Unshaken

My first several posts will be about books I have read recently, but before this blog.  I wanted to have a record of the few books that have made me pause this year and maybe even kept me up at night. 

From the back cover:
In a harrowing story of survival, Dan Woolley recounts the nearly three days he spent trapped beneath the rubble of Haiti's collapsed Hotel Montana.  He details his survival methods - including using an iPhone app to treat his life-threatening injuries, conversations with strangers buried nearby, letters to his family, and the small and large decisions he made that affected his chances of surviving the 7.0 Haiti earthquake that took the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.

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I couldn't wait for this book to come out.  I have followed Sh*un Groves and the Compassion Bloggers since their first trip to different countries, which is where I first learned about Dan Woolley and his story.  Days after a 7.0 earthquake ripped through the country of Haiti, I diligently refreshed my computer, checking Shaun's blog, to learn the whereabouts of Dan and his traveling companion, David. 

I rejoiced when Dan was found (in the hotel's elevator shaft buried under 6 stories of concrete) and then pulled from the rubble of the leveled hotel.  He had been buried for 65 hours.  I knew God was going to write an incredible story through Dan's survival, and I couldn't wait to read it.

The book is just what you would expect it to be (knowing the outcome), but what I wasn't prepared for was the way it is woven into the life story of his wife's struggle with depression and how that shaped their family.  He does a beautiful job of relating his being buried under the rubble to the huge obstacle he and his wife had overcome in their marriage - both by the grace of God - who Dan gives full honor and glory to.

I was amazed at his insight, anticipating what he may need emotionally and physically in the next moment.  Part of any battle we face (a huge part, actually) is in our thought process.  Whatever we begin to 'think' is usually followed with an action.  Our will to move forward or to give up is decided by the strength of our minds.

Dan writes "Darkness can do funny things to your mind. ... My world had suddenly gotten very small, not only because of the elevator's size, but because I found myself taking refuge in my thoughts."  

His will to live was made obvious by keeping his thoughts on his family and their need for his survival.

So, where does one go after such a traumatic event, with an extraordinary story of rescue? He sums up his entire experience with the last sentence:  " ... my experience showed me that whatever is thrown at me doesn't matter.  I can hang on until the shaking stops because my God is unshakable.

Knowing what the ending was going to be with this book, I was still on the edge of my seat reading.  How does one process what's going on? Where did he find the strength? What were his thoughts in complete darkness with no assurance of rescue?

He answers all of these questions and gives an amazing tale of how he passed those 65 hours.  I highly recommend!

My Rating:  4 Bookmarks