The Battle of Black Forest

A year ago we wrote about the Waldo Canyon fires in Colorado. No one expected this again . . .Day 9 of the “Battle of Black Forest.”  

"We're fighting what we call the 'Battle of Black Forest,'" Lt. Col. Mitch Utterback said. "The first Chinooks and Blackhawks you see every morning flying from the south to the north are coming from Fort Carson." (These aircraft dumped slurry and other fire retardants from the sky to complement the efforts on the ground.)

Our Chicago friends might wonder why we ever moved to such a dangerous place! In the space of a year we have experienced the two most devastating fires in Colorado history.

The Cause: A prolonged drought and hot windy conditions turning the Black Forest neighborhoods, just a few miles southeast of us, into a proverbial tinder box. This fire scorched its way to the top of the state’s record list with 14,280 acres burned and hundreds of military and firefighters from more than ten states joining forces to serve our community.

The difference for us this time was that we were earnestly contemplating what it would be like to return to a pile of ashes. It was so close that we were encouraged to make all the evacuation preparations we could. Last time, during the Waldo Canyon fire in June 2012, we had other people’s valuables stowed in our home. This time we were deciding what to pack and had it ready to go. We know 509 homes were destroyed, 28 more are damaged, and 38,000 people were evacuated from their homes. We are reminded of the biblical metaphor of our lives being like grass which so readily goes up in flames. This world is not our eternal home and such events serve as a dramatic reminder. Our prayers are with our city – as our neighbors, just a few miles away, lost their homes and its contents. Thanks for the calls and emails inquiring about our staff who, once again, was spared.

I love the note pictured above, left behind by firefighters, apologizing for the mess they made in securing a house from the Black Forest fire. 

Entrust staff can relate to this, having a number of things in common with first responders. We willingly go where most people would not dare, only to find ourselves in very foreign, unfamiliar settings as we bring God’s love to a lost world. 

This firefighter knew one thing. Those windows were a wide open invitation for a rampaging fire to come in and wreak destruction. He had to break into that house and shut them. It was the right thing to do, but he also knew his muddy boots would be stepping on some toes (along with that pristine carpet). In the final analysis, long after the carpet has been cleaned, I would not be surprised to find this firefighter’s note framed and treasured in the very house he saved.

It is almost impossible to go to a foreign culture without committing cultural blunders and finding oneself in messy situations. Anyone reaching across cultures becomes adept at apologies, taking a posture of humility and developing the art of asking the right questions to determine the needs before making any assumptions. Sometimes cross-cultural interactions can get a little messy, but in the end it is God’s love, seen through you, that wins hearts and meets needs.