When the Fire Took Everything, Faith Gave Everything Back
When the Eaton Fire tore through Altadena, it didn’t spare leaders or sanctuaries. Among those hit hardest was an Altadena pastor who lost his home while watching his church take damage. Yet instead of closing doors, he opened them wider.
Hillside Tabernacle City of Faith, though affected by the fire, quickly became a place of relief and hope. The church became a hub for World Vision giveaways, serving neighbors who suddenly found themselves without the basics. In a moment when grief could have taken over, service took the lead.
Pastor Kenebrew didn’t pause to count what he had lost. The needs around him were louder.
“I thought about my church family,” he said. “I thought about the church members, and I thought about what my wife and I lost, but what can I do to lift my community?”
That mindset has defined the months since the fire. More than a year later, as Altadena continues the long road to recovery, Kenebrew and his church have remained consistent in their charitable work. For many, the gratitude runs deep and personal.
“He and his wife both have always been like this,” one churchgoer said. “They always have been very generous, very helpful, [and] very encouraging.”
Today, the church has been rebuilt, and the rebuilding of Kenebrew’s home is underway. The applause from the community isn’t just for bricks and beams restored, but for leadership that chose compassion over comfort when it mattered most.
True leadership shows itself in crisis. Pastor Kenebrew’s choice to serve while suffering reminds us that faith isn’t measured by what we keep, but by what we give—especially when giving costs us everything.
Source:
- https://youtube.com/shorts/RcbpORW3Rw0?si=iWM91ZsRlBsXvr79
- https://www.audacy.com/knxnews/news/local/community-thanks-altadena-pastor-for-keeping-church-open
- https://chatgpt.com/
- https://aistudio.google.com/
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