Hi, I’m Holly, a longtime friend; we call the Browns Family. I live in Ohio where we all first met (Bill from CA and Marilyn from IN!) I’m organizing this as an outlet to minister to the Brown family for those who have asked. On Tuesday, August 17th the Caldor fire in Northern California ripped through the beautiful town of Grizzly Flats, CA destroying nearly the entire town. Bill and Marilyn were able to evacuate their two young children and their beloved pets to safety, but they lost their house along with so many others that called Grizzly Flats home. The extra heartbreaking blow was when Pastor Bill, who shepherds the members of Grizzly Flats Community Church, received word that the church and church property were destroyed as well. Even as they are now refugees, Bill is diligently pastoring his flock from afar.

The plan now is to make their way to shelter with family for a short time to get their legs under them and to regroup their efforts to the tasks of grieving what was lost and building beauty from ashes.

In the meantime, the needs are many! They have little else but each other, their vehicles (old models at that with only one of them able to transport their family of 4,) a bag of toys, some books, and a backpack of clothes. Their immediate needs are for gas money (lots of it as they are displaced and will be traveling quite a bit) for Bill to be able to travel to be able to continue meeting the needs of his church (yes! Bill is STILL preaching God’s Good News as long as God continues to give him places to meet and people to hear, ) food (including special dietary needs,) lodging, clothes, school curriculum and supplies, personal hygiene items, medical expenses, vet expenses (please pray for their old gal, Dandy, she’s an old doggo-nearly 17,) as well as paying their bills and setting up entirety new lives.

Please help as you can and share as you’re led. Your prayers are invaluable!