By Marlene Urban-Funk (Cal-Pac Retreat Ministries)  

This past couple of weeks has been one of profound reflection, gratitude, and grace for my family and our camping community. On Tuesday, September 10th, as the Bridge Fire raged toward our home in Wrightwood, we were evacuated. It was a surreal experience watching the fire grow from 4,000 acres to over 40,000 in just 24 hours, becoming one of the most unprecedented wildfires on record. Just a few hours earlier, the Airport Fire endangered Lazy W and was also evacuated. 

My husband Kenny and I found refuge at the Mariposa Retreat Center in Pasadena. Along with our two elderly neighbors, we banded together to ensure everyone had a safe place to stay during the evacuation. One of our neighbors parked her trailer at ReNew UMC, while the other stayed with us at the retreat house. The sense of community was overwhelming, even in such a time of uncertainty. 

Meanwhile, I was in contact with a retreat group of 21 men scheduled to stay at Camp Wrightwood, a group we had hosted the previous year. These men had found a place of healing and connection at our camp. With the help of Josh Davis from Lazy W and Freedom Macias from Camp Cedar Glen, we relocated their retreat to Cedar Glen. I was there with them the whole time and was so deeply grateful for the depth of connection and transformation that occurred in those days! 

I am full of gratitude for the thousands of fire personnel who battled flames over the past couple of weeks. The over 2,700 who worked to protect Wrightwood, over 2,000 who fought the Airport fire, and the 3,200 who worked on the Line fire. I also give thanks for the exceptional leadership and devotion of our camp personnel, who managed to adapt and continue their work even while displaced. 

We are now back at home.  Once back we knew immediately that we needed to give thanks together for the protection and safety of our camp. On Friday, September 20, we hosted 52 people, including our staff and community, for a pasta dinner at Wrightwood. It was such a blessing for our staff to see the place where they work and that they love still standing. 

Thank you to all those in the Cal-Pac Conference who prayed for us. We have all been through quite an ordeal. We have our camps, thanks to the hard-working, gutsy, and brave fire personnel and by the grace of God.  

What I do as a retreat and camp person is deeply personal.  We build, tend to, and steward sacred spaces of care and community which save lives. Thank you for investing in the earth through investment in our camping ministry.  We diligently and faithfully are making space for so many humans in need of connection with God, others and creation.