And I'll blow your house down...

Wow, that last week blew by...literally. Last Tuesday (Jan 9th) my wife and I were driving back from Chilliwack BC in a huge windstorm. I had been to an eye doctor's appointment and we were hurrying back for a basketball practice that I was supposed to run. Our kids were with Ang's sister, Cyndi. As we pulled into Hope it was clear to see that the power was out all over town. We turned down Cyndi's street and an eerie unrest began to settle in our van. As we approached their house we could see a powerpole leaning across the street. What was most alarming was the ambulance sitting just by Cyndi's driveway. We quickly realized that something horrible had happened. Here's what we would piece together over the next 36 hours.

Of the 5 kids home with Cyndi, 3 were downstairs. Cyndi was upstairs with the other 2 watching the amazing wind storm through their living room window. Suddenly, the power went out. The girls downstairs freaked out (as little girls often do when the lights go out) and started up the stairs. At that same moment Cyndi realized that this was no ordinary windstorm and was shuttling everyone downstairs to a safer spot. They all met somewhere on the stairs and began the downward trek together. At that very moment, a huge gust of wind lifted the roof off of the rear deck of their neighbor's house across the street. This huge chunk of lumber and tin flew over the top of the neighbor's house, across the street, and slammed into the front of Reid and Cyndi's place, causing the front door and the 4 foot x 4 foot window above it to explode into the front entryway/stairwell. The door blew completely off its hinges. Cyndi took the brunt of the impact, which undoubtedly saved the lives of the children, and the whole group of them were thrown to the floor. The 5 kids got up screaming and hurried into the downstairs laundry room, terrified. They didn't know what had happened. They'd heard a loud boom, been sent flying to the ground and had seen glass flying through the air. My 8 year old Kaitlyn thought that robbers had broken into the house. As they looked out the laundry room door, all they could see was their Auntie Cyndi lying in a heap at the bottom of the stairs, covered in blood and not moving. They all thought she was dead. They paniced, screamed, tried to figure out a plan. Maddie (my 10 year old) and Phoebe (Cyndi's 10 year old) ran out the laundry room door to find a neighbor for help. The wind literally blew them from the carport into the alley, terrifying them so much that they returned to the laundry room. Becca, my 12 year old (almost 13) took the bull by the horns and ran out to check on Cyndi. She tried to find a pulse. Then she heard voices outside. She rushed up the stairs to see neighbors in the street. She called out for help. They arrived and phoned 911. In no time at all the kids were taken around the corner to our close friends, who "co-incidentally" had both come home early that day. That is where we found them -- shaken, scared, and yet safe. When we first saw them, Bethany (our 6 year old) burst into tears saying, "You're alive! You're alive!" In her mind this had happened everywhere and she thought that we were dead. Cyndi, meanwhile, had been taken to the local hospital. A trip to Vancouver and a CAT scan later confirmed that she had suffered extensive injuries (6 broken ribs, 2 cracked vertebrae, a broken shoulder, bruised lungs, and numerous cuts and bruises) but nothing life threatening.

It's interesting that my last entry had to do with living in this imperfect world of suffering. Little did I know that I would see that again first hand within 12 hours of writing that entry. I saw power and desolation and fear to the degree that I hope I never see it again. But I also saw much more. I saw a church community rally around my family with unconditional, over and above love and support. All our needs were taken care of. The phone rang off the hook. Our kids were cared for, loved, prayed for. I saw people reminded that stuff is never as important as people. I saw people giving of themselves. I saw God take a horrible situation and bring something beautiful out of it.

I'll tell you more about this later. I hope to post some pictures, including one of a 6 foot 4"x4" post that flew from the back yard across the street and into Reid and Cyndi's house. But for now I just wanted you to hear what's been happening here. And to realize once again that life can change in seconds.