I had hoped to be writing this from some poorly-lit and frighteningly disorganized hostel room in Brisbane. Or maybe I would have been drinking a flat white at one of the endless coffee shops that only serve espresso (no drip coffee??) and sometimes have odd drinks like hot elderberry juice. Alas, I must now brew my own coffee at home, and my experience in New Zealand and Australia exists only in memory.
One of the memories that stuck with me the most was our visit to a Christchurch earthquake memorial. The piece had been set up to honor the 185 victims of the devastating 2011 earthquake. Standing watch in neat, orderly rows were 185 chairs of a huge variety of designs, all painted white. The families of the deceased had been consulted to learn what sort of chair each person would have wanted to be represented by. Office chairs, dining room chairs, recliners, a high chair, and a beanbag chair all stood forlorn vigil over the city. I found it remarkable that although none were secured to the ground and visitors were encouraged to wander among the chairs and even touch them, each seat stood precisely in its assigned spot. The fact that nothing had been moved out of place spoke to the deep respect that the piece commanded.
Other signs of the earthquake’s devastation were everywhere in Christchurch. Where tall skyscrapers once stood, many spaces remained vacant in the middle of the downtown. Many had already been repurposed, however. Sculptures, skate parks, and places of creativity had sprung up in these empty spaces, giving the city a unique personality. These “gap fillers” have provided the Christchurch citizens with an outlet for their imagination which would not have been possible without the earthquake. During a tour of the city, our group stopped for a spontaneous dance party at one such gap filler. A stage had been erected with bright lights and a jukebox, and we took fifteen happy minutes goofing off and enjoying this example of rebirth out of destruction.
Speaking of Christ and churches, another example of creativity emerging from the ashes was in a place of worship. The towering stone cathedral in Christchurch lost its steeple in the quake and is only now being restored. In the meantime, a replacement church was erected using the most efficient materials possible. Designed by Shigeru Ban, an expert in disaster reconstruction, the cardboard cathedral was constructed in just a year and a half. It has grown into of the city’s biggest attractions. The walls are clear plastic and the supports are cardboard tubes, with side offices made from old shipping crates. A minimal amount of metal was added for reinforcement. The structure is predicted to last several decades.
Since the spread of the coronavirus, many of us feel regretful at what should have been and anxious for what may happen next. I certainly miss my time abroad and worry about the state of the world over the next couple of years. But I also have to wonder what sorts of new growth can come out of this tragedy. Christchurch shows us that good things can result from even the worst situations. Perhaps we will see some of that in the near future. Rahm Emanuel said we should “never let a good crisis go to waste.” Will people in heavily polluted areas relish the improved air quality they’ve been experiencing and take action to keep it that way? Though the virus has brought so much distress and suffering, humans are remarkably creative. How can we learn from the citizens of Christchurch and use this situation as an opportunity for growth and improvement?
-Matt