The earthquake, with an estimated magnitude of 7.1, could be felt in high-rise buildings on the island, according to the Pacific Daily News, but Boydston says it was not felt in Mangilao, the area in which they live.
“The quake happened at the end of worship yesterday morning,” Boydston shares in an email sent early this morning. “We were all standing around and someone who was still seated turned to me and asked, ‘Did you feel that?’ My answer was ‘no.’
“Apparently this thing has been reported around the world as a major quake,” Boydston continues, “but most of us here didn’t even feel it – no damage. Haven’t felt aftershocks.”
Reuters News Agency quotes the U.S. Geological Survey as pinpointing the center of the earthquake at about 215 miles south-southeast of Guam, which is the largest of the Marianas Islands, but relatively small in size at only 212 square miles. Guam is a self-governing U.S. Territory.
Boydston describes Guam as similar to life in the San Francisco Bay area where he grew up, noting the earth moves a lot during earthquakes. “But it bumps up and down here – doesn’t roll as much as California.”
Brad teaches at Pacific Islands Bible College (PIBC). His classes are related to practical ministry and leadership development, including preaching and spiritual formation. He also serves as director of distance education, helping to develop the school’s distance education and remote site program. PIBC recently received a government grant to expand the distance education initiative.
Cheryl serves as central office business manager for the college, which is located about three miles from where the couple lives. She helps manage financial aid on behalf of students and works at a church in the community. She is also helping with one of the student discipleship groups on campus.
The school offers certificates, Associate of Arts, and Bachelor of Arts degrees and has about 150 students, most coming from islands such as Chuuk, Yap, Palau, and the Marshall Islands, but also from Asia, in particular Bangladesh and the Philippines.
The Boydstons arrived in August 2006 and plan to remain three to five years. To read more about the Boydstons and the work they are doing, please see the Brad Boydston’s blog.
