2021 Blog 1- Croatia Earthquake Update
I would like to share a couple of things with you concerning what happened in Croatia at the end of 2020 and what is continuing to happen even today, with all the earthquakes. The following blog was written by a dear member of the HiS PRINT Family who lives in Sisak. His account and reaction brings home the enormity of the quakes and the hope he has in mankind and especially in God. Please take the time to read his account.
From Lordan:
It’s difficult
to describe what happened in Sisak on 28th and
29th of December, 2020. It’s
difficult to describe all the important aspects of the
earthquake catastrophe we faced and are still
facing. City that HiS Print considers Home away
from home-Sisak and its surrounding area was
badly damaged and people we developed relationship are in
need.
Facts
On Monday, 28th of December Sisak, Petrinja and wider surrounding area was hit by a strong earthquake, magnitude of 5.2 on the Richter scale. The quake was followed by a number of aftershocks, some registering as high as 4.9 magnitude. Many buildings and houses were badly damaged and streets were full of bricks and parts of the roofs and of course full of people who went outside out of fear and in search of safety. You know it’s bad when the President and the Prime minister came to Sisak and Petrinja to express their support.
But it was only the beginning. The very next day, after midday, we were hit again. This time by around 45 times stronger earthquake of magnitude of 6.4 which caused strong seismic waves destroying what previous one didn’t. The earthquake was felt in other countries as far as 200 miles away. President of Slovenia posted picture on Twitter of the facade in his office on the floor.
Weaker-built houses collapsed or
broke, many stronger-built
ones were damaged. The ground cracked and split
causing holes, some 30meters wide and 17 meters
deep, many roads were
closed as they broke in many
places and asphalt fractured while mud and
water started pouring out of the earth. Not
just from the pipes…but
from deep earth wells. Seven people were
killed immediately, including a 13-year-old girl while
many were injured. Subsequently, a number of older
people suffered from a stroke or a heart attack as fear and
stress were beyond describing.
What I saw
What followed were scenes from a catastrophe movie; rivers of people moved to the streets, out of fear of staying inside houses and buildings or because it was simply destroyed or just trying to get to their loved ones.
My dad called me before my smartphone lost signals, due to sheer number of calls and collapse of the network so I knew my parents were alive and safe, but we couldn’t get my grandma on the phone. She is 86 years old, has a heart condition and lives on the top floor of her building. After I physically saw my mom and dad, we took the car and went to pick up grandma. She was safe, thank God.
Going somewhere with a car proved to be a difficult task; everybody was trying to do the same. Many roads were closed because of the cracks, holes or rubble from the houses which caused additional traffic jams. Gas stations didn’t work as there was no electricity, and well, we were low on gas.
Invisible weight people carried was painfully visible on their face. They were scared, full of tears and anticipation, lost and confused. For hours we didn’t know much, for example when would we get the electricity back, when will the stores be open so we can buy water and other basics things we took for granted. Everything stopped. Hospital, city hall, post office and many many other buildings were ruined and were not usable.
News about Petrinja and many villages came through and it was quite devastating. Centre of Petrinja was destroyed as were many villages. Hundreds of people slept in their cars as it was the only safe and decent place to be. We didn’t sleep much those day, or eat because we simply couldn’t and constant aftershocks kept us on the edge. Everybody was on the edge.
The Beautiful
What was beautiful is that help came immediately from all over Croatia. Volunteers poured to the devastating area and helped with whatever was needed. Donations was organised and kept coming, filling various warehouses with baby diapers, food, toilet paper and many other essential things.
Since so many lost their homes, those who had campers and trailers, even those who rented them during tourist season, donated or borrowed them to people who lost their homes. Hundreds of trailers kept coming while many around Croatia opened their homes to people from the area.
All of Croatia rose to the occasion and helped. It was
the biggest and most beautiful display of unity,
friendship and empathy ever seen in our
country and I am proud and privileged to be a
witness of that.
Aftermath
The area that suffered greatly during the war some 30 years ago, that was neglected economically and in every other sense suffered another catastrophe. So now, all the lights were pointed to us. We were on the news, and not just Sisak but remote villages in the rural areas and all came to helped. Because of earthquake, everybody showed interest for people to whom HiS Print Ministries showed love for the last 20 years, developing true relationships and helping as much as they (we) could. But I’ll get back to that.
The days passed and those worthy volunteers had to go back home, had to go back to their families and to work. The first battle was over, but this is going to be a marathon, not a short sprint. Over 500 people in Sisak and many, many more in the county are still living in container settlements and trailers-a temporary solution, which may prove to be not-as-temporary. Over a month after the main earthquake, many people still don’t have a container and live in unsafe or downright dangerous house/building and many who do have an improvised house don’t have electricity or warm water they can shower with.
I’m afraid to think how long will the news cover those soul-crushing stories about an old granny from a village near Petrinja, whose house was destroyed, yet she doesn’t want to leave because she has two cows in a barn that survived. You see a 70-year-old granny hugging her cow because cow’s milk is a source or income and delicious cheese. She doesn’t want to leave.
How long until the lights turn to something more fun
and nice? It’s really hard to be bombarded with bad
news, we’re all sick of it. But this is our reality
now. I can turn off the TV but if I
go outside I’ll see ruined houses and danger sings
all over. That cannot be turned off. Our hospital is reduced
to few buildings and few tents, all serious
patients are taken to other hospitals. Our main post office is
unusable, music school destroyed and the uncomfortable list
goes on and all of that while we still face
aftershocks. Odds were against us before these
devastating earthquakes, what chance do we have now?
Walking together, shoulder by shoulder
Media in the US didn’t cover much about the events here-no surprise there. Earthquake in Zagreb, capitol of Croatia that happened in March was all over news yet a stronger one, some 30miles south is not all that interesting.
Yet numerous people were immidiatelly contacted by David, Joe and so many others, and asked about the situation and how they can help. It meant a lot! Their desire to be here with us was prevented by the travel ban caused by pandemic, otherwise, they would be here with us and that’s a comforting thought.
As I said before, HiS Print cared about Sisak, Petrinja and the surrounding area long before it was hit by a strong earthquake and discovered by others (even in Croatia). Together we organised programs in the children’s Library in the centre that is now unsafe to be in, together we brought sport events to the city, together we brought food and other essentials to people in Sisak and the remote rural areas whose houses are now damaged.
We walked together through life and will continue to do
that. Our Father linked us with love and His Holy Spirit into
one body. David, Debbie, Joe, Brandon, Heidi and so
many others are preparing to help where God leads, to run
this marathon with those in need, share His love through ours
which is the strongest proof of God’s existence and His sons
sacrifice that can ever be. To “love them where
they are, love them until they ask why”. And why is
Christ.
What can you do?
I ask you to pray for us. I ask you to pray while the ground still shakes, while new giant holes are appearing constantly as a result of the quakes and new evacuation plans are being prepared. I ask you to pray for the old, weary, tired and scared. Those without a warm home, warm water, those who suffered mentally and spiritually-and trust me, there are many who did. To pray for those tortured by this storm.
And I ask you to pray for us, your brothers and sisters who are here in the middle of all of this and those that will come to help. Plans are being made and support is being collected by HiS Print but this is much bigger than us and what we can do only so much so we need His guidance, like in every single thing in life. We need courage, wisdom and His guidance to run this marathon.
If you can help in other ways, by all means, please do. But most important thing you can do is to pray for the above and/or show love by a simple message of support, reaching out to someone you know in Croatia or if you don’t know anybody, reaching out to US part of HiS Print team and offer support in love and prayer.
“Loving them where they are, until they ask why” is Greatest Commandment rearticulated and HiS Prints motto because Christianity is really that simple.
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” - Matthew 22:35–40
So, let’s do it, because He did it!
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