(RNS) — As firefighters begin to get the California wildfires that caused massive destruction in and around Los Angeles under control, faith leaders and their communities have begun planning for a long, slow recovery while helping victims of the fire with shelter, food and other essentials.
In the days since the fires began, Victory Bible Church in Pasadena has become a hub for distributing supplies like food, water and toiletries to victims of the fire. Some of those victims are members of the congregation, said Jonathan DeCuir, pastor of Victory Bible.
“I have 42 members whose homes burned to the ground,” he said.
The church has started a fire relief fund and a call center where people can dial in and ask for help. It’s also collecting gift cards so victims can buy the supplies they need — rather than getting handouts. Something about being able to purchase the things they need has been empowering to victims, said DuCuir.
“We call that the dignity phase,” he said. “We’ve discovered that people want to go into stores and buy what they need.”
DeCuir said Victory Church is also trying to collect donati …