Fire in the Night

The phone call came while Erika and I were out on a date together trying to have some alone time. There had been a fire. 

 

Our neighbor Emmanuel and, his girlfriend of 17 years, Darlene had been asleep already when around 9pm there was an electrical fire started in Darlene's bedroom. She awoke engulfed in flames, and Emmanuel to her screams. As neighbors struggled to release her from the flaming room she was burned over 90% of her body. 

When Erika and I arrived they had already taken Darlene to the hospital, and Emmanuel was sitting in a chair in our drive way in shock. As events unfolded Erika and Laurie went to the hospital to pray with Darlene and share the Gospel with her. In the meantime I stayed with Emmanuel and prayed with him and comforted him as best I could all the while waiting for the fire department to clear the house and tell us what was next. 

Darlene passed away soon after Erika an Laurie left, mere hours after the fire started. Since that night it has been an endless saga of insurance companies, Red Cross reps, police reports, fire department reports, insurance companies, family politics, funeral arrangements etc. We have been helping Emmanuel through the process and ministering to him in all areas. He has been very open and grateful. 

Please pray for his soul's healing and for his grief process. Pray for all of the details such as insurance and housing to be taken care of and pray for us as we ministry to him. Pray that the street continues to step up as well and care for their neighbors. It has been good to see a core group of neighbors band together around him in this time of need as well. Finally pray for Christ to be glorified even in the midst of this suffering and tragedy.