When flames ripped through a house in West Valley City, Utah, Oct. 24, they left the future home of the Cambodian Christian Reformed church in ashes.
Since purchasing the property about three years ago, the congregation had poured untold hours of work into renovating it for meeting rooms and office space. They also planned to build a sanctuary.
Two weeks before the fire, the church had made the final mortgage payment, but now the congregation must start over. Insurance had not been available since it was a vacated house. Police have arrested three teenagers in connection with the fire.
Although arson destroyed the Cambodian church’s building, it didn’t destroy the church’s desire to spread God’s Word and reach out to their West Valley community neighbors. Evangelist Charlie Phim says, “We will move forward after this. We don’t want to give up.”
Church members immediately came together to clean up the property, and they formed a rebuilding team to lead them through the steps needed to demolish the gutted structure and rebuild, trusting God to move the hearts of Christians to donate time and money.
The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee and Christian Reformed Home Missions, along with CRWRC’s Disaster Response Services, are backing a locally led campaign to raise $100,000. To give, please visit www.crwrc.org/donate, or call 1-800-55-CRWRC (U.S.) or 1-800-730-3490 (Canada).
