Standing with Paradise a Year After the Fire
11/25/2019On Nov 8, 2018 the town of Paradise, CA was wiped out by a devasting wildfire. The Camp Fire was the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in CA history – destroying over 18,000 buildings. 13,505 homes we lost, 52,000 people were evacuated, and 85 lost their lives.
Over the course of the past year since the fire, Saddleback Relief has partnered with Hope Church in Paradise and has sent 9 teams to care for the community. We will continue to send teams as the rebuilding continues.
Most recently,a Saddleback Relief team of 6 traveled to be with survivors on the one-year anniversary of the fire. Lucy, a member of the team, shares experience walking alongside the people of Paradise:
I wasn't sure what I would encounter when meeting the people of Paradise. I knew I was walking into a community that had undergone heartbreak, loss, and transformation in the wake of the devastating fires a year ago. There were many emotions: fear, uncertainty, anger, sadness, frustration, anxiousness. No one person grieved the same. Our team focused on being with them – hearing them, holding space for their emotions even if they couldn’t put a name to them, practicing the ministry of presence.
Tony, a young man, stood back observing the group that had gathered on the church grounds Friday afternoon. His words were short, but they revealed so much about his internal struggles:
“I feel helpless.”
“I feel I'm a nuisance to my mom and others”
“...that's about it for me.”
I asked Tony how his mom was doing, and I noticed his body relax a bit. It was clear he felt more comfortable talking about her. I wonder if he’s spent this entire year focused on helping make sure she’s okay.
Joe is a slim man. His long gray hair pulled into a ponytail reflects his personality as a black sheep Harley-Davidson for Christ member. Joe really wanted to tell his story. His need to be heard and connect was almost palpable. His determination to find hope in the struggle was also clear, as he finished every other sentence with the mantra, “...but I know God is in control.”
Not all wanted to share. Many emotions were still raw. A smile a touch, a listening ear and sometimes a warm hug where what we offered to bring some level of comfort. Some are still trying to process the horrific event. Others, a year later, are looking towards the future one day at a time.
All in all, the people of Paradise do not want to be marginalize, judged or forgotten. When we showed up to stand with them a year after the fires that turned their lives upside down, we affirmed that they are seen and that God is not done writing the story of their community.
God, we ask you to be with the community of Paradise as they continue to grieve their losses and rebuild. Would they continue to stand together as a community and find support and comfort in the church. Would you demonstrate once again that you are the God who brings new life out of the ashes of the tragedies of our lives.
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