Joni shares about the harrowing fires that are still raging across Southern California and how they’re affecting the disability community of Los Angeles. Pray for the elderly and disabled who aren’t able to evacuate as quickly through these fires. And pray for the city of LA to turn to their hearts to Jesus during this traumatic time.
If you are an individual or family living with disability and you have been impacted by the fires, you are not alone! Contact us today and let us know your needs. We are here and ready to provide hands-on help and spiritual support.
Partner with Joni and Friends to support families with disability who have been impacted by the Southern California wildfires.
I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with a few words about the Los Angeles fires.
As you know, last week our city of Los Angeles was hit by a hurricane-force wind that fueled 4 major fast-moving fires. Just beyond the hills from where Ken and I live – 12,000 homes and businesses are wiped out. Neighborhood after neighborhood, grocery stores, gas stations, whole communities – gone. And it’s not over. In fact, just a few days ago, Ken and I had to evacuate our home. And, well, for me, a quadriplegic, it’s not like you jump up, grab a couple of things, hop in your car, and rush to safety. No, when you’ve got a disability, everything takes time [we didn’t know when the evacuation order would be lifted, so we took my external ventilator, oxygen, nebulizer – all the essential stuff]. But listen, I’m far from complaining. Every person with a disability had to undergo the same, and many, well, many did not make it.
Like Anthony Mitchell over in Altadena. He’s an amputee who uses a wheelchair. He lives with his son Justin who has cerebral palsy. Anthony knew that the Eaton Canyon fire was fast approaching his neighborhood. And so, father and son huddled together awaiting for an ambulance to rescue them. But it never came. Days later they were found – Anthony on the floor by his son’s bed. Yet, I’m thinking: Why weren’t their neighbors there to help, or his friends, family? Couldn’t anybody break through the barriers to reach them? When I heard this story on the news, it broke my heart. The disability community here in L.A. – I mean, we’ve have known for years that people like Anthony and Justin are disproportionately likely to die in fires. Our state released an audit back in 2019 detailing how emergency management agencies; they lacked guidelines for helping the elderly and disabled. There are simply thousands of people like Anthony and Justin. People like me who cannot evacuate without help, especially when we rely on breathing equipment that's essential. And it's not like we can just run out of the house. Not everyone can afford an accessible van. We depend on others. And evacuation, even when you have a plan – it’s slow and it’s tedious. And it’s dangerous.
I thought about Anthony Mitchell after Ken, and I were able to return to our house after the evacuation. We had no electricity, no internet, no cell service. We didn’t unpack our suitcases but even as of today, we’re leaving them by the front door in case of another emergency. Because as of today, Tuesday, the winds are picking up, and we’re expecting there’ll be flareups. And to tell the truth, Ken and I are a little exhausted. I thank the Lord though that Joni and Friends, our headquarters, is located further out from the Palisades fire. And as of yesterday, Monday, our team is actively out there finding those special needs families who need help – who need clothing, food and, yes, even new mobility equipment that they lost. We are working with our network of churches to pinpoint exactly which disabled people in the community need assistance. So, please, pray for the elderly. Please pray for the disabled who are still vulnerable. And thank God for the many first responders who simply have not had a break; they’ve been working around the clock. And ask God to bring comfort and consolation where it’s needed, and to mercifully turn the heart of this wounded, bruised, broken city to him. Jesus Christ, our only hope.
© Joni and Friends