TO THE PEOPLE OF CHICO AND SURROUNDING REGION
I’m sitting tonight in Chico, California outside on a hotel patio. It’s one of those beautiful California evenings here in the Central Valley following the summer heat of the day.
Terri and I are spending this week here visiting our California operation. It’s always a blessing for us to come out here and see the wonderful folks of Mains’l California who make the services for those whom we support the great success it is.
Yet my heart is also heavy tonight.
Chico is about 90 miles north of Sacramento. Just a few miles east of here is the city, or should I say, was the city of Paradise, California.
Last November Paradise was made internationally newsworthy for being completely destroyed by the Camp Fire, one of the worst wild fires in California’s history. This city of 27,000 was completely scorched and leveled by this horrible fire. Many were able to escape. Some were not.
A result is that the people of this former city have been completely displaced. Many have moved into the city of Chico. Many have no homes to go to or places to stay. So many are in this hotel here to stay for the long-haul until they can begin rebuilding their lives.
Even many of our staff lost their homes along with the keepsakes of their lives. Over 300 people receiving services, including several of those whom we support, lost their places to live. This created a gargantuan task for California’s Far Northern Regional Center responsible for finding places for these people to live.
Televised media spent a few days covering the fire and a couple of weeks covering its aftermath. Then it slipped from media attention. Yet the aftermath goes on and on.
Recovering from disasters like these is an arduous task. To rebuild this city, if it’s even meant to be rebuilt, will take decades. To erase the memories will take a lifetime.
The spirit of the survivors and those supporting them is remarkable. I don’t know if I have what it would take to do what these folks are doing.
To make matters worse, this past spring saw a incredible rainstorm in Chico which flooded many buildings and displaced many residents and companies from their home bases. Even some of our own operations have moved to our office until new or restored locations can be established.
Again, the resilience of our staff is utterly remarkable. This is the aftermath we don’t really see. This is the aftermath that never really makes the news.
The media does serve a purpose. It informs us of disasters resulting in major disruptions in people’s lives, hopefully to engender a compassion within us to support those in grave need. Sometimes it even covers the stories of incredible survivors and those called to help. I wish they would do more of that.
Yes, while heart is heavy, my soul is uplifted with the renewed knowledge that the human spirit here in Chico goes on no matter what.
Keep those here in your prayers.
Later.