Humboldt Earthquake Response Continues

January 18, 2023 | by Steve Elliott

“What angels you are,” Ruth gushed with appreciation. “I am so afraid that things will fall over again.” Like the other clients we served, she did not have a way to clean up and restore her home. Eighty-four years old, with a broken hip and using a walker, Ruth needed help to recover from the earthquake.

Our second Cal-Nev Conference Early Response Team (ERT) provided assistance to Humboldt Earthquake survivors in early January. We worked with six clients over two days. All were seniors, disabled or both. Equally important, we provided a willing ear to let our clients process their stories, their fears, and their apprehension for “the next one.”

Our focus, like the first ERT team in December, was on the small town of Rio Dell, the hardest hit from the December 20th shaker. This second team came from Sunnyvale UMC, El Dorado County Federated, Eureka First and San Ramon Valley UMC in Alamo. In addition to cleaning up, we tarped the roof of one home and added earthquake protection bracing at another. First UMC Eureka again provided a place for us to stay.

We shared thoughtful evening devotions and reflected on how grateful we are to have the time, commitment and the resources to live our faith in this way. The Cal-Nev Conference Disaster Response Fund covered the cost of all the supplies.

We are now planning to potentially participate in the long-term recovery – nearly 300 homes have been red or yellow tagged due to significant damage. Watch for an invitation to join a repair team later this spring.

In the meantime, consider learning more about our Disaster Response Ministry, taking the ERT training or donating to the Disaster Response Fund.

In Mission Together,

Steve Elliott, Wendy Williams, Dean and Melissa Caudle and Pam Coen

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link to Disaster Response Ministry - California-Nevada Conference of The UMC | Disaster Response Ministry (cnumc.org)

Inquire about ERT Training – email Leslie Carmichael at leslie@carmlee.net

Donate to Disaster Response Fund - California-Nevada Disaster Response Fund (brtapp.com)