Windstorm

In the early morning hours of December 1st we experienced what is called a “Windstorm”. It turned out to be the biggest windstorm to hit Southern California in 35 years. Only a few miles from my home was the epicenter. We had constant winds ranging from 40-60mph with gusts clocked at 97mph. All night long we saw burst of light fill the sky from transformers exploding and terrible sounds as my 107 year old house groaned and shook from the strain of the winds. The morning light revealed what looked like a tornado-trees on
houses and cars, broken windows, power lines down and debris everywhere.
High winds forced Pasadena officials to close public schools and declare a state of emergency. Most of the nearby communities are overwhelmed and can't remove all the debris from the streets. City workers cut up the trees just enough to push the debris to the side of the road. The private tree trimming companies can't keep up either, just not enough equipment. Almost every block has trees down and tons of broken branches, leaves, and houses and cars under massive trees. We had 4 crushed cars within a block of our house. We are very lucky to have power restored, as most people don't.

Sunday morning we attended worship at 9:15. As I expected there wasn't power there either. The inside of the sanctuary was dimly lit with candles, and the air was cool and crisp (around 48 degrees). The air may have been cool but the atmosphere was warm and friendly. The feeling in the room was that of joy and gratitude. We had all been through the storm together.

We are among the lucky ones who sustained no damage. We have much to be grateful for.

Brenda