Mt St Helen's First Eruption: May 18, 1980
Blog: May 19, 2010
Today marks thirty years and one day since the eruption of Mt St Helen’s in Southwest Washington. While the 30-year remembrance of the dramatic and devastating eruption is compelling – what was most personally compelling then – and remains tender to me now is God’s incredible protection.
Fifty-seven people were killed on that Sunday in mid-May 30 years ago. One of the men was from Montesano, where we lived. It was terribly tragic – and touched all of us. All these years later, I no longer remember his name…just how sad we were for his family.
The only name I recall of those who were killed was a man named Harry Truman, a man of the mountain who refused to leave his home – even in the face of warnings that something was brewing.
And – even in the face of ‘something-about-to-occur’ there were active logging operations on the mountain occurring. Fortunately, because it was a Sunday, those operations were not active that day. And my reason for being so tenderly touched by God’s protection – if Mt St Helen’s had erupted a day later my husband would have been among the dead. It was chilling to realize that then. It is with incredible gratitude that I remember it now. He would have been in the blast zone. He was scheduled to go visit His company’s active logging show Monday, May 19. The loss of lives was very sad – but it would have been absolutely horrific if all of the logging crews had been on the mountain. Many more lives would have been lost. It’s shocking when we think what a difference one day can make.
I remember the photos of trees incinerated – and others that lay like gray toothpicks in distinct patterns determined by the horrific powerful wind that spewed out and reverberated off of the surrounding hills – cutting swaths of trees, flattening, directing, twisting them according to its whim. I remember seeing the effects of the ash in Yakima where several inches of the gray ash settled, and I remember 1 week later on the following Sunday morning – another eruption that blew west instead of east – and coated Montesano with an inch of that same gray ash. It was eerie to wake up that morning and have it dark and dismal with an encroaching shroud different than just gray weather brings. It felt very ‘other-world’ and bizarre.
This morning I awakened to a feeling of incredible gratitude for these thirty years. Thankful to God for His protection of this wonderful man who is definitely worth loving. Thankful that God has repeatedly given me what I need – instead of what I deserve. Thankful for his grace, mercy and love. Thankful He truly is with us always – to the very end of the earth….
I remember the sound of the blast and wondering what had caused it. Later we got a call from Ed's brother in Yakima asking if we were alright and telling us it was as black as midnight where they were... at midday. He wanted know what had happened and if it was also dark in Kirkland. Thank God Al and all the rest of those loggers were spared! Genny
ReplyDelete