Life After the Fire | Four Weeks Later

At 1:30 a.m. on April 15th, the tornado sirens went off in the neighborhood where we were temporarily staying. The emergency alerts on our phones told us to go to the basement and stay away from windows. Jeanne, Sherry, and I ran downstairs, found a corner, and waited there for about 30 minutes until the sirens stopped and the radar on our phones showed the storm had passed.

While we were there, I found myself praying, “Lord, please do not add a tornado to our current list of events. Spare this house—no one might want to take us in after if that happens.” Some trees nearby fell, but we were safe. In many ways, the past few weeks have felt like that moment. Things come at us quickly, but in the middle of it, God has been present—steady, holding us as we move through the unknown.

It has now been four weeks since the fire. Sherry has taken on much of the communication and coordination, speaking with many people each day, especially with the insurance adjusters. Much of our time has been spent waiting on insurance. We do not always get answers right away, and when we do, there are still clarifications and negotiations. At one point, the adjusters were on vacation for a week, and everything paused. We are learning to let go of control and trust God with the details.

One of the biggest tasks right now is listing everything we lost. For the insurance claim, we need to document each item—from large appliances down to the smallest things—with descriptions and estimated replacement values. The list is then reviewed and depreciated, and that becomes the basis of the coverage. We also need to keep every receipt for anything we replace. It is a slow and detailed process, and it has taken up much of our time.

As if that were not enough, on April 20th our burnt house was broken into. Around 4 p.m., our neighbor sent us a photo showing that the boards on the side of the garage had been removed—and Jeanne’s car was gone.

We called the police and went to meet the officer at the house. He noted that things did not fully add up—the board that had been removed had a nail sticking out that could have damaged the tires. After he left, we waited for the company to re-secure the house. While waiting, I looked into the garage and realized more items were missing, including my rooftop tent, camping gear, and some tools.

We spoke with the auto insurance adjuster the next day. The claim shifted from fire to theft, which caused some confusion for the agent; it was her first time dealing with such a case. She told us we would need to wait 20 days to process the claim in case the car will be recovered.

On April 23rd, the police called to say they had found the car and had someone in custody. It took some time to locate where the car actually was and to complete the paperwork needed for its release.

When we finally saw it at the towing yard, the car was in the poor condition we expected from the fire—burn damage on the exterior, a broken windshield, and a strong smoke smell inside. Yet it appeared that it had still been driven around town. Inside were some of our belongings mixed with other items. Seeing that made it clear that the house had been gone through more thoroughly than we had realized.

We contacted the insurance again, and the claim shifted back to a fire loss. Ironically, we had been asking them to remove the car from the garage for inspection. In a way, this forced the process to move forward sooner. They inspected the car earlier this week and declared it a total loss. The claim has moved forward, and the insurance is processing the payout. The amount is a little higher than we expected, which we receive as a provision from God.

In the middle of all this, we continue to see God’s care. We were given tickets to a Tigers game, and that short break was something we needed. We continue to receive support in many ways, both practical and financial. We are grateful. It is God’s gentle invitation for us to allow others to be Good Samaritans to us.

My burns have healed well. There is still some discoloration, but it is improving. I need to continue to take care of it and keep it protected from the sun for at least 18 months.

We are beginning to look ahead to rebuilding our home. Sherry has asked a relative to serve as the contractor, and we are now working through estimates and coordinating with the insurance. There may be a shortfall with what the insurance will cover, but we trust that God will provide what is needed.

We also now have a temporary home. It is about seven minutes from our house and will be furnished with what we need. We expect to stay there for at least a year while the house is rebuilt. We are scheduled to move in on May 7th. Please pray that the move goes smoothly.

Our days are full, even though we often do not know what the next day will bring. Paperwork, coordination, cleaning some of the items we recovered, and organizing all take time. But day to day, we have what we need and are doing okay. The GoFundMe donations have helped us purchase the essentials we need right now. For those who have asked how to support us financially, you can find the link here: https://gofund.me/d5a7415ef

Our journey continues. There are still many challenges, but through it all, God has been steady and His love unfailing. Even when things come at us quickly, we believe that He is present—holding us as we move through the unknown, one day at a time. Our Bridegroom continues to care for us, His brides.