Meredith woman survives earthquake in Chile

MEREDITH — Abigail Billin, of Meredith, survived the devastating earthquake in Chile while serving as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the town of Constitucion.

While approximately 45 minutes from the epicenter of the earthquake Billin was awakened in the early hours of the morning to the house shaking, objects falling from the walls crashing to the ground, and water spilling out of a fish tank.

“Never once in my life have I been taught about earthquakes or what to do, so I just sat there in my bed holding the lamp stand to keep it from tipping over while it felt like the house was barreling down a roller coaster,” said Billin.

After the earthquake began to die down Billin joined her missionary companion and the others in the house to head for higher ground as an emergency procedure.

“We joined a herd of startled people climbing up the hill, many of whom were panic stricken,” said Billin. “There was one woman on the ground wailing, while another man was barefoot only wearing a long shirt with no pants.”

There they would wait for the next three hours as the sea roared and thundered, causing the tide to crash up the river flooding the island, crushing trees, and wiping out an entire community.

“When it finally started to lighten up I went to the edge of the hill and witnessed one of the last waves sweep over the island,” remarked Billin. “Every house made of adobe (mud and bricks) crumbled like a cookie.”

Meanwhile back in Meredith, Billin’s parents were awakened by a phone call from a relative the morning of the earthquake asking if they had heard the news.

“We immediately turned on the news and internet,” said the mother of Abigail, Rebecca Billin. “We received a few second hand reports at first but our first official report came 12 hours after the earthquake from church headquarters letting us know that all the missionaries had been accounted for.”

The Billins were able to speak with their daughter over the phone, which gave them the assurance that she was alive and well.

“Images of the devastation were disturbing and we are sure her preservation was nothing short of a miracle,” stated Rebecca.

In the aftermath of the devastation Abigail has been distributing food, assessing the needs of those around them, cleaning homes flooded by mud, bringing water to families cut off from the road by the debris, sorting clothes brought in from other cities trying to help out wherever they can.

“It feels good to just work for others and serve in meeting immediate needs,” said Abigail.

Abigail, 22, is the oldest of five children growing up in Meredith and attended Inter-Lakes High School, later to attend Brigham Young University-Provo, while studying Spanish Translation before going on her mission to Chile. Billin will return home in May and will return to BYU in the fall to continue her studies.