In the face of the devastating wildfires in their city, volunteers with MA Center LA are united in efforts to support survivors. Amma sent a message that seeing the suffering of everyone is heartbreaking, and that she prays to the Supreme Consciousness to grant mental and inner strength to all.
Guided by Swami Dayamritananda Puri, one of Amma’s senior disciples, the teams visited fire-ravaged homes in Pasadena to provide comfort and solidarity to affected families. At the center in Redondo Beach, they are gathering donations to provide meals, basic needs, and comfort during this challenging time.
Among the volunteers is Sahaja Douglass who also had to leave her mountain home in Topanga Canyon. On the morning of January 7th, strong Santa Ana winds were blowing through the area. She felt an urgency to check whether the wildfires were approaching and found that a vegetation fire had just ignited six miles away.
“Throughout our evacuation, there have been many intense days of watching news coverage of the two largest fires’ destruction. With great concern, we saw images of the Palisades fire growth into Topanga Canyon,” she described.
“Walls of flames rose up on the mountain trails we regularly hike. The uncertainty about our home’s survival has been soothed by all of the love and support from family members, friends, and our Amma sisters and brothers.”
Alongside immediate collection and distribution of essential supplies, work has included gathering on January 11 and 12 in Redondo Beach to:
– Serve hot meals to over 150 people at shelters.
– Prepare and freeze extra food to ensure victims had sustenance in the weeks ahead when help often wanes.
– Donate food, clothing, and essential items like toiletries and phone chargers to shelters and those in need.
– Offer meals and support to fire victims at the Downtown Women’s Center in LA.
– Visit fire-ravaged homes in Pasadena to provide comfort and solidarity to affected families.
Sahaja explains how seeing the destruction in Pasadena strengthened her faith in Amma’s guidance. The teams saw so many burned structures, alongside displaced people and wildlife. This gave them clarity about how to help the distressed, as well as gratitude to witness the relief of those who were safe.
“We visited a member of our LA satsang community who had just returned to her home; it was unharmed amidst many others that were destroyed. We said prayers and then drove to Pasadena City Hall to drop off donations,” she says.
“The fires are now out, with just a few remaining hot spots being contained by vigilant firefighters. We continue to wait for permission to return home. Our anxiety has morphed into restlessness and yearning for routine. We have not begun to process the loss of those in neighbouring towns. We are so deeply grateful for all the prayers emanating from the hearts of our beloved Amma family.”
In an offering of emotional relief, devotees in the community and across North America are also gathering to pray for the departed souls, their families, and those who have lost their homes and businesses.
If you are in the area and would like to take part in continuing volunteer efforts, please email info@ la.macenters.org.
If you would like to make a donation to support continued efforts, please visit donate.amma.org/classic and select “Los Angeles Fire Relief Support” in the dropdown menu for “Project Name”.
