San Diego area fire update
On Wednesday, October 24, 2007, His Grace Bishop Benjamin of San Francisco and the West updated the OCA Chancery on the current situation in the fire-stricken San Diego area. The text of Bishop Benjamin’s message is as follows.
“We know of one family in the North County area of San Diego that has suffered the total loss of their home and its contents. The difficulty in getting a better picture lies in the fact that so many have been evacuated and have not ‘checked-in’. We will be having a collection in our parishes to help those from our communities who suddenly find themselves in need. Insurance takes time and people have an immediate need for clothing and basic things of everyday life. We are grateful to God no one has lost their life that we know of. [St. John of Damascus Church] is untouched so far. And the Martha and Mary House, our home for unwed mothers, is also undamaged. Apparently no one from the St. Nicholas Parish of San Diego has suffered any great loss. Fr. Alexander Shkalov and his family are housing several who have been evacuated. The wind has died down a bit, allowing the firefighters to begin to contain the fires.”