prayer wins
amidst destruction
survivor
On February 3rd 1931 at 10.47 am a violent earthquake struck the east coast Hawkes Bay region on New Zealand’s North Island. There was enormous destruction in the Town of Napier especially throughout the business district. Many buildings were severely damaged or destroyed in the quake however fires that broke out in chemist shops quickly added to the devastation burning through the damaged structures and scorching any standing wooden ones.
The trinity Methodist Church pictured here survived the earthquake and fires and was surrounded by desolation. Some say a miracle occurred that day.
The one a week Photo Challenge word challenge this week is CROSS. This is my contribution . For this years 52 weekly challenges planned by Cathy and Sandra visit Cathy’s blog at https://nanacathydotcom.wordpress.com/one-a-week-photo-challenge-2017/
Haiku hound 
Great story.
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It certainly is Sandra and leaves one thinking.
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It probably was a miracle. What are the chances that the church survived? Well, at least. I’d like to think that it is a miracle. With all that’s going on these day, the world needs a miracle.
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There seems to be no logical reason why it should not have burnt down, although firefighters did some protection on it, but first it was almost undamaged from a huge earthquake . Who knows, With god , she does move in mysterious ways!
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A wonderful story in this haiku Denis, I do believe in the power of prayer :o)
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Thanks Xenia. There was certainly something extra happening that morning with this church.
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Remarkable what makes it through disasters. I do believe that there shall always be things like this, that we cannot explain but we can certainly appreciate.
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We sure can Annette.
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Amazing!
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To stand there and take in its location makes one understand , surviving the earthquake was significant but fire must have been all around it and yet it stood unburnt.
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A miracle indeed.
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It does indeed seem miraculous.
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Its hard to find a rational explanation Oneta.
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Earthquakes always scared me and you know we are living on the North Anatolian Fault Line. We had several tragic days about this. So I know the feelings and the fear of these moments. I do believe in miracle things, this should be one of them dear Denis. I pray for all these families who lost their lovers. We never forget them. This was a nice post for remembering, our prayers for them. Thank you, Love, nia
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Thanks for your thoughts Nia. It must be so challenging to be living on a fault line. In Tokyo I slept through an earthquake and while we were in New Zealand last year my wife felt tremors but I didn’t.
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To feel tremors is a very scary experience. I have so many experiences from my childhood to todays… Welcome dear Denis, hope and wish not happen again. Have a nice day, Love, nia
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Another intriguing story (I am thinking of your gravestone post which I read first). Your haiku presents a possible explanation…makes me wonder if there were people lucky to survive that day within the safety of the church. The church itself has a pleasing look both in design and upkeep.
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AS far as I know from my reading no-one would have sheltered there as the fires raged. It is maintained both as a church and a monument to the earthquake and the re-emergence of Napier.
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What a wonderful story!
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We were really taken with the church and its survival.
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