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Saturday, February 5, 2011

surviving a cyclone

less than half a block away on our street

Cyclone Yasi has come and gone. It’s amazing to think that a cyclone the same intensity as Katrina has ripped through our area. But unlike Katrina, Yasi hit lesser populated areas and didn’t take lives like we saw in Louisiana a few years ago.

Yasi, a level 5 cyclone, crossed land at Mission Beach leaving that community, as well as Tully, Cardwell, and several other small coastal communities, completely ravaged. One in three homes were destroyed and thousands are devastated by the utter destruction.

Instead of seeing the fruit that generations of farmers have labored for we see a landscape that looks like a warzone.

The damage in Townsville—though severe in places—was considerably less. Although there are homes and businesses damaged, it is nothing like our neighbors to the north where entire farms and communities lay in ruins.

Around our home we have many fallen trees and power lines. People have been hard at work clearing their yards and the streets of debris and cleaning up homes.

on our street two doors down from us

on our street

We’re now on day four without power. At the moment 32% of the city has power restored, including all of our friends and the YWAM base just a few blocks away as well as the supermarket down the road.

We hope to have power at our place within the week.

In the meantime, we take cold showers thanking God that we have running water.

We cook our meals on the BBQ, thanking God for propane.

We store our milk in the fridge that is now powered by a borrowed generator.

We sleep without blankets in the dripping heat of the night and thank God that we are in a warm climate instead of a cold one.

We listen to the battery-operated radio to get important announcements and reports of where the disaster relief is up to.

And soon, we’ll head to friends houses to do our laundry, watch the news on TV, connect to the outside world online (and post this), enjoy a cup of tea, and maybe—just maybe—have an hour or two in the air conditioning.

We spent yesterday cleaning up the YWAM base and our neighborhood. We spent today cleaning up our own place. Tomorrow we will rest… and then start again on Monday.

the park ("our park") where we play a block from our house

Thanks for your prayers for us and for the people of our area. Although Yasi was terrifying for those caught in the eye of it, everyone rejoices that lives were spared.

Homes can be rebuilt. Businesses can be rebuilt. Farms can be rebuilt. Cars and equipment can be replaced. Streets can be cleaned up. Power can be recovered.

And most importantly, hope can be restored.

one of the shop windows on the waterfront boarded up and ready for a beating

Dear friends, please continue to pray. The clean-up and rebuilding has only just begun.

relieved,




adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission

10 comments:

  1. Thanks for the reminder that prayer is still needed! Juliette's is the place Emma worked, isn't it? We sat outside with our coffees right about where all those branches are now. Your own street isn't even recognizable to me.

    Mom
    xo

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  2. I'll be thinking about all of you. Wow. What a mess!

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  3. Thank you for the pictures and words. Sometimes we get so sealed off in our own little lives. I appreciate you taking the time to share what's happening there, and reminding us.

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  4. I'm so glad that so many lives were spared. We're praying for y'all through this time of rebuilding and hoping that it will be a time of spiritual renewal for those affected.

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  5. Wow I'm so happy that you all are safe! I'll definitely be praying for cleanup & rebuilding during this time. I was in tears when I read your last post. I'm just really glad you all are okay!

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  6. Wow! I didn't realize that was going on where you are! I'm so glad you guys are okay aside from the major inconvenience of not having power for so long. Oh man, that would be though!! Hope it comes back on very very soon!!

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  7. When I saw the cyclone on the news, I thought of you and prayed that you would be safe. I'm so glad that your home is intact, even if you're without power. You're right, there is so much to be thankful for, and there are so many people to pray for. But with that, I hope your power comes back quickly! I've done the "no-power" thing for 9 days before (during an ice storm in the dead of winter with a newborn) and it is NO fun!

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  8. So glad to hear you guys made it through the hardest part. I'm definitely thinking of you and all of the people in your area who have been effected by this cyclone. Hope things are continuing to improve and that you've gotten power back!

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  9. Im so glad to hear that you and your family are doing well, I know that it must have gotten a little scary for you guys, I love your strong faith in God, I admire you for that!! I will cont. to pray!

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  10. One must always be prepared for natural things like this. Reading your last couple of posts I'm glad you prepared and sooo glad and happy to hear your family is safe and sound.

    PS. Also glad to hear Levi's birthday was a success. =)

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