Pacifica Stories

In the last two weeks, Los Angeles has faced unprecedented tragedy. Among the devastation are thousands of individual stories—pieces of real lives that have been impacted. From evacuations, lost homes and businesses, and the loss of childhood memories and familiar neighborhoods, to the mass movement of people, heroism, frustration, shock, and grief. Through all of this, there is a desire for normalcy, a passion for rebuilding, and an outlook of hope. Our community is going through a lot. It is indeed a catastrophe, and we don’t deny it. We boldly face it head-on.

Amid these stories and the humans behind them, we desire to help carry burdens to lift the weight from our friends. What a privilege it is to serve alongside our community. We were created to be like Christ, who carried the world's burdens. When we act like him and enter into difficulty, relying on His strength to love and care for others, we find joy, meaning, and purpose that enriches our lives. 

Over the past few weeks, our community has taken one step at a time to respond to the great need. We won’t stop. As long as it takes, Pacifica will engage. In times of great sorrow, we won’t stop playing our part on the Westside of Los Angeles. We enter with both courage and wisdom. Courage to do the right thing at the right time, and wisdom to do it well. The integration of courage and wisdom with charity lifts us to the heights of our calling. 

We suffer with those who suffer. We cry with those who cry. We laugh with those who laugh. There is a time for everything under the sun—a time to grieve, a time to be happy, a time to remember, and a time to forget. We don’t suffer without hope (Ecclesiastes 3:4). We suffer with hope in the one who makes all things new, never leaves or forsakes us, and has written the end of our victorious story (Thessalonians 4:13).