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How Can We Help With the California Wildfires?

Orginally published on Wednesday, October 24, 2007 at 7:04 AM
by Todd Rhoades

Randy Ehle writes, "I confess that I have had, since I was a boy, a "savior complex"; it's tied in closely to my Type-A, take charge, "doer" personality, so when I see things going on around me and something needs to be done – like the wildfires in Southern California - I want to kick it into high gear..."

Despite the fact that I grew up in a Christian home, with parents who have dedicated their lives and careers to faith-based ministry, I have somehow never felt that prayer was doing.  It’s always seemed like what you do when you’re waiting to do something real, or when you can’t do anything else…sort of a time-filler, not really “doing” anything, just waiting…and wishing.

Having moved up from San Diego last year, and having experienced (to a limited extent) the devastation from the Cedar Fire there four years ago next week, the fires raging down there now are challenging both my faith and my savior complex.  I want to pray (and I am praying), but I also want to do something more, as if that were possible.  I’m not comfortable with the possibility that God may just want me to learn to pray, and quite frankly, I’m going to fight him on that a bit. 

Theological lessons aside, I want to see what we can do from here.  Maybe it will be “just” praying, but maybe there’s something more.  There are some very real, immediate needs – for doctors and nurses, coffee, cots, blankets, sunblock, prepared foods….  There will be ongoing needs, for cleanup first, but also for rebuilding, refurnishing homes, replacing clothes and toys and dishes and couches and beds.  (Many people haven’t even finished rebuilding since the Cedar Fire four years ago; others, I would bet, have already lost what they just rebuilt.) [FYI - one source for real and very personal information about needs can be found at a blog for Flood Church in San Diego:  www.diveintoflood.com/impactblog.  Look for the “San Diego Fires” post.]

How might we mobilize ourselves, our professional associates, our clients…and their extended resources…to be of service in these fire-devastated areas?  I’m open to your thoughts…and your prayers.


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  There are 4 Comments:

  • Posted by Jesse James
    Wednesday, October 24, 2007 at 8:21 AM

    I’m also from San Diego. There’s a church that has been building a disaster preparedness ministry for a while now. They’ve responded to lots of crises. It’s Horizon Christian Fellowship in Clairemont. They’re receiving and distributing donations, they train and send-out volunteers, and they do lots of counseling.

    Visit http://www.horizonsd.org

  • Posted by Randy Ehle
    Wednesday, October 24, 2007 at 11:01 AM

    Jesse, I know Horizon and that they do good stuff.  Sister church Horizon North County (Pastor Bob Botsford) has a similar ministry.  One of the challenges that churches in the affected areas face is that they are both serving and being served - some of their own people (including their counselors and other first responders) are certainly evacuated and maybe losing their homes.  <br

    My hope is to mobilize churches from other areas of the country, hopefully getting some to work in partnership (even across theological or denominational lines) to brainstorm and implement ways to help out over the next several months.  Here are some ideas I’ve had....
    <ul><li>car dealers could donate good, used cars to families that have lost theirs
    <li>donate travel trailers or motor homes for temporary living for people who have been displaced.
    <li>people wanting to go help with cleanup could drive these donated vehicles to Southern California; maybe someone with an airline could wrestle up some return flights for them
    <li>people in construction industry could donate materials and/or labor for rebuilding
    <li>got earthmoving equipment?  It may be needed for cleanup
    <li>lots of cleanup tools will be needed - shovels, picks, rakes, trash cans, leather gloves, boots, face masks....
    <li>CPAs, financial advisors, attornies and similar professionals could help with insurance claims, replacing legal documents, etc.
    <li>photographers could help document losses</ul>
    These are just my thoughts; the collective creativity of MMI readers could come up with a lot more.  Post here or at [url=http://www.radianceinternational.org]http://www.radianceinternational.org[/url].  (Radiance International is an organization I co-founded with the desire to help churches engage the world strategically; it’s not focused on relief work, but we can use that website and/or MMI to build a list of ideas and to begin mobilizing the church.) Thanks for your thoughts, prayers, and participation in this.

  • Posted by Camey
    Wednesday, October 24, 2007 at 1:20 PM

    Randy (& Jesse),

    Thank you for your hearts on this and for requiring of us to give it more than just a passing thought or quick prayer.

    Prayer should never be just prayer. Just as some things in life require additional actions.

    As always.. praying,
    Camey

  • Posted by
    Thursday, October 25, 2007 at 12:51 PM

    I’m posting this on behalf of my friend in Ethiopia, who I e-mailed about the fires and asked for his prayers. - Randy Ehle

    My brothers & sisters in San Diego,

    This is Asamenaw Addisu, a Christian minister from Ethiopia. Yesterday, I received an e-mail with a prayer request from my brother Randy, and learned that wild fire has broken out in San Diego causing great damage.

    As an Ethiopian who has encountered some disasters, I understand how hard this situation is. So I quickly went to our church (Awassa kale heywot church) and shared about this incident to some brothers and sisters. I found seven people willing to pray with me about it. We organized ourselves in to a prayer team and started praying for you.
    Representing this team, I would like to send you our love and prayers. We pray for God’s protection & deliverance to you and the ceasing of the fire. It is also our prayer that you may feel God’s care, love and protection in this situation.

    May the Holy Spirit remind you God’s promise “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms….Israel will live in a safety a lone; Jacob’s spring is secure…” Deutr. 33: 27-28.

    We also pray that; knowing God and His mighty control of the whole universe, the prospects of disaster should not terrify you. Disasters are key events reminding us of how much we depend on God. So don’t only look the negative impact of disasters but trust God and try to see if this disaster has any positive impact….if there is any divine message behind it.

    With our love in Jesus Christ.
    Asamenaw Addisu and the prayer team.

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