Earthquake!

Last night was interesting here.

It was going along as a normal Friday night of watching the boys (my two students)- even after the power went out.

When the power went out, we were suddenly done with the movie (which had just frozen up anyway) and it was time to brush teeth and get in bed. My plan was to light some candles and get them off to sleep as quickly as possible.

It was just the routine (which I'm still learning) of getting the flashlight and lighting candles. As I was going to light the first candle, the match broke. Before I could get out another match, everything started shaking. (So thankfully no candles were lit.) I don't remember being in anything like that before, so I didn't really know what to do at the time.

I did what I knew to do. I held the boys close to me and tried to keep them calm. (They've been in earthquakes before and don't have fun memories of them.) I told them it was okay and God was taking care of us. I remembered a story Becky told of an earthquake- and that they went outside- so I moved us toward the door.

The shaking didn't last very long. When it stopped, I had the door open, and Hermano David and some of the older boys were coming up the stairs to make sure we were okay.
We were fine- no damage done...just some shaking up.

So, they took the boys down and I ran and grabbed their blankets and pillows, so they could sleep downstairs.

Downstairs we all stood close to the walls. The older boys lit some candles and put them on the tile floor. After a bit, and Hermano David checking on the kids in the other houses, and an evacuation plan was set up for any more earthquakes during the night, mattresses were brought out of the older boys rooms and everyone settled down. (The power came back on somewhere in there.)

The two boys and I settled onto one mattress. Really they were settled into it, and I was kinda on the side of it, falling off. (But my goal wasn't to sleep, just to help them get to sleep.) All the boys were told to keep their shoes on while they slept, in case they needed to get out of the house fast.

After a while everyone quieted down and went to sleep...or were at least quiet.

I dozed on and off. When I'd start to really fall asleep though, I'd start falling off the bed and wake up. =)

Maybe almost two hours after the earthquake David and Becky got back from their day out. They had felt the earthquake where they were too. After they got back, and the two boys were moved up to their beds, I went down to my bed.

As I was going to sleep I remembered Psalm 91. It's really a good chapter to think about! The part I thought about was, though a thousand fall at my side and ten thousand at my right hand, it will not come near me- or anyone on this property! We are protected. God's hand is on us.
Then another verse came to mind: the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and He delivers them.

How good it is to be taken care of by the Almighty GOD!!!!