Sunday, September 9, 2012

Earthquakes and Volcanoes

 
The second half of last week was filled with plenty of adventure.  On Wednesday morning, classes and elementary chapel were interrupted by a 7.6 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Costa Rica, just about 100 miles away from Managua.  It was strong enough to be felt by everyone in the school and lasted longer than most tremors we have experienced.  People described it as though the floor was moving in a circular motion, and some said they felt like they were going to faint.  Our students, teachers and staff immediately commenced our well-rehearsed evacuation procedures and everyone was on the soccer field, safe and accounted for in a few minutes.  No damages were reported and we resumed class soon after.
 
The following day, local seismologists reported 17 separate small tremors with origin in the Managua area.  All were small and imperceptible, but the activity was enough to raise the earthquake threat level to "green" (the lowest level on the scale).  This resulted in a decision to close all national public schools on Friday and conduct crisis management training for teachers nationwide. Due to our own preparedness and the minimum threat, NCA (and several other private schools) held class as normal on Friday, but just before noon, the school closing orders were expanded to include NCA and we sent students home early.
 
Although the big earthquake that everyone feared on Friday never happened, Nicaragua's tallest volcano, San Cristobal, registered the highest activity in many years on Saturday morning, expelling ash clouds that prompted authorities to evacuate about 3,000 local residents.
 
According to many Nicaraguans, we are "due" for another big earthquake in the next year or so.  This is primarily based on a superstitious belief that  earthquakes here occur on a 40-year cycle.  In the past 127 years, Managua has been destroyed three times by a major earthquake that strikes every 40-45 years.  Major destructive earthquakes in Nicaragua happened in 1884, 1931 and 1972. You do the math.
 
Although mankind has rarely had success predicting earthquakes, we know their destructive power.  Please pray for Nicaragua as fears arise, especially among those that lived through the tragedy of the 1972 quake.  And may God protect us and continue to hold us in His hand!

Welcome, Asher!





Many of you may already have heard, but we haven’t yet announced in a newsletter the arrival of our fourth child, Asher Josue Starkenburg! Asher was born on June 21, weighing 7 pounds 14 ounces. Now, at 2 ½ months old, he weighs close to 16 pounds and is growing fast. We were blessed to have Liam’s mom here both for his birth and again in July, as well as Jessica’s mom and sister here later in July and August. We couldn’t have done it without all their help!

Caleb and Judah are happy to have another little one to entertain, and Belen, although she doesn’t pay much attention to Asher yet, is glad to have him as a distraction now that her older brothers have both started up school again. Please continue to pray for our adjustment and the busyness that comes with having four children ages five and under. Pray for wisdom as we parent these precious children and raise them up to follow the Lord and to serve Him. We are so thankful for four healthy, happy children!