The Tsunami

MARCH 2011

After the earthquake in Japan on March 11, 2011, a tsunami was predicted to hit the North Shore at roughly 2am the following morning.  Around 9pm that night, Greg and I, along with one of Greg’s best workers, drove against the traffic of evacuators (what an eerie experience!) to prepare the farm for the tsunami.  We worked tirelessly to build shelves in the container and move everything as high as possible.

Needless to say, we hardly slept a wink that night, worried about how high the tsunami surge might be and if we would wake to see all of our hard work washed away the next morning.  By the grace of God, there was no significant  damage.  However, we could see that the entire farm had been covered with water – there were little pools with fish everywhere!  Dead fish were scattered over the whole farm and our easement, which is the furthest section of Wai Kaya Farm from the river.  This, along with the fact that some large, heavy blocks (stairs to enter the container) were twisted and moved more than a foot from the container entrance, told us that although the surge may not have been more than two feet high, it came and went quick and hard.

Here are some videos of the debris and fish left behind by the tsunami:

The height of our creek fluctuates slightly with the tides, but previously we had never seen it flow backwards!  Watching the after-surges the day following the tsunami sent chills up my spine.  We were once again reminded of the tremendous blessing that is God’s mercy and protection.

"This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him…Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday…If you make the LORD your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home.  For He will order His angels to protect you wherever you go."

Psalm 91:2, 6, 9-11 (NLT)