October 17, 1989 the earth shook significantly. The clock 
read 5:04 p.m. The day was Tuesday. The quake registered 7.1 on the Richter scale, its epicenter in the Santa Cruz mountains of California. They called it the Loma Prieta earthquake and it shook for 15 seconds--an eternity when the earth rolls under your feet.
Almost as soon as it hit, I slipped under my desk at the church office. We knew nearly immediately that this quake was a big one. When it stopped rolling I looked outside and saw my car rocking front right to left rear--a very odd sight. I ran out the door and drove home to my 4 months old puppy. He had disappeared. The sliding glass door had a star-shaped hole in it. I found the shivering dog 
behind a bush in the backyard. His legs and lip were cut and bleeding. I took him to the animal hospital across town. They had gone outside and planned to close down. One look at the dog had them reconsider and reopen. I ran the intake part of the hospital as they worked on my dog. Everyone worked together.
The people of the church I worked at also united. They helped each other throughout the recovery. First with checking out 
homes for damage. Supplying people with shelter. During the following days, they gather to rebuild damaged structures. Everyone donated time, labor and materials. When one place was fixed, the group moved to another home until everyone was taken care of. Additionally, they reached out to neighbors to help them recover and rebuild.
The earthquake was scary but the aftermath was awesome. Seeing people help each other and unite for the common good was an inspiring experience.
Earthquakes are scary! We once experienced an aftershock while riding a roller coaster in March 1994. Quite a wild ride!
Posted by: Eric Bryant | June 25, 2007 at 08:22 AM