Life’s Fiery Trials
Timothy Tin
According to NASA, the increasing climate changes in the United States resulted in drought-related problems in one-third of the country’s population. An extraordinary lightning fire also occurred in Northern California in August. In mid-August, there were more than 12,000 lightning strikes in a 72-hour period! According to a report from the National Public Radio, more than 5,700 mountain fire this year have burned at least 82,000 hectares of land in California. This year, the wildfire in California has burned 1.66 million acres of land, equivalent to the size of five Los Angeles! By the end of August, a total of 1,209 buildings were burned down, including areas of Solano, Napa, Lake, Sonoma, and Yolo counties.
(https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/fires/article245341670.html) Although the fire destroyed everything, some victims shared their touching stories after surviving the wildfire!
Mr. CC Yin, the owner of The Yin Ranch on Pleasants Valley Road in Vacaville, had only one hundred dollars in his pocket when he immigrated to the United States in the 1960s. He has worked hard all his life. Now he is 83 years old, owns 30 McDonald’s restaurants, and donated 10,000 masks and many protective pieces of equipment to the community during the coronavirus pandemic, but his 40 acres of land could not escape the wildfire. “Here is what Mr. Yin recalled: It was about 3 am that night when we discovered the fire. Then Regina and I evacuated to our daughter’s house in Davis. A large meeting room in the manor and a house on the mountain were burned, but fortunately, the main house was not burned.” Chief Kris Concepcion, the fire chief of Vacaville, said, “It was very sad to see the manor burned because the bureau had also held activities to promote public safety in the manor.” (“World Journal” reporter Li Han/ A report from San Francisco on August 20, 2020) (‘That breaks my heart’: Popular ranch in Vacaville damaged by wildfire, owners recount scary evacuations’, By Kristen Sze and Eric Shackelford Wednesday, August 19, 2020) But the Yins discovered that the animals they raised returned to the manor after the fire subsided because they released all the animals when they evacuated the manor. Now the only thing that comforts them after the manor was burned down is these animals. They are all alive and even recognized their home and their owners! Mrs. Yin excitedly said, “We didn’t lose any one of them.” and said, “This country is bottom line really very strong, very beautiful and we want to maintain it that way. I think I am committed to my heart and soul. We built it and we can rebuild.” They donated part of the insurance company’s compensation to the fire department and the government to assist the surrounding residents.
Yin lives by his golden rule. “America taught me how to give back, how to work with the community. Everybody should step up, everybody should share, good or bad.” (83-year-old immigrant, Bay Area McDonald’s entrepreneur donates millions of PPE to frontline workers’, By Kristen Sze Saturday, May 23, 2020)
Although the fire burned down the Yin’s family’s precious property, it did not destroy their spirit or take away the lives of the animals and the animals’ love for the owners! What remains after everything is burnt down? The love between husband and wife and their lovely animals! There is still hope in life because of this love that endures the wildfire!
In Solano County, 95% of the home of a couple was also destroyed by fire, but the wife, Anna Erickson, found in the ashes some wedding glasses and a special vase from the time of their marriage, and also a centerpiece with the word “love”. His husband, Edwin Erickson, immediately said to his wife, “Only love remains.” His wife also responded, “Yeah, that’s all that remains is love!” What a touching story! After the catastrophe, they discovered a golden rule of life when they found the relics of their marriage in the ashes, “Love is eternal and immortal!” When everything is burned down, only love remains.
The Bible tells us: “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:13, 8) The most valuable thing in the world is “love”! From the love of parents, the love of brothers and sisters, the love of husband and wife to the love of friends, we can clearly recognize that love is extremely precious, but where does love in the world come from? The answer is, “Love comes from God!” Because the Bible says, “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” (1 John 4:16) If love comes from God, God and His love must be eternal. If we were born and grew up in the love of our parents, we would also be reborn and grow in God’s love, and even if we passed away, we can enter eternal life! Dear friends, are you willing to accept God’s love? The love of God is just like the call of love from the bridegroom to the bride; the love of God also calls you through Jesus Christ, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” (Revelation 3:20) I hope you can open your heart at this moment and accept the love of Jesus Christ so that your sins will be forgiven by God. Let the love of God fill your heart, then you will be reborn to live a new life, living in the love of God till eternity!
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