Things I Didn't Blog About

There are a few things I haven't blogged about lately. Not small things, but big things. Like the earthquake in Nepal. It wasn't just another sad news story to us; it hit too close to home.

My outdoor-loving sister in law and brother in law were trekking near LangTang in Nepal when the earthquake happened. They were actually staying in a village the night before and decided to go on a hike the next morning. As it turns out, they narrowly escaped being crushed by the  tumbling rocks, and of course, had they tarried  in the village, they most likely would not be here today. The village was totally demolished, in the direct path of the sliding mass of rocks.   I still find it hard to wrap my head around that. It feels so surreal. So much loss of life - people, animals, plants.

 photo copyright Ann C

It took three days of  my husband attempting to connect with  Ann & Jim's friends, Canadian Foreign Affairs SOS, the consolate in Nepal, MPs, and a variety of other organizations, hoping for information confirming that our relatives had survived.  Those were stressful days. When we finally heard from Ann, relief flooded over us. She and Jim were overwhelmed and exhausted, and, along with others near them, had narrowly escaped death from the landslide. Ann ending up with a fractured foot from a tumbling rock, but alive! She has some amazing stories to tell of strangers who banded together to help anyone they could, as they huddled in the cold and wet, waiting for rescue and medical aid, without much food or water.

I am so thankful to God that they survived and are now back on Canadian soil. I'm sure it will take them some time to process this near death experience, seeing so much sadness and devastation up close.

It's natural to assume that we all will  die only after living to a 'ripe old age', but the uncertainties of life remind us there are no guarantees. It reminds me to treasure the time we have on earth and to be thankful knowing that our lives here on earth are not the end of the story, just the beginning!

I hope we remember those whose lives  have been forever altered  by devastation and do what we can to be a part of the healing process. Did you know that until May 25, the government of Canada is matching donations dollar for dollar from individual Canadians? Check it out here.

photo copyright Ann C

We're looking forward to seeing Ann & Jim at our son's wedding in a few weeks! Time to celebrate love, life, and family ties!