USA (MNN) — An out-of-control wildfire
displaced tens of thousands of Colorado residents.
On Thursday, the Waldo Canyon blaze was still only 5% contained. Since it began on Saturday, it has threatened
Colorado's second-largest city, burning nearly 20,000 acres in less than a week.
The full scope of the fire remains unknown. Intense flames and smoke prevented rescue
workers from being able to tell which structures were destroyed and which ones
were still standing.
Wayne Pederson, CEO and President of HCJB Global, says their
offices were evacuated on Tuesday night. Although HCJB plans to reopen their offices today (June 29), with the
fire still raging, they're not out of the woods yet.
Due to the high concentration of ministries, staff, and
residents affected by the fire, Pederson offered this prayer:
"Dear Lord,
I'm looking at Your Word from Isaiah 43 that
says, 'When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and the flame will
not consume you.'
Thank You for your fidelity to that promise of protection for
those that follow You. We know that
we're not exempt from difficultly, but still under Your watchful care. We're
thankful how You have protected life and property through this time.
We don't understand natural disasters like
this because they seem so unlike Your loving care, but we know we live in a
broken world, and natural disasters happen. Thank You for your protective care
for all of our people and ministries and servants and churches in this area.
We ask that You would continue to protect
the fire, police, military, rescue personnel, Red Cross, the Salvation
Army. Continue to give them the
resources of food, water, and finances to supply the needs of the firefighters
and the people that have been displaced.
Thank You for this opportunity that we have
to show God's Love in a tangible way to people that are hurting, to the people
that are fighting on our behalf for our safety. We ask for Your continued hand
over our city.
We ask that this be a wake-up call, that we
realize that the things of this world pass away and will be burned, but Your Word will endure forever . Help our
people to establish eternal values in the light of this disaster.
We pray that this would be a call from You
to draw men and women to Yourself.
We pray these things, with thanksgiving, in
Christ's name. Amen."
HCJB Global offices are in the evacuation zone, within two miles of many of the houses that
have been destroyed. On Thursday, all
the roads remained closed in the area to allow emergency equipment free access.
There are about four staff members and their families who
live in the evacuation zone, but so far, their homes
have been spared.
The fire is still totally
unpredictable and is changing daily depending on the wind. There are thunder
storms in the forecast–a bitter sweet hope. Lightening could start new fires unless there is a significant amount of
rain.
Please keep praying.
