EDITOR’S NOTE: This February update regarding ongoing recovery efforts in California was written by Kendrick Neal, director of California Southern Baptist Disaster Relief.
For more than a month, our Disaster Relief volunteers have been on the ground, providing help, hope and healing to those affected by the LA fires. From the moment the fires began, we coordinated efforts with government agencies and volunteer organizations active in disaster partners. Our chaplains were deployed within three hours and have served at every disaster resource center, local assistance center and wildfire resource hub. On some days, 18 chaplains worked 12-hour shifts, caring for survivors and connecting them with critical resources.
RELATED: Check out more stories on disaster relief efforts.
We soon expanded our ministry to provide meals — first for disaster relief workers, then for survivors in shelters. [NOTE: According to February reports, Baptist DR teams have helped serve well over 7,000 meals to survivors and responders.]
Personal property recovery
Now, we have added personal property recovery to our workload, helping families uncover precious keepsakes from the ashes — treasures that bring healing and remind them that hope is closer than they thought.
Disaster Relief is the price of admission to earn the right to share the hope of Jesus. Over the past few weeks, our teams have had nearly 6,000 ministry contacts — praying, encouraging and sharing the gospel. Four people have given their lives to Christ! Praise God!
We are deeply grateful for our SBC family — teams from Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, Texas and Missouri have joined us. We also thank our CSBC churches — Mandarin Baptist Church (Alhambra), Living Rock Church (Pasadena), and Church on Pearl — for their hospitality and partnership.
And we are grateful for YOU. Your prayers, generosity and encouragement have sustained this ministry. Because of your support, we’ve never had to turn down a ministry opportunity due to a lack of resources.
