The Mark Lee Family Fire

Well, I am amazed at the way life moves along sometimes. I was beginning to get my mind wrapped around the joy thing when a family in our ward lost everything they owned in a horrible fire last Friday night. If that isn’t bad enough, two of their foster boys died in the fire as well. For some reason I got the first call from the Fire Chaplain at 12:18 a.m. after only an hour sleep (I had been up since 4:30a.m. the morning before.) My husband and I immediately began calling the Bishop, Relief Society President, Home Teachers and Visiting Teachers and arranging a place for them to stay while we were running around the house collecting socks, sweats and any other clothes we thought might fit any of the Lees. They escaped from their house with only their pajamas on their backs. The mother and father and the father’s sister along with two Lee girls and three foster boys came through alive but with nothing else to their name.
I spent the rest of the night with them in the hospital and then helped them get settled in a temporary home in our Ward. By the time I came home at a little after 5 a.m., I was spent. Since then, many things have been needed and it has been a joy to serve this great family. I am physically tired but feel to rejoice in the Lord’s goodness. I have watched over the past week, miracle after miracle. I have seen that the Lord’s hand was in even the deaths of these two cute boys. When we are doing all we can, death is never a mistake.

The entire community has wrapped their arms around this family and is working to help rebuild their lives with them. More clothes, furniture, and food have been donated than the family needs. But they still have a long way to go before things are back to normal. If there is anything you or someone you know can do for them, there is a blog spot with more information about how you can help them at themarkleefamily.blogspot.com

I am so grateful for my joyful life and my healthy, happy, loving family. It is amazing how these kinds of situations put our lives into focus quickly.

- Christy