at what happened.

Wednesday at about 11 during weekly planning my companion and I were just sitting there at our desks when our windows started shaking hardcore and I thought our house got hit by a train. I got thrown out of my seat and we hauled out of the house again to watch more windows break and roofs fall and stuff. A lot of the poor part of our sector had some houses flattened, the other elders who are here had a lot of their investigators get their houses pretty damaged. It has been crazy here and all of Wednesday everyone was super scared and everyone was crying in the streets and everyone thought it was the end of the world. In my whole life I have never experienced this type of a disaster or anything, it is weird seeing everyone in a crisis. Anyways, Wednesday after the quake  we followed the mission emergency plan and went to the chapel and after that we got the all clear sign to get back to work. It was actually a really good day to work because everyone felt a need to get closer to God and change their lives.

I also found out that the epicenters of the two earthquakes were here in my sector.

I think only one person died, but I know a couple people that got injured and a lot of people who dont have their houses in the best condition right now, so please keep the people of Ecuador in your prayers that we can get through these earthquakes 

We had an absolute miracle this week. My companion and I found this awesome new family, we actually met them last week as we were contacting in the rain in downtown Quninde. We learned that they live in a plantation of cacao and bananas about 20 minutes in bus from our house and then from there 30 minutes walking through the jungle, so we were able to find their house and they are just so awesome. they have understood the lessons really well and they even gave us some awesome food. I ate duck for the first time in my life and it was super delicious! 


I got to do another baptismal interview on Saturday and it was amazing. It is definitely one of my favorite things on the mission, and the Hermanas had a baptism this last Saturday and the girl that got baptized asked me to baptize her and that was a really special and spiritual opportunity for me. 

Love, Elder Roberts

My earthquake wound, I hit my arm against a wall as I ran down the stairs 
Just chillin by one of the rivers 
Bautismo!

chillin in a palm tree forest

 chillin more in a palm tree forest

No comments:

Post a Comment