Seeing is Believing: My personal tour of the aftermath of the Colorado Springs Wild Fires.

The adage “seeing is believing” was my experience five hours ago, walking through the rubble of what was left from the aftermath of the wildfire that ravaged 350 homes and scorched more than 18,000 acres in Colorado Springs.   It’s one thing to be alarmed by watching the events on TV but it is a completely different shock factor witnessing firsthand the homes that have been destroyed by the fire.

Seeing the completely leveled homes (I didn’t even know fire could do that), the intense burn smell in the air, walking through charred household items while trying to avoid stepping on broken glasses and other sharp objects, fumbling through home items to make sense of what was left, seeing several Fire and Water Restoration vehicles and workers etc, all enhanced the veracity of the recent fire events.

Derek Webb, one of my favorite Christian singer/songwriters begins his modern-day rendition of the “Rich Young Ruler” with the words: “Poverty is so hard to see when it's only on your TV and twenty miles across town.”  I liken the truth of Webb’s song to my personal experience touring what was left of the fire.  Although I witnessed like everyone else, the fire spiral out of control on that fateful Tuesday, June 26, I must confess that the gravity of the devastation has been minimal to me because I watched it on TV as I did any other TV programming and I am far removed from the location of the ruins-I live 10-15 miles away.  But that all changed today.  After touring through what was left of the fire, I have developed three deeper things.

First, I have a deeper appreciation for the work the firefighters did and how many homes they actually saved.  What could have been a citywide catastrophe with more homes lost was minimized and for that I thank them immensely.

Second, I have a deeper empathy for the families affected by the fire.  Although many of us would agree that material things are just “things” and can be replaced, it is important to note that many of the items lost had sentimental worth and that several families did not have an opportunity to salvage their most important items.  In addition I cannot help but think of the displaced families who currently do not have a home to call theirs.  This can be especially hard on children.

Third, I have a deeper remembrance for the families affected by the fire.  While we continually observe in the U.S., an incredible and heartfelt response from citizens at the inception of a catastrophic event  (e.g. Katrina, Joplin Missouri Tornado, and September 11 attacks), soon after the initial relief, many resume their regular lives forgetting that the “real work” of rebuilding has just begun.  My first hand tour of the ruins have left an imprint in my mind and heart and will cause me to remember to pray for those affected while thinking creatively of ways we can position ourselves to respond to the ongoing needs that will arise.  Alethia, the Greek word for "truth" literally means, "to not forget."  Let's us seek truth by not forgetting but remembering through prayer those affected by Colorado’s most destructive fire