How I survived the earthquake in Japan

Sometimes in order to mourn with those who mourn, you have to step in their shoes and imagine what it's like to be them.

47 days ago, I'm in Japan.
This is my story.

I’m driving home from work when I’m startled by a tremendous vibration. Feels like I’m in a pop can being shaken violently. I pass out.

Few minutes later I crawl out of my broken car window. There is no longer a road ahead of me. Just a valley and what seems like an endless abyss...

Cars sandwiched with houses. Trees snapped like tooth picks.
Chaos and tragedy everywhere, but I don’t have time to notice either. All i can think of is my wife and daughter.

I run home as fast as I can. I stop as fast as I can. My House is missing. All that's left is an empty lot with massive sink holes.

I tremble and weep as I walk around aimlessly. I scream their names. 'Ashley'. 'Bebe'. 'Ashley'. 'Bebe'. 'Ashley'

I hope they hear me but I know its not likely. Sirens fill the void as a hundred others cry out for loved ones.

Lost. Scared. Terrified.

I crawl up on the street corner, close my eyes, cover my ears and pray its all a dream. The screams and smell of death around me says otherwise.

Now I’m laying in a pool of water mixed with my blood.
I notice the pile of lifeless bodies scrunched in the concrete.

Throw up on myself. Shock. I just want to just lay there and die but I also want to hope.

Maybe they are still alive?

The next few hours are a blur. I’m sitting in a camp with a thousand other survivors. Words were few but the emotion was deafening. I’m surrounded and alone. Just me and my blanket.

No cell phone, computer, wallet or keys. Just wet ripped jeans and a bloody shirt. Is it my blood? who cares.

A volunteer hands me a paper and a sharpie to add my name to the ‘survival’ wall. I grab the paper but don’t say a word. I don’t know where to start. What do I write?

“Ashley and Bebe, I’m alive”

Took me an hour to write 5 words.

Now what?

No family. No friends. No home. No job. No city. No food. No banks. No insurance. No cash. No future.

Now what?

Truth is, we can't EVER really imagine what it was like to be in Japan during the earthquake.

But we can pray and give. I know its overwhelming to pray for an entire country much less one that was ravaged by such disaster, but can we really afford not to? Can we really just move on after 47 days like nothing really happened?

Today's first question is hard but I challenge you to REALLY try to step in their shoes and answer it.

How would you feel if 47 days ago, you lost everything and everyone in an earthquake?

Now pray for Japan like you'd want to be prayed for.

Please share this on face-book/twitter. We're a small community but I'm convinced our voice can still be loud enough to draw many hearts to our brothers and sisters in Japan. You can also go here to give if inclined.