Support Alia - Total Devastating Loss In Mountain Fire

On the anniversary of her engagement, Alia was met with a complete loss of her home, and almost lost her life.

Alia had left work that morning to check on her 18-year-old dog, Little Miss, and turn on her sprinklers when she first heard of the fire. It started pretty far away and would have to jump the 118, cross fields, then go up and over a mountain to start to threaten her, which is exactly what happened.

While she was at home checking on things, everything changed. The sky had turned completely orange. It had gotten hot and the wind had grown more intense.

She grabbed the dog and some cellphone chargers and tried to leave, but a firefighter told her it was too late. The only road out of the neighborhood was covered in fire. Ash was raining down from the sky.

As she was outside manually turning on the sprinklers, a firefighter came running up the hill and told her to get back in her home. There was no way out. The fire was blocking the narrow mountain road down, and inside was the safest place to be. She began fearing for her life, sporadically keeping me in the loop through texts.

After a few minutes, the firefighters saw the pattern of the wind and understood what was about to happen. When she briefly went outside, another fireman saw her.

“You gotta go — now, now, now,” he yelled.

As she left the house and closed the door, she saw embers floating into the home. Had she not gone outside to check on things, she likely would not be here right now.

Alia threw Little Miss into the car and drove out of the driveway onto the tiny mountain street, which was on fire. The trees surrounding the street were ablaze and flaming branches littered the ground.

She was practically driving blind. She could feel the heat pressing into her car and thought for sure she would burn alive. She drove through active flames for seconds at a time, multiple times. It takes about 3 minutes to get down the narrow mountain road. How her tires didn't melt is a miracle. She says it felt like a lifetime, and seriously doubted she would make it down.

I kept hearing in my head "When you pass through fire, you will not be burned" This was my prayer. Over and over again. When you pass through fire, you will not be burned.

The Lord brought Alia and Little Miss through the flames, but her home burned. There is nothing left but rubble.

We are thankful for her life, and want desperately to help her. Does she need clothes? Shoes? Underwear? Not yet..

She needs a place to live. Housing is locking up, prices are rising as demand dwindles, and down payments are expensive. Alia has lived on a careful budget for the 5 years I've known her, but works for herself as an in home physical trainer specializing in recovery. She looses income daily with each appointment she has to cancel, while she scrambles to find housing. The insurance companies are completely unresponsive. We worry that is she finds a place and signs a lease, the insurance won't pay if they didn't approve it, but if she doesn't secure something fast, there won't be availible inventory left.

Alia is a member of Lighthouse church in Newbury Park, the Leader of a life group for the church, and the single most extraordinary person I know.

Please help her reset her life. Let many small hands lift her up. Let us be the feet of Jesus. If you read this, please send $10 towards helping her rebuild her future. If you can spare more, please do.