AFN reported on the devastating Aspen Acres Fire, which people are able to evacuated before many homes were claimed. It was only one of 40 uncontained large blazes in the West that were brought about by months of dry weather and a severe lack of snow during winter.
It stands that 60% of families that attend Grand View Baptist Church lost their homes, and it was “an emotional day” when they were able to return and see the ashes their houses turned into.
The mountainous region is concerned about mudslides since thunderstorms were on the way and the underbrush was burned away, leaving no grasses and roots to hold the topsoil in place.
As it stands, the immediate problem is flash flooding, according to KKTV. Many residents who were able to return to their home in the Beulah area now have to face this new challenge. Even volunteer cleanup crews are being hindered by flash flood warnings.
Black and angry roiling water has carried prime, Southern Colorado farmland and anything else that stood in its way downstream.
Pastor Isaac Cowger of Grand View Baptist Church says residents of Beulah are trading in their fire hoses for shovels and mops as they clean up after one of the most devastating wildfires in Colorado history.
“We normally just have a good little trickle in our creek. They ended up last Monday with about two to three feet of water,” Cowger says.
More than half of his congregation lost their homes to the blaze, but the church is already looking forward.
“A good church service yesterday, getting to meet back in our town, but not in our building,” Cowger states.
He started the sermon series he'd been planning before the fire.
“David and Goliath. We're going through a series of trying to have a heart like God,” Cowger says.
But, of course, he can't ignore the pain his congregation is going through. He's asking for prayer that his church family is able to use the trial to lead others to Christ.
“As we go through this trial — we're not going to call it a fire anymore; we're calling it a trial — we want our community and people around us to be able to see the heart of God,” Cowger states. “I would definitely keep praying for the salvation of people that have really hard hearts. There's a lot of hearts being opened up to the Lord.”
