A Northern California pastor has recalled the dramatic moments he and a small group of his church members made a miraculous escape from the raging inferno that has gripped huge swathes of the West Coast state.
Doug Crowder, pastor of Magalia Pines Baptist Church, risked his life to save others as he gathered up 30 desperate residents and four church members, helping them take refuge at his church building. But as the group loaded up into a convoy of vehicles and attempted to escape the clutches of this monstrous fire, the whole place “exploded,” according to Pastor Crowder.
“We were in the driveway planning to leave,” he said, choked up with tears, “and the entire world erupted.”
“The woods exploded,” Crowder continued. “The Subway restaurant across the street exploded, and on all sides of us was fire.”
With nowhere to turn, the group sprinted back inside the church building, huddled together and prayed. With the roaring sound of flames ripping through buildings, and the deafening blast of propane canisters detonating at a neighboring hardware store, the group cried out to God for protection. And, quite simply, he answered.
Despite the fury of the wildfire, the church building remained unscathed, and the group huddled inside endured the entire night without suffering any injury whatsoever.
“We were totally unscathed — totally,” Crowder said, adding that “the fall leaves were still on the trees” on the church’s property.
Staggeringly, despite the entire town being leveled to the ground, the church remained standing. It will now become a beacon of hope as this small town community attempts to rebuild from the ashes.
“It will be years before it’s a town again,” Crowder said. “But all through that, our church will be standing and our church will be ministering.”