Today, April 16th, marks 5 years since the Ecuadorian coast was rocked by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. 676 people lost their life, close to 20,000 were injured, and many many more displaced. 

With great volunteers, we tried our best to help those who lost loved ones and homes. Within 24 hours, Dr. Suzanne was escorting patients with the airforce from Manta to Guayaquil, as the local hospitals were damaged or overwhelmed. This started our 6 month effort to assist those in need. 

We ran pop up medical clinics in rural areas for those that could not reach a hospital because of broken roads and bridges or the hospitals were destroyed. With generous contributions, we were able to share thousands of mosquito nets with the many people who couldn’t or did not want to sleep in their damaged houses. For months, the constant aftershocks would not let any of us sleep.  We were also able to share 1,000 water filters, possibly giving over 10,000 Ecuadorians free and safe water to drink. 

There was much needed, and we were only a ripple. 

If in an earthquake, it’s important for all of us to listen to the experts and remember these basics.

If you’re indoors, stay there. Get low, under a table or desk. 

If you’re outside, move into an open area away from buildings. 

Fortunately, many Ecuadorians on the northern coast live in bamboo houses, which bend, don’t break. In the cities with concrete, not so much. 

Earthquakes don’t kill people, buildings do. 

Thank you to all that helped us help others in this challenging situation. Elisabeth, Juan Carlos, Adam, Otra Ola, Vladi, Mike, Cruz Roja, Tears to Water, Jorge Briones,… 

This was the largest tremor to hit Ecuador in almost 40 years. Now after 5 years, many of these hard hit areas are better than before the earthquake.  

Still, an earthquake can rock a country, and an individual in many different ways.