Pastor Seeks Community Support After Phoenix, Arizona, Church Fire Causes $12,000 Damage

A fire caused an estimated $12,000 in damage at Life Changers Global Ministries on Sunday night, prompting the church’s pastor to ask for community help. The blaze destroyed a brand-new mobile building intended to serve as classrooms for preschoolers and a place for the homeless population in the area.

Pastor Dr. Earl Newton and his wife used $6,000 from their savings and forfeited their church salary to cover the cost. This amount was enough to build the mobile classrooms for preschoolers displaced by upheaval in the Roosevelt School District and provide a space for the homeless to shower and access supplies.

The pastor believes the fire may have been started by individuals from the very community the church sought to serve. “It’s crazy to me that this building was brought here for the homeless population only to potentially have someone in that population set it ablaze,” he said.

A video captured the sudden flames that broke out Sunday night, leaving Pastor Newton’s new building, his savings, and his vision in smoldering ashes. “It’s a low-income community— not everyone works, so we saw this as an opportunity to still be able to add to the community through our preschool and our outreach. It was just really like all of our hopes and going up in flames,” he said.

Over the past two decades, Pastor Newton has reported constant loitering from the homeless community in the back alley behind the church. He suspects a moment of carelessness might be to blame. For now, he can only start from scratch and try to rebuild.

“I stood on the side of the church, and I leaned against the brick and, to keep from crying, I just said, ‘Lord I trust you,'” Pastor Newton said.

The Valley can help this church, which has been in the community for 60 years, raise $12,000 through their GoFundMe account. Donations can also be made through CashApp at $LifeChangersGM, Givelify at Life Changers Global Ministries, and on Venmo at @Lifechangersgm.

If you cannot donate money, they are asking for volunteers and supplies to help clean up on Saturday, Sept. 13. If you have extra gloves, shovels, or a truck to haul it all away, you can offer your assistance.

Source: Read the original report