Daily Devotional

There is nothing that prepares you for a natural disaster.  Oh yes, you can stock up on food and always have water accessible in your house and car. However, the emotional stress and sorrow of being in a natural disaster is deep.

In 1982, Santa Cruz County was hit by torrential rainfall, flooding, and mudslides. Before the storm passed, twenty-two people died. One neighborhood was engulfed by a mountain of mud known as the Love Creek Slide. It buried seven homes over the rooftop. A few of those mudslide deaths were people who attended our church. My husband, who had a cast on his leg, was carried by a CHP officer to the top of a buried house to pray.

At the time we were living in a picturesque neighborhood in the Santa Cruz mountains. The rain poured off our roof in sheets all night and day. It never stopped. There was no power or water service. The flood waters surrounded our neighborhood, trapping us for three days.

The second day we were puzzled by sucking, swooshing sounds. Venturing across the street to the river we were shocked to see the source of the sound. Tall redwood trees were being sucked straight down into the raging river.  It was frightening to see the power of the river dragging debris and parts of homes. Refrigerators were bobbing in the tumult. The aftermath was described by people as “a war zone”.

Before the storm, we hardly knew our neighbors. Everyone just went in and out of their houses with maybe a quick wave. The storm transformed our neighborhood into a family.  The lack of electricity prompted us all to empty and barbeque everything in our refrigerators and freezers. Meals were shared and conversations were started as we all banded together to help and support each other through this crazy time.  

When the storm abated the people began to flow back into our neighborhood. The looters also invaded. My husband, with a couple of our new neighborhood friends, helped a lone deputy capture a looter across the street.

One of the biggest lessons we learned through this disaster: Know your neighbors—you may need each other. Ever since those fateful days, my husband and I have made it a priority to reach out to our neighbors in conversation, gifts, and acts of service. We try to make connections any way we can. As a result, we have had the opportunity to assist our neighbors in family crisis and health emergencies. My husband even had the privilege of leading a neighbor to the Lord and also officiating at their marriage. Some of our neighbors have become life-long friends.

The Lord knows best.  Love your neighbor as yourself!

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