Earthquake in Christchurch....and the questions that go with it.

I would first like to express my deepest love, hope and sympathy for all who have been lost, hurt and displaced in the Christchurch Earthquake. I have been lucky, as far as I know my family are safe.

Christchurch for me has always been a winter city. I would visit in winter with my Grandfather who worked on one of the outlying ski fields. I have climbed the cathedral tower which is no longer there. Dave and I have visited Lyttelton which I loved.

Since the quake 6.3 hit we've been listening and watching it as much as we can to the news. I find myself often on the edge of tears. I also find myself wishing that I could just jump up and go help. I've spent years in Urban Search and Rescue up until I was married then a Mother....but I still want to help. But my first call is to my family...that was one of my first lessons when I first started to learn still in collage oh so many years ago.

Now I sit on the couch with my daughter who really has no understanding of what is going on. She hears numbers of people lost or dead and asks "why so many"..."why did they not run away"...

Then she starts to tell me what she would do in complete miss understanding of what it would really be like in an earthquake.

She is upset that buildings can fall over (my daughter screamed for about 15mins when she first broke a plate....something which seemed so solid broke)..."Why did they not build them safer?" "How could they fall down?"

"How does an earthquake happen?" We talked about the earths plates crashing and I showed her with building blocks...and she seemed to kind of understand.

Then I've had the hard questions "What happens to the people under the buildings?".... "Why have the rescuers left that building and moved on...where are they going too....why don't they keep digging...I'd keep digging"

I've tried to explain that there is only a certain amount of people to help and only a certain amount of time that people can live (though we are glad to hear often that that time can be pushed out) and that there are other people trapped in other buildings who need help too.

Oh so hard for a nearly 5 year old to understand....what must it be for a 5 year old to live it....it takes my breath away and brings tears to my eyes.