In 2015 our family spent time living in Bahia de Caraquez, midway along the Ecuadorian Pacific coast. We met many great people, experienced the welcoming coast culture, saw stunning beauty, witnessed concerning poverty and most of all fell in love with the idea of buying a home there to live in peace. Due to personal circumstances that arose we moved back to the mountains – perhaps saving our lives.

In the last couple of days at least 17 earthquakes of above 4.0 on the Richter Scale, have clobbered the Ecuadorian coast. The most powerful of course being the 7.8, unfortunately the damage caused in the primary event left buildings and bridges structurally unsafe, subsequent movement are bringing down these damaged areas. There is literally no respite for the people, the kind hearted people, Ecuadorian and ex-pat (immigrants) alike, living in this area of Ecuador. We have seen images of places we knew that are now unrecognisable. Towns are now rubble. Lives are now in chaos and despair, as survivors use their bare hands to dig for those trapped beneath the carnage.