Flood!
The stream flooded the road into our neighborhood
Yesterday was the fifth straight day of rain. I don’t know how much rain has fallen, but probably more than I experienced in 10 years of life in West Africa and California! Since we live in a mountainous area, the rivers around us quickly swelled with fast-moving water from above. We were grateful that the rain stopped last night, and the water is receding.
We weren’t too worried at first, because we live on relatively high ground, and our apartment is on the second floor. But yesterday morning the nearby river overflowed its banks, and water began flowing across the roads and into our neighbors’ yards.
Water reaches the bottom step
By noon, river water was flooding through our yard as well, and it almost covered the bottom step of the house before it stopped rising. The main road was blocked by fast, muddy water.
Many people have been impacted much more severely. In lower-lying areas people’s homes and gardens have been destroyed. People have died as cars and buses were washed off roads and bridges. Here’s one of many internet news reports: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-29093254
I noticed how easy it was to ignore the rain and the rising water as long as it stayed at a distance. When I saw water rising in our own yard, those news reports of flooded homes and lost family members suddenly seemed more urgent, and more worthy of my concern and prayers.
Power poles down
Human nature is like that; we tend to only care about what touches us directly. Part of what it means to “Love Our Only World” is to intentionally move out into the world, so that we are in a position to be directly touched by what brings suffering to our sisters and brothers.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged flood by Lisa