Ten Days After the Fire

It has been ten days since the fire in our home. Sherry and I have been back to the house four times. We’ve met with insurance adjusters, fire investigators, and restoration teams assessing what might still be salvageable from the basement.

It was surreal to walk through what remained of our house. The main floor is largely destroyed. The basement was spared from the fire, but almost everything there was damaged by smoke and water. In just a week, from our first visit to the most recent one, the condition has worsened. The basement now looks like a disaster as well. Things are falling apart. The restoration team may be able to save some artwork and printed photos, but that may be all that can be recovered.

The safety deposit boxes did their job and protected their contents, mostly documents. We were able to recover most of our important files, including all our passports and the original copies of my immigration files. Two nights before the fire, I had finished consolidating my files from several external hard drives into one 5TB drive. Most of the other drives were destroyed, but that one survived. It may not be reliable long-term, but I should be able to recover my photos and documents. We were also able to retrieve our computers enough to extract the data, but they are no longer usable. We were unable to move Jeanne’s car out of the garage, so it was also lost.

A few items in my room are still recognizable. At first, I thought, “I can fix that.” But I’ve had to decide to let most of them go. I kept some sentimental items—things that only have value to me. Some electronics still power on, but exposure to heat and smoke makes them vulnerable to corrosion, and the soot inside can damage them over time. The smoke smell also remains. They are still considered a loss. In the end, I have to surrender most of what I own back to God. I had already thought I lost everything—recovering a few items now feels like a gift.

My burns are healing well. The swelling on my face is gone, and I can now open my right eye. There is some pinkness where the burns were, but my face looks mostly normal except for one area. My scalp is still recovering but is irritating. My hand will take longer to heal since the burn is deeper, but I’ve regained full range of motion. I’ve been off pain medication for several days. I am amazed at how fast the healing has progressed. It is the work of both modern medicine and the Divine Healer.

Since the second day after the fire, we’ve been out every day running errands, going to my medical appointments, and talking to people. I’ve done more shopping in the past week than I ever have. It was difficult to try on clothes with ointment on my face, so I bought items I thought would fit. I would try them on in the morning—if they fit, I kept them; if not, I set them aside to return later. Clothing has been the easiest to replace for the three of us, and for now, we have what we need.

We have been staying in a home offered by a couple from our community within the first hour of our tragedy. Their house has felt like a refuge, almost like a retreat. Each of us has our own room, which has helped us keep some sense of normal space. They have been hospitable, generous, and kind. They have assured us that we can stay with them as long as we need. We cannot help but feel that God is truly present here.

Our insurance will cover and help us find a temporary apartment, hopefully a furnished one. Please pray that they are able to find us a place soon so we can begin settling in. We may need to live there for at least a year while the house is being rebuilt. Only the foundation will remain; everything else will be demolished.

I am still overwhelmed by the support we’ve received. I know that the prayers offered for us have carried us through. I’m grateful to everyone who has given through the GoFundMe and to those who have sent help directly. I have health insurance, but I chose a high-deductible plan this year. Knowing that I now have the means to cover the ER bill, more follow-up appointments, and lab tests brings a lot peace.

A new fundraising effort for the three of us has been set up by our community, Word of Life. While the previous GoFundMe focused on my immediate needs, this new effort aims to help us rebuild our lives and home together. You can find the new GoFundMe link here: https://gofund.me/e825e7f5c

We are only ten days into this new phase. We are taking one day at a time, and there are still many uncertainties. Please continue to keep us in your prayers. We will know more about what we need and what kind of help is needed once we are able to make decisions and gain clearer direction from our insurance.

Rebuilding our home may take a year or more. We know it will not be easy, and there will be many challenges ahead. But we are doing okay, our hope, peace, and faith remains in the risen Lord. If He can rise from the dead, He can bring life to our home again.