I was saved by a trip back from Ranau to Kota Kinabalu on the 4th June 2015 to attend the Women's Conference. The Ranau earthquake was monumental because earthquakes are extremely rare in this part of the world. The last earthquake before the one hit Ranau was in Lahad Datu, a town 200 miles away some 30 years ago. We were shaken literally and metaphorically. Hundreds of aftershock tremors occurred in the next 12 months following June 5th earthquake.
Even after more than 18months, one memorable aftershock occured when a benefactor was examining an old house in Namaus Bible College which I was going to live in for 2 years (Jan2017-Jan2019). I spent a total of 50 months in Ranau, 4 years and one month before I made a move back to KK, my adopted hometown since my return from NZ in 1988. After the earthquake hit, I drove back to Ranau the next day to attend to a speaking engagement where 200 youths turned up from 7 churches in Kundasang area, the epicentre of the earthquake near Mount Kinabalu. I escaped the biggest aftershock of 5.2 Richter scale the following week as I had travelled to Malinsau, a District of some 60kms away but travelling time was more than 2 hours from Ranau due to the gravel roads. As I slept on the floor on a thin mattress kept awake by mosquitos, I felt a jolt at 2.30am and the ground moved. I straighway realised that another big one had hit Ranau and its vicinity. There was no increase of members attending church although some claimed the earthquake brought some to their senses and their need for God. Membership was increasing anyway and post-earthquake in less than 6 months I came on a pastor, I was preaching to close to 400 people; 250 in the first service and another 120 plus crowd in the 2nd service. I am still reaping the harvests of my Ranau's ministry and all glory be to God.
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