Earthquake hits Tuva, Siberia

As we were getting ready for a new year all seemed peaceful in our region of Tuva, Russia.  But, on December 27, at 11:22 pm, a 6.6 earthquake hit Kyzyl, Siberia.  

Being jolted from our sleep we awoke to our walls shaking and pictures falling.    There was nothing to do but stand in the safest part of the house and watch the walls breath.  We waited for what seemed like an eternity for the shaking to stop.  Once the force of the earthquake had subsided mass panic happened throughout the city.    People left their homes to stand on the streets in -30 degree weather.  Standing beside their buildings they didn’t realize what danger still ensued.  An hour later a 4.8 tremor hit and people ran down screaming, “It’s the end of the world.”  

For hours, people tried to find shelter from the cold, too scared to go back in their apartments.  They traveled to their relative’s homes in nearby villages for a warm place to stay in small one story wooden houses.

The news flashed on the Internet that an earthquake had hit Southern Siberia.  It only took our family a few hours to try and call us about the news.  At the epicenter, 60 miles east of Kyzyl, the quake rated 8.0 on the Richter scale. 

Throughout the night and into the morning we continued to feel aftershocks.  Schools were canceled and students at the local University were told to go back to their villages to start the holiday break early.  The University was too damaged to hold classes.  When all the shaking had finished and all the screaming and panic subsided the report came that no one was killed.  But, there had been  hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to buildings and thousands of people were displaced from their homes.  The Governor of the region, who is a Buddhist by faith, addressed the community and three times gave God thanks.  God had spared our lives in our small Republic of Tuva.  

This New Year 2012 we are proclaiming the name of the Lord like never before.  Many Buddhist believers, after the quake, went to pray at the local Russian Orthodox Temple.  They asked for the mercy of God on their lives and the lives of their families.  People are searching for answers and want to find peace.   

If you want to help us in our efforts to rebuild Tuva and help proclaim the name of the Lord to people in need you can!  First of all, we need your prayers.  People are in great fear and need faith only God can give.  Please pray that this experience will awaken their souls and that they will respond to the Word of the Lord.  Secondly, we want to help rebuild buildings that have been damaged.  If you, or your church, would like to financially support our rebuilding and humanitarian aid efforts you can through our stateside missions account.  This is God’s time for Tuva to come to know the only true God.  

 

If you or your church want to support our disaster relief efforts in Tuva make out checks to AGMD in the Memo include Account #245678 Class 60

Mail to AGMD 1445 Boonville Ave Springfield MO 65802