As far as I have read, there has only been one life lost to fires so far (the High Park Fire, west of Fort Collins, in that fire's first week), which is pretty incredible given the geographic spread of the destruction. However, a couple hundred homes have burned, as well as other properties, including the United Methodist Buckhorn Camp near Bellvue, and the Flying W Ranch down near Colorado Springs. Thousands have been evacuated from their homes, some for more than 2 weeks now. I wanted to share a brief prayer for the situation, and also some links to different ways people can help.
Holding in prayer:
-those who have lost homes and belongings to the fires
-those who have been evacuated and are waiting anxiously to learn whether they have a home to go back to
-those who are fighting the fires, risking their lives to protect the lives and livelihoods of others
-those who are serving and ministering to evacuees, victims, and firefighters.
God of grace and mercy, you promise to comfort those who mourn. May we know that you are with us, not in the raging flames, but in the tears and hugs of community drawing together, in the generosity and courage of those who make sacrifices for the benefit of others, in each life saved and each moment cherished as precious and holy. I confess I am skeptical about your control of the weather, since our earth's ecosystem is so complex, and this weather that is so harmful to our communities at this moment may be needed in some other part of the world; but God of healing, here in the western US we need rain, cooler temperatures, and an end to the winds that are driving these fires. We humans are barely more than ants or blades of grass in the long view of our planet, and yet you have promised that we are beloved and precious in your sight. Have mercy on your children, O God, and answer our prayers. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
How to Help:
United Methodist Links:
- Rocky Mountain Conference United Methodist News story, links & updates
- Donate directly to RMCUMC Disaster Relief Fund at this link (under Conference Designated Giving, select Disaster Response Fund from the drop-down menu)
- Donate to United Methodist Committee on Relief, which will get involved in recovery efforts after the first response is concluded
General Statewide Links:
- The Red Cross and Salvation Army are doing good, important work, as are many other agencies
- Help Colorado Now
- Emergency preparedness and assistance, via The Denver Post
- Agencies taking and distributing donations, via TheDenverChannel.com
