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This is a lengthy account of what Tim and Karen Hall, along with their children, Timothy, Kristy, Clay, Christina, and Jeremy, experienced during their Christmas vacation in Thailand.

For over a year the Hall family had been planning and talking about having Christmas together in Thailand.

Tim, Jeremy and I left China on Dec. 12 and arrived in Ao Nang, Thailand, that evening. Timothy, Kristy and 14-month-old grandson Clay joined us a couple of days later. For a week we toured around, kayaked, visited a tailor for new clothes, and enjoyed massages. During this week in Ao Nang, we made reservations at Lanta Lodge Resort on Lanta Island (Koh Lanta) and reservations at the Montree Resotel in Phuket to stay a couple of nights before leaving Thailand on Dec. 30.

On Dec. 18, we traveled from Ao Nang to Phuket to the Peach Hill Resort on Kata Beach, which is about three kilometers down the beach from Pa Tong Beach. Christina was to arrive that day and join us at the hotel. Her ride from the airport pulled right in behind our van as we stepped out at the hotel. This perfect timing of events was to follow us throughout the days ahead.

Having everyone together was so wonderful. We stayed a week at the Peach Hill Resort in Phuket. We enjoyed the beach, shops, food, and playing in the pool.

On Thursday, Dec. 23, we boarded the morning ferry and headed toward Koh Lanta. When we arrived at Koh Lanta, we rode in a little truck to the bungalows where we were to stay. We were, however, really disappointed with the location and the beach at this place. We had paid for it in advance, but we just didn't want to stay there. I remembered the beautiful beach when we had stayed there five years ago and wanted the children to have a similar experience. I looked at Kristy and Christina, asking, "What do you think?"

Kristy replied: "It just doesn't seem right." I would look back and later understand the importance of her words. As a result of this uneasiness, we decided to change hotels and moved to the Ocean View Resort, which was located a little farther north on a different beach.

On Saturday evening, we sang carols and exchanged our gifts. It was enough just to be together.

Sunday morning, Dec. 26, we all ate breakfast together. At about 10:30 a.m., I crossed the small driveway that separated the bungalows from the main building, climbed to the second floor, and decided to look in on Jeremy and Christina. Suddenly, we heard what sounded like a party going on outside -- people were shouting and there was a loud noise in the background.

Jeremy went to the window to see what was happening and shouted, "Oh my goodness! Where's all this water coming from Christina, come and look at all this water!" We raced to the window and couldn't believe what we were seeing. Water was coming up around the buildings and pushing up wherever it could. I kept thinking that a dam must have broken somewhere, but this was the ocean, there were no dams here. (I did not know Tim was in the next room and had run out barefoot to try to get to Timothy, Kristy and Clay.)

I ran to my room, grabbed the bag that held our passports and started down the stairs with the kids. As we got to the hotel lobby, people were coming inside with bad cuts and bruises. Christina and I turned around and flew back to our rooms to get towels and anything that could be used for antiseptic -- all she had was a small bottle of Listerine and we grabbed all the bottled water that we saw. I threw my bag down so that I could grab more towels.

In the reception area we started to work on the injured, but the hotel manager and his family were saying that we must get out, we must go higher. At this point, I saw Tim across the drive at Timothy's bungalow. He was calling "Timothy, Timothy."

I started to shout: "Tim, Tim, go higher, go higher." "Where's Timothy?" he shouted back.

"Dad, go higher." Christina yelled. At that point, Tim saw Timothy across the road waving at him, and he knew that they were safe. Timothy and Kristy had seen people running by their windows and had rushed out earlier. Tim started out into the water to work his way to the higher place that we were being directed to.

We followed along across the road and up the hill to a higher place, crossing over barbed wire fences and dirt paths until we came to a small house where some Thai men were sitting on the porch staring at the sea.

A Swedish lady and her husband along with others had gathered. The Swedish lady (I wish I knew her name -- I'll call her Helga) seemed to know some first aid. With what we had, we began to try to help those with injuries. Jeremy went to help bring bottled water because that was something clean and needed to wash wounds.

We could still see the beach next to our hotel from our spot up the hill. While looking, I couldn't believe that I was seeing boards being lifted and then a woman being helped up. Then there were two women standing. I was so thankful that Tim had had the camera around his neck when he ran out.

In a few minutes, three older people from the United Kingdom joined us. As they told us what had happened, I realized that they were the ones being helped up on the beach. The oldest lady was 72; she was injured the most seriously with cuts and bruises everywhere. They told us how they were eating at a small restaurant when the first wave hit. It felt like they were being pulled out to sea, but the Thai father and son who owned the restaurant helped them and wouldn't let go. They were still trying to recover when the second, larger wave hit. This time the restaurant collapsed on them and the older lady was under the water and couldn't get up. She was crying and at the point of hysteria as we helped her to the small porch where we tried to make her as comfortable as possible.

The next to arrive at our small camp was the father and son who had saved the British folks from being washed out to sea. They were seriously hurt, and the father was unconscious. A small pickup arrived, and the father was taken away. We worked with the son and covered him with a blanket.

I'm not sure how long we worked washing and bandaging wounds, giving water, and comforting the injured. I'll never forget the wounds because most were filled with sand pebbles. With one in particular, I looked at Helga and asked, "Should I dig my fingernail deeper to get it out?"

She said, "I think you'll have to."

The lady responded, "It's OK. I can't feel anything."

I thought that everyone at our little camp had been cared for when I happened to notice a young Thai girl, about 20 years old, sitting alone with her knees drawn up to her chest. I walked over to her, knelt down, and asked, "Are you OK?" She didn't respond, so I sat there with my arm around her. Soon the tears were flowing down her face, and she pointed to her big toe. The nail had been torn off.

As things were settling a little, Timothy walked up. He told us to come where he, Kristy, and Clay were because it was higher up the mountain. We walked about 10 minutes to a large flat area that was halfway up the mountain. The ground looked like it had been cleared for a building site. As I gazed up the mountain, I could see people all the way up. Some were up in trees.

Throughout the day reports would come that another wave had hit Phi Phi and would soon be here. Our eyes watched the water. People would ride up on motorcycles or in pickups and call out the names of people they were looking for. Twice big pots of cooked rice and eggs were brought up along with more water. The food was good, but we ate very little. People with international mobile phones were being warned by officials and friends back home to stay on the mountain. We learned that the beach we were originally supposed to stay on was hit harder than this beach.

As it began to grow dark, Kristy suggested that we start gathering firewood before the dark closed in. All night, bonfires were lit at various locations. I envied people their ability to lie down on the cold damp ground and sleep.

Finally morning came, and we made our way back to our resort. We were making arrangements to leave when a warning came that another wave was coming. Everyone in the hotel started heading for the mountain again, and we were left to find our own way off the island.

We walked across to a small store and found a lady who spoke English. She flagged down a Thai man and his wife who had a small pickup truck, and we negotiated with them to take us to a hotel in Krabi Town, which is located on the mainland.

When we pulled up to the hotel, some men came to help us. We entered this humble Thai hotel and were thankful for hot water, clean beds, and each other. We watched the pictures of devastation on the Thai television stations and realized again how blessed we were. I realized that I was afraid to go outside. I prayed that in the morning I would feel different. As a family we prayed together and thanked our Heavenly Father for His protection.

I want to add that our little grandson was an absolute angel during this entire event. He didn't cry or complain; there was a special peace that rested on him, and he brought comfort to those around him by having such a loving and friendly character.

Editor: Catherine