Many of you know that I live in Pasadena, California. In fact, I live two blocks from Altadena. The Eaton fire was stopped just 100+ yards from my home. Four houses on my street burned to the ground. Beyond that—it’s just sheer devastation. I had a very relevant post on keeping your mission central in the queue for today but I’m bumping that to next week. This week, let’s talk about what to do when disaster strikes.

fire disaster

Discern prayerfully

When any disaster strikes, there is a moment of decision. And it’s not as easy as you might think. There are reasons to stay and reasons to go. If you stay, what measures need to be taken? If you go, what do you take, where do you go, who needs to be notified? So much rushes through your head—it’s overwhelming.

Here’s what I have learned: Creating a habit of continual prayer—talking and listening to God throughout the day—makes all the difference in an emergency. 

When I heard the Eaton Fire broke out, listening prayer came naturally. Long before we were told to evacuate, my wife and I sensed the prompting of the Spirit to be proactive. So we calmly but confidently prepared to go. A habit of continual prayer is key to discernment in a crisis.

Act decisively

Safety first. Always. Once you decide you need to go, the pressure is on what to bring. Time is not on your side here. The stress of the moment makes decision-making difficult. Some people left with the clothes on their back. Some brought a mishmosh of things only later to think about sentimental or valuable things back home. 

I learned a couple of great ideas when it comes to evacuating over the last week. First, get out your phone and do a video walkthrough of your home. If the worst happens, this could prove extremely valuable in dealing with insurance. Second, grab your dirty laundry basket. It contains clothes that you wear and all the necessary pieces. Details are overwhelming in an emergency and you will need all those pieces. 

Advance preparation is always best. My wife and I had prepared a prioritized list of what to take in an emergency. We knew exactly where our important documents were, what essentials to bring, and time permitting, the sentimental items to grab. It was the best evacuation checklist. Keep these notes on your phone as well as a printed list near the first thing you grab. 

Obviously, the amount you can take depends on the specific situation and how much time you have before evacuating. But pre-thinking provides a shortened and focused list so you can respond quickly and wisely. 

Trust holistically

As I drove away from our home I said a simple prayer, “Your kingdom come, your will be done in this situation. Not my will but yours be done.” In that moment, I was releasing my home, my neighbors homes, to God. It was no small thing. It was a leap of faith. I could have inserted my preferred outcome but it was a powerful moment of trust. I may never understand why our home was spared. It’s not easy to have a home to return to when so many—just down the street—lost everything. 

What I am confident in is that God is at work. I am still praying those prayers. It was powerful as I evacuated and it is the path to effective disaster response. 

“Your kingdom come in this situation… not my will but yours be done.”

God is at work in the hearts and minds of people affected by disaster. The most effective help you can offer is to join in the work that God is already doing. Practically, this means praying and following the promptings of the Holy Spirit. 

Serve strategically

Once you have your feet under you, you are able to see around you more clearly. Friends and neighbors here are joining together to clear branches, pick up debris, clean, and check in on each other. 

You want to help. Of course you do—Christians are generous and want to help others. Stop for a minute to pray and consider what you are able to do beyond the obvious. In what ways are you uniquely equipped to help? How can you do something that others don’t want to do?

Here are a few ways I see that would be a huge blessing to those impacted by the Los Angeles fires:

  • Clean up. After official insurance photos are taken people will need help cleaning up. If you live in the area, load up a few strong folks in a pick up and take a drive. Large branches from the high winds are scattered everywhere or pushed up against curbs, preventing people from parking in front of their homes. It would be a huge blessing to take care of this very real need.
  • Pets. Not all shelters, hotels, or rentals allow pets. A powerful way to show people you care is by caring for their furry family until they can house them again. 
  • Process groups. As I mentioned above, people need to feel seen and heard. Adrenaline lasts for a while but after the dust settles people will start to feel the effects of trauma. How can you and your church provide a safe place for processing and hope in the weeks and months to come?
  • Paperwork. Insurance is just the beginning. Disaster means a lot of administrative work. If you have a trusting relationship, sitting with them as they navigate the paperwork might be a blessing. Or even driving people to necessary but overwhelming appointments. 
  • And the list goes on…

Prioritize connections

In all things it comes down to relationships between God and others. Every time disaster strikes I find myself asking, “What does this make possible?” To be clear, I’m thinking in terms of compassion—not capitalization. As Christians, it is our mission to connect people to God and hope. Prioritizing connections and relationships will result in ways that you can truly be a blessing to others.

Listening to people’s stories is a great place to start. Remember people’s basic need to be seen and heard. We stayed in a hotel in a nearby town as did many evacuees. People needed good listeners. All it took was a simple question, “How are you impacted by the fires?” Listening to their stories helps to validate and process their experiences. Connection to others is vital. 

One friend opened her home for a family member who was evacuated. Then a neighbor called that family member asking where they should go, then another. Six adults, five kids, three dogs, and two cats were at her door within the hour. She made pancakes for kids, coffee for adults and handed out her wifi password so people could figure out their next steps. It was simple, made a huge difference for three displaced families, and relationships were forged.

God is at work

In the midst of disaster and heartbreak, I still know it is true. God’s Kingdom will come, his will—done, on earth as it is in heaven. This is a time when the Church can make a true difference. By listening to the Holy Spirit and joining God in the work he has already begun you can be a part bringing hope to so many.