Error message

  • Deprecated function: The each() function is deprecated. This message will be suppressed on further calls in _menu_load_objects() (line 579 of /home2/columban/public_html/misyon/includes/menu.inc).
  • Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type int in element_children() (line 6542 of /home2/columban/public_html/misyon/includes/common.inc).
  • Deprecated function: implode(): Passing glue string after array is deprecated. Swap the parameters in drupal_get_feeds() (line 394 of /home2/columban/public_html/misyon/includes/common.inc).

Red Dawn Laurente

What I Learned from Being Vulnerable 

Caught in the 7.9 earthquake in Nepal

By Red Dawn Laurente

‘Is it meant to be?’ I asked myself hoping I could get an answer as to why I ended up in a situation where I felt so helpless, weak, isolated and incapable.

What I found was a very profound answer.

April 25 this year started as an ordinary morning. I was sitting in front of my computer in a laid-back way, passing the time, when suddenly the earth shook in a manner I had never experienced before. I heard a deafening sound followed by screams of people nearby. I knew that something big was happening but because of my shock and utter confusion I didn’t know what to do. Then I saw debris falling from the ceiling and thought that maybe my end was near. Being scared, I escaped from my room. In the hallway of my apartment building I met my neighbor and saw his very scared eyes. I knew it wasn’t just an ordinary tremor but an earthquake of great intensity. I tried to run out of the building as fast as I could.


The nature of my work as a volunteer allows me to travel to different places. This picture was taken near the borders of India.