On Sunday, August 9th, our family and church community suffered a devastating loss when the Bug Fire swept through the Red Rock and Antelope Valley area, severely burning the International Community of Christ’s beloved Red Rock Consecrated Sanctuary, Retreat, and Wildlife Park.

Three members of our church community—Ted Staver, Mike McIntyre, and Barbara Whitney—lived on the property and lost their homes and nearly everything they owned in the fire. Their clothing, furniture, personal belongings, and the places they called home were gone in a matter of hours.

Tragically, Ted also lost his beloved cat and companion, Schmitz, in the fire, making an already devastating loss even more heartbreaking.

For over 50 years, this property has been much more than a collection of buildings. It has been a sanctuary, a home, a place of worship, and a refuge for both people and wildlife.

Our church community has long served as stewards of this land, helping protect and preserve the natural habitat shared by deer, antelope, birds, and other native wildlife. Caring for the land and the animals that call it home has always been an important part of what makes Red Rock so special.

The International Community of Christ provides housing and support for members of our community. Rebuilding what was lost and restoring this special place will be a tremendous undertaking, and we cannot do it alone.

We are asking our friends, neighbors, extended community, and anyone who feels called to help us begin again.

Funds raised through this GoFundMe will go toward helping Ted and Mike replace essential belongings and housing, addressing immediate needs caused by the fire, beginning the recovery process, and helping the International Community of Christ rebuild and restore the property so it can once again serve our church, community, and the land and wildlife we have worked to protect.

Barbara also lost everything in the fire. Her family has created a separate GoFundMe specifically to support Barbara, which can be found here:

Barbara's GoFundMe

Whether you can donate $10, $50, $100, or simply share this fundraiser, every act of support matters. The road to recovery will depend heavily on the generosity of our community.

While the fire has taken so much from us, it has not taken away our deep sense of community. This fundraiser is only the beginning of our recovery, and we will continue to share updates as we assess the damage and develop plans for Red Rock Sanctuary's future.

We hope to rebuild not only the homes and structures that were lost, but also restore this beloved sanctuary and continue caring for the land and wildlife for generations to come.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your prayers, generosity, shares, and support during this incredibly difficult time.