On March 11 of this year, I was on my way home from the grocery store. I reached our apartment on the top floor and was just about to put the key in the lock, when I heard loud shouting coming from the floor below. The general atmosphere felt funny, so I turned around to see the huge trees in front of the building swaying ferociously. Then I realized the building was also shaking.
I stood in a covered doorway and braced myself against the walls as firmly as I could. My heart was pounding, and I just kept praying, “God is over all,” again and again. It seemed like the shaking would never end. A woman was screaming on the floor below, so I leaned over the stair railing and called out in Japanese, “It’s all right. Everything is all right.” She became quiet, which I was grateful for. After that there was a rolling feeling like standing on a waterbed, but that stopped shortly.
Our family has lived in Japan for 18 years. During that time, I’ve never experienced an earthquake that intense before. But after it was over, I felt totally calm and at peace. I went downstairs to make sure everyone was OK and gave encouragement where needed.
