By Carolyn Neher
Children’s Disaster Services (CDS), a program of Brethren Disaster Ministries, is deploying a team of four volunteers to support families affected by the ongoing wildfires in Washington State. Brethren Disaster Ministries personnel continue to monitor the situation and remain in contact with local Church of the Brethren congregations and Pacific Northwest District leadership.
According to Daniel Klayton, administrative assistant for the Pacific Northwest District, firefighting crews have successfully protected structures—including homes and churches—in and around Tonasket, where the Whitestone Community Church of the Brethren and Ellisforde Church of the Brethren are located.
“The work of these crews has been nothing short of heroic,” Klayton said. He added that the Sinlahekin Fire continues to burn in other areas, while other wildfires remain active throughout the county, state, and broader Pacific Northwest.
“I want to thank our district community for holding the Whitestone and Ellisforde congregations in care and prayer,” Klayton said. “Let us continue to hold wildfire-endangered communities in the light of prayer. With gratitude, let us also continue to pray for the many firefighters and emergency management personnel who are working tirelessly to keep communities, homes, and lives safe.”
The CDS volunteers will serve alongside Child Life Disaster Relief at a Disaster Assistance Center (DAC) located at a high school in Spokane. They will provide a calm, reassuring presence for young children while parents access resources and assistance as they begin the recovery process.
Each CDS team deploys with a Kit of Comfort—a suitcase filled with carefully selected materials that encourage child-led play and help children begin to process the trauma they have experienced.
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, 16 large wildfires are currently burning in Washington State, with none yet fully contained. The Tacoma News Tribune reports that wildfires have burned more than one million acres across Washington and Oregon so far this year.
Please pray for the continued safety of Church of the Brethren congregations, emergency responders, and all individuals and families affected by the wildfires in Washington State and throughout the Pacific Northwest.
—Carolyn Neher serves as the associate director of Children’s Disaster Services. Read more about the ministry of Children’s Disaster Services and how you can get involved.
