February 27, 2025 • 44 mins
Pastor Steven Snook and many other ‘Angelinos’ lost property and possessions in the L.A. wildfires (Ground Zero of one of the greatest natural disasters in US history). Our latest episode dives deep into the themes of resilience, community, and Spiritual Revival. Join us through heartfelt conversation, where we explore the lived experiences of those impacted by loss and displacement. A powerful conversation with Laura Anderson and Pastor Steven, longtime friends and part of the Food For The Poor family, share their perspectives on the emotional toll of the fires and the uplifting support within a community.
What does it take to rebuild after the ashes? We extend an invitation to our audience, encouraging prayers for the rebuilding efforts and exploring how acts of connection can bring about healing and transformation in our cities. Join us on this journey to understand the power of community while navigating the complexities of grief and hope.
A powerful conversation unfolds as we gather community stories after the devastating L.A. wildfires in Pacific Palisades. This special episode showcases shared experiences in times of crisis:
• Personal stories of loss and the emotional impact of the wildfires
• The importance of support and how neighbors unite through adversity
• Historical insights into Pacific Palisades and its community legacy
• Exploring how children are affected and what they uniquely lose
If you feel inspired, connect with us, share your thoughts, and let’s come together to make a difference one prayer at a time! Join our BEST BITE to receive a guide on how to PRAY FOR LA (written by Pastor Steven)
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@mossvenice
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is my neighborhood, so we live at the
beach and I'm grateful for that.
But for 178 homes here we haveall been displaced.
So our house was right up thereon the bluff.
For the last 14 years this hasbeen our home and there's just
(00:22):
nothing left.
You know there's a fountainthat's still there, with my
Vespa sitting in front and acouple bikes next to it, but you
know, it's just the rubble.
It's like a bomb hit here and Ifeel for not just my neighbors,
but I realize, yeah, when welook up here, the houses up here
are houses that are way beyondwhat most people even imagine.
But I feel for the people thatserve them, for gardeners and
(00:47):
housekeepers and nannies, and soin a community like this we're
feeling a lot of love frompeople who are supporting us,
but the loss is real and seeingthe devastation it just kind of
brings me back to what's lost.
But I know that.
I know that not everything'slost.
(01:09):
Hopefully, you know, in a fewyears we'll be coming back to
this place and to be able to seethis community thrive.
But between now and then we'refinding ways to stick together
as a community and see what wecan do to bring some hope to
people that are hopeless.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Welcome to Beyond the Plate.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
I'm Paul Jacobs where food is more than just a meal.
It's a powerful way to connect,inspire and transform.
We call it Tertulia, agathering where bonds are formed
and stories are shared.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Get ready to dive into real stories that inspire,
challenge and nourish the soul.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
I'm Daniel Patino, inviting you to join our
Tertulia and explore how foodand connection can truly
transform lives.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Let's go Beyond the Plate.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
All right, welcome back to another episode of
special episode, that is, ofBeyond the Plate here in Los
Angeles, now Venice, californiabuddy, we've seen a little bit.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
We've seen a little bit Venice Beach.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Venice Beach and our folks from Santa Monica here
also having us today, but hereon location is what we like to
call it.
There you go.
We have some of our own familyhere to tell us a little bit
about what's been going on onthis part of the US.
Now we're here with LauraAnderson, one of our own from
our development team and as well, as we all know, pastor Stephen
(02:32):
Snook from Church Alliances.
The fact that we're all here asfamily, I like it because it's
an example of what's been goingon recently here in Los Angeles
and from the area most affectedby the fires and the Palisades
is every stranger is no longer astranger right now.
We'd say you're maybe a distantcousin, you may be a good
friend from now on, and I I feltit as soon as we we got here
(02:53):
and unfortunately, um, it's ashort while while we're here, so
we will probably we'll get thewhole thing, but the fact that
we're all gathering, uh for onemain cause is something that we
don't see every day, and it'sunfortunate that it has to be
right after a natural disaster.
But this is something specialand thank you guys for sharing,
uh, your story with us today.
(03:13):
Laura, I want to start with youfirst.
Sure, the first of all thereason that you're here.
Tell us a little bit more aboutwhy you're here today.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
Well, um, I started working with Food for the Poor
almost two years ago, so I'mstill relatively new to Food for
the Poor, but it has been anamazing blessing for my life
just being a part of everythingthat they're doing.
I've worked with nonprofitspretty much my whole career,
mostly locally, and so this isthe first time I was able to
serve someone internationally.
(03:43):
So it's been a really greatexperience so far, and just and
then I'm actually on the WestCoast because I work with all of
our donors on this end of thecountry, so has it been a little
bit different for the last fewweeks here dealing with these?
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Yes, you know this natural disaster.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
Yeah, I mean, I mean like obviously Steve's had a way
harder road than I have, butyou know it affects all of us in
a way.
You know I live more in the SanFernando Valley and because of
where I am, I literally hadfires on every side of me like
pretty much the whole week andthe one thing I've been sharing
with other people is that, youknow, it's interesting.
With other storms I've lived inthe Midwest so I've been
(04:19):
through tornadoes, I've beenthrough snowstorms, I've been
through snow storms, I've beenthrough mudslides here in
california and now all thesefires and etc.
But like the thing I think wasso interesting about this
particular event usually, likewith a hurricane or tornado, you
know it's coming and it's donewhere we live through.
Seven days of that, you know, Imean years, happened quite early
in the experience.
But for me, because it doesn'twasn't kind of hitting my
(04:41):
community directly like everyday, I was on evacuation notice
for seven days, you know, and wenever knew.
Like is it time, is it not?
And like do we stay up allnight and someone else stay up
during the day?
And like we're all kind ofcoordinating with our neighbors
and everything too, because Ihave a couple older people in
our complex just to make surethey're okay, you know.
So it's just a very interestingtime because I think of the
(05:01):
length of time that it went onand you know, and I just want to
give a big shout out to Foodfor the Poor, because everybody
there has been so supportive,because it's been such a like a
taxing time.
You know, I'm still trying todo my normal day-to-day things,
you know, but I've had peoplereach out to me from pretty much
every department, people I'venever met before.
People are praying for me, youknow, like, and I think,
(05:23):
organizing, organizing a prayerday for California, and I'm
really kind of the only one outhere besides Pastor Steve.
So it's just so blessing thatlike people would support us in
that way, for sure.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Yeah, and it's interesting because here we are
at Food for the Poor.
We're always, as a churchspeaker, as a development
officer, working with donors,putting our focus and attention
outward to the 15 countries thatFood for the Poor serves.
But now the tables are a bitturned and the attention is on
this community for you all andthose who live out here that are
(05:57):
part of the Food for the Poorfamily.
But before we get to that part,I really want to know something
.
There's a story I heard.
Why are you laughing?
You know what?
Really want to know something.
There's a story I heard.
Why are you laughing?
You know what I'm about to saythere's a story about the
connection that brought you two.
You just are not just twoemployees of Food for the Poor
that have come here to interviewon Beyond the Plate, a special
edition.
(06:18):
You actually have some history.
So I'm going to let you startand you finish, because I Is
that good.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
How do you?
Speaker 2 (06:24):
guys connect.
This is, this is interesting.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
Well, I actually was attending Steve's church for a
very long period of time, alongwith a lot of other people that
became very dear friends of minethere was.
I actually lived in Nashvilleand moved out here, and a whole
group of us all kind of movedwithin probably a year and we
kind of had our own littleNashville.
I think pretty much all of usended up here at church in some
way or another time, you know.
(06:47):
And then it was just a reallyblessing being part of the
congregation.
And then, because I sing aswell, steve was like really
gracious enough and I actuallyled worship with his church for
a long time.
I came from a very diversechurch out of Nashville.
We had black, white, everythingyou would want.
So we kind of brought a littlegospel vibe to Metro that hadn't
been there before because I hadkind of grown up around that.
(07:09):
So he was just such a great, sogracious to allow me to do that
too.
And then we've just alwaysstayed in touch.
We've kind of been in and outof each other's lives.
I served at another nonprofitlocally here in Santa Monica and
he was like in walking distancehis coffee house of where I was
.
So, especially during COVID,because of the way LA works,
everybody likes to give to theirneighborhood.
(07:30):
So we had like an overabundanceof things because of all the
companies here so we couldn'tuse everything.
So I called Steve and said, hey, google's just donating like
trucks of food, do you needanything?
Or we have all this makeup fromwhoever do you want.
So then we kind of reconnectedin that way.
And then when I worked here andI heard oh, we're going to get
into the more of the evangelicalworld.
(07:51):
I was like Steve would beperfect for this, and so then
that's how we ended up coming onboard, you can fill in some
holes.
No, it's really great.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
So seeing another young lady for them doing those
gospel Sundays, it was soexciting because we were known
for just our worship, but thatday everybody's moving, you know
, and it's so much fun.
It's a big auditorium so youfeel it, you know.
But Laura's always been full oflife and even today when she
(08:23):
walked into the hotel where wewere and when she saw my wife.
You know they have a bond.
So it's just very cool to thinkthat these relationships they
don't change, even over time,that you just know that it's a
great bond.
So to see her in this positionand know that I've watched her
along the way, you know she'spouring into other people all
the time and she brings light toso many situations.
(08:44):
So to be on the same team rightnow, pouring into other people
all the time and she bringslight to so many situations, so
to be on the same team right nowis a pretty cool thing.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
Yeah, very cool Even though it's a very different way
.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Yeah, yeah, that's excellent.
So, mike, you know, I reallywould love to find out, as we
dial the clocks back to January7th, where you're under
impending evacuation order atany moment.
You told us that you're dealingwith, literally, the fire on
(09:12):
your in your back backyard.
Literally, what was what wasgoing through your mind at that
time?
When this is all happening, Imean, you've, you, you've got to
be on pins and needles everyminute, not every day, but every
minute of the day well, on topof the fact, like so the fires
hit and the next day I got afever and was sick like out.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
So I was like trying to deal with all that on top of
everything and a lot of it couldhave been because of the smoke
and whatever else we were havingto deal with in that and, um,
you know, who knows the stress,I'm sure probably doesn't make
your immune system work properlyeither, but it was.
It was just a very interestingtime and I think too it's one of
those things like like how canyou be worried when you have
because I knew him, I haveanother dear friend that lost
(09:51):
his home, when they lost theirhomes, you know, it's kind of
like you do that comparisonthing of like you know, kind of
like how, why did I?
Am I okay, and like they're not.
You know, like it was kind ofthat thing too, like you're like
why the survivors, you knowguilt or whatever, in a way too,
I mean.
So I think there's a lot offeelings for a lot of different
people, and I think too, the onething that Steve's probably
(10:12):
shared too is just to see theoutpouring People, I think, or
two, just to see the outpouringpeople.
I think la gets a very bad rapabout being selfish and
egocentric.
But, like again, like withpeople and that's one thing,
working in non-profits in la, Ipeople want to help, sometimes
they don't know how, but, likewith celebrities, I've worked
with all different types ofpeople.
They really want to give back.
They just don't know, maybe, toconnect with the right people
yet sometimes.
(10:33):
And so it's beautiful to see,you know, because there is so
much money, there is so muchwealth here, but there's so much
poverty, there's so muchhomelessness.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
You know, you see both things, you know, and it's
so good to see everybody cometogether, you know and we
mentioned that at the beginningof our previous episode, which
was from the ashes is now anewer community, yeah, a
stronger community, a differentcommunity that wasn't here
before, uh, a disaster, and it'suh, it's unfortunate that it
has to happen, yeah, with a fireor a.
a different community thatwasn't here before, a disaster,
and it's unfortunate that it hasto happen with a fire or a
(11:01):
hurricane or something thateverybody tends to just drop
everything in.
We're no longer ex-neighbors orneighbors and we never know
each other's whereabouts.
It's now, how can I help you?
You're helping me, and sincewe're all on the same line, it
just becomes a differentcommunity from now on.
It's not the same communitythat was there come December 7th
, just pick a date here, right?
So that's something else, thatfrom the ashes, like Pastor
(11:24):
Steven Slick said, it's kind oflike the Phoenix from the ashes
rises of Phoenix and a newerfuture.
I mean, this is.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
It's palpable, that's great we're here on a special
edition of our Beyond the Platepodcast.
We're just so grateful to thefriends here at Moss in Venice
Beach, California.
That just sounds nice.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Ooh that sounds nice.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
I live in South Florida, we live in South
Florida.
We're from South Florida toVenice Beach.
I love it.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
So thanks to Savannah and the team from Moss, but,
pastor Stephen, so it's the daythat you know there's no more
warnings.
It's here.
We've got to get out what'sgoing through your mind, what's
happening with you that day.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Honestly, you're thinking we've been here before,
so you had warnings, and thenall of a sudden there's
evacuation in malibu and and Icould see that, I can see where
it's at.
And then all of a sudden, thewarning on the phone.
The police haven't come up toactually tell you, leave that.
That comes a little bit later.
(12:31):
But here's the warning on thephone evacuate now.
So you think, okay, let's get abag of clothes for each of us
and let's get some importantdocuments.
But you're really thinkingyou're coming back in a couple
days.
I didn't think about going tothe office, which is about 75
yards away from me, to get tograb stuff that I need to get.
That's in another location.
(12:52):
You, just you.
You, you get in a car and wedidn't get in all three of ours.
We, we realized, becausetraffic is crazy, we'll get in
one car, let's get out of here.
We'll, we'll come back.
But what's going through ourmind is you're seeing a fire and
and it's right above us, andand you're realizing that that
could shift.
And yes, it maybe hasn't comehere, but that doesn't mean it's
(13:17):
not.
But you're still not, it's notreal, until the end of the day
when you realize it has changedand you're seeing something at a
distance at my mom's house inOrange County and you're
watching on the news.
You're looking at the Cal Firemap and you realize, wait,
that's coming to ourneighborhood.
Speaker 4 (13:36):
I think Timer texted me and said we just got an alert
and's coming to ourneighborhood.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
I think timer texted me and said we just got an alert
it was gone it was in ourneighborhood and you're just
like then you realize, wait, youstart thinking of all the
things you didn't, you didn'tgrab, and then you're thinking,
well, but, and you just so it'snot.
The emotion that comes in themoment is that what we thought
was not going to happen could behappening.
(13:59):
And I'm thinking of all thethings I didn't do, or I didn't
grab, or memories and all thosethings, and so that's in that
moment I'm just thinking aboutme for a moment and my wife and
my daughter.
And then, all of a sudden, Ibegan to think about our
(14:22):
neighbors and all the otherpeople are going through the
same thing, they're feeling verysimilar things.
But it was, it was heavy andit's.
There's a numbness that comesand an ache, when you realize
it's gone and you have toembrace it.
You.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
You talked about the history of Pacific Palisades and
I really would love to sharethat, you to share that story,
but before we do.
A lot of times when people lookat Southern California,
especially this area, malibu,pacific Palisades, all these
very wealthy areas but this firemade an equalizer of everybody,
(14:57):
everyone.
There was no respect of persons.
What was it that was takingplace in the community, whether
you're a tech executive or youwork as a server at a local
restaurant?
What was going on in thecommunity, with everybody on the
same level, going on in thecommunity?
Speaker 1 (15:16):
with everybody on the same level.
Immediately, the average personin the community seemed to care
, and that might not be true.
A lot of times it's like theystopped to listen, I think,
because they realized that thiscould happen to them and they
(15:39):
started saying I wondered whatwould I take if I knew I had to
evacuate my home.
So in processing this, part ofmy processing has been through
other people telling theirstories and to be able to just
take that in.
So sometimes we go to the placelike the celebrities and there
was a woman that was they, theycaptured on the news who said we
(16:02):
just remodeled our home and wehad to go to our other house in
Holmby Hills, which is LA.
This is just our house at thebeach, yeah, and now we had to
go and I'm like, are you kiddingme?
And that.
But you know celebrities, oh,we lost our home, but people
love celebrity all over theworld.
(16:34):
A pastor I met with yesterday,gary a great guy locally.
He said he was talking to afriend and he said you know
Pacific Palisades.
No one knew what PacificPalisades was two weeks ago.
They just were like you talkabout LA, maybe Malibu, people
even heard of Santa Monica, butnow the whole world knows about
Pacific Palisades and thenthey're like oh, they live there
.
They live there, but we can'tforget the people who live there
when we talk about food for thepoor and we realize Latin
America or the Caribbean andthose 15 different countries.
(16:58):
The biggest population of LatinAmerica lives in Los Angeles.
There's no other city inAmerica.
So those are the same peoplethat do the majority of
housekeeping and I'm just honestwith you and gardening and
(17:18):
construction and nannies inpacific palisades and malibu.
So how are they affected?
Because they're the ones thatsend the money back to their
families, who are wishing theycould just leave because, but
they can't.
So this effect isn't aboutwealthy people, because I'm one
that lives there and I'm notwealthy and that's a lot of
(17:40):
people who live there.
But the focus sometimes is likethese people don't even need it
.
They'll just go buy anotherhouse or whatever.
So the effects go really deepand it affects people all over
the world.
But it does affect me and I feelthe ache now when I talk to
someone else because I don't saythe words.
(18:01):
I understand because I don'tknow their whole story, but I
understand in part now because Ifeel something that I didn't
feel before, and so if you canreach down into this and start
realizing.
So what does it look like tolove your neighbor as yourself?
And then I say what does itlook like to love your neighbor
as yourself?
And then I say what does itlook like to love God with all
my heart, soul, mind andstrength?
And what does it mean for Jesusto say these are the greatest
(18:24):
commands and all the law and theprophets hang on these too.
Well, can I embody that samelove for God and then allow that
to overflow in my love forsomeone else?
But that does mean in a cityand Laura and I can tell you
this is a city that's prettyself-focused, so we needed to be
shaken.
(18:44):
I just didn't want it to happenthis way, but I'm believing that
from this, from the ashes,where you began is that this is
maybe where we get to seerevival, to come back to this
city and to come to people whoare in desperate need of a
spiritual awakening and it'sgoing to be a different thought
process.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
nowadays it's not Most of that.
Like you mentioned, stigma,it's like oh yeah, everybody who
lives in that place, they'refine next week.
But I think it's up to us toreally tell the real story,
which is not everybody in thereis as wealthy as their neighbor.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Well, I'll just tell you a quick story.
I meet a little girl and hergrandmother at the hotel.
Because we're in a hotel nowtrying to figure out where are
we going to live.
It's so expensive.
And this little girl got to goback to school because her
school wasn't the Palisades.
They lived in the Palisades,but she went to school in Santa
Monica and I said what's it likefor you?
And she goes.
Well, it's kind of fun being ina hotel, but I realized I don't
(19:38):
get to go home and some of myother friends at school gave me
a uniform, because I don't haveany uniforms anymore.
And so she was in such apositive place and her
grandmother was with her.
And yet she says you know,things are real different.
So, like every day now I'msaying to my grandma if you're
going to walk with me to schoolor to go to school, I want to
(19:59):
walk.
So how is she processing?
So my heart for the kids rightnow?
Speaker 4 (20:04):
yeah, yeah, kids are kids yeah wow, they won't
understand.
Probably a little till later Idon't get to go home yeah and I
think the biggest thing, which Ithink we kind of discussed
earlier, is just the fact thatbecause there's so little real
estate in the surrounding areasthat, like people are having to
move way further, so that meansall the kids are being taken out
of schools and put in differentschools.
(20:25):
So that's like a whole othershift and maybe even out of
state again who, depending youknow like where they they're,
where they can actually find aplace to go that's affordable.
So it's a very interesting time, I think, for the, for the kids
especially, you know.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
I think this is a generational thing taking place,
because this has a lot ofreminiscence of COVID and that
was one of the biggestconversations was the children
in school that couldn't gettraditional teaching.
First of all, they weren'tgoing into the classroom.
Second of all, it was classroomwas in their computer.
I remember hearing storiesabout children who borrowed mom
(20:59):
and dad's cell phone just to dotheir homework, you know, and
then, of course, they had topass it around.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
right, they got internet from a coffee shop down
the street because theycouldn't afford internet for
that much, for just a, you know,a virtual classroom.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
that is Right, but yet you're telling, telling me
and you're telling me.
These children don't even havea home to do a home, homework on
a cell phone, borrowinguniforms it's.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
It's a and most don't have a school and don't have a
school.
Yeah, don't have a home, don'thave a school, don't have a park
, don't have a my the, the ymcathat I went to, I don to, I
don't have this, don't have this.
One of the dads said mydaughters kept asking but what
about?
And she named a yogurt shop inthe Palisades.
But when do we go back to theyogurt shop?
(21:48):
Oh, it's going to be a while,honey, but she couldn't
comprehend that it's gone.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
It's a part of your life.
Now that just gets erased,almost sure it gets written into
history yeah, yeah race from,from the present, but now it's
in the history books to come.
But even the simplest things,things that probably that young
lady used to do with her fatherevery friday we used to go to
that yogurt shop.
That was our thing.
It wasn't so much for theyogurt, it was just the
experience.
And now they'll probably findit somewhere else.
(22:15):
And again it circles back toeverybody's, again on the same
level.
Everybody now understands thatI lost something, you lost
something, you lost something.
We all lost something together,and it's not just a me and
everybody.
Look for help, just for me.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
So let's just use the idea of church.
If we define church as abuilding which is what a lot of
people do or a service, then youwould say but what are the
people going to do when all ofthem have been burned down?
There is a synagogue that islike a fortress with steel and
concrete.
It's still there, but prettymuch everything else is
(22:49):
destroyed.
So most people don't go to them.
But if you wanted to, they cancan't.
So we are realizing this issomething of multiple layers.
The rebuilding isn't going tohappen quick.
So even what was happening inthat last episode with savannah
is that only people thatforecast into the future, or the
(23:10):
guy a guy I met this morningthat could give me insight is
saying this is a long time.
So what is it going to looklike to rebuild and who's going
to stay?
So people like food for thepoor?
That says we deal with peoplewho are in need all over the
world.
But we're realizing that in inamerica, even in the most
(23:34):
wealthy area, people in majorspiritual poverty don't know
where to turn.
They have no anchor of hope.
They don't know because see,the most part around here,
you've kind of given up oneverything.
So if you're Jewish.
You say I'm Jewish, but I mightbe an atheist, or at least I
just don't.
I'm not religious at all, andthe average Christian might even
(23:55):
call themselves a Christian orwhatever.
But they say but I don't reallybuy into all this.
And they said well, I'm justone of the nuns N-O-N-E's now,
or I'm spiritual but notreligious.
But it's in times like this andthis is a big new age pagan
community we're in right now andWest Side is, but when you've
tried everything else and itdoesn't work.
I think this is a time wherethe lessons that Food for the
(24:17):
Poor has learned aboutpartnership in other countries
could give some great advice forsome of us in this environment
to say here's how partnershipworks.
But you gotta be willing to laydown some of the things that
separate and divide us, and soI'm really excited that Food for
the Poor can be a part of thisrebuilding and restoration,
(24:37):
because I think that's whatGod's all about.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
And I heard a term, I read an article and I had to
write it down a term that Ithought was fascinating called
fire fatigue.
This is an article I read.
It said and this was a cityofficial was recalling their
spouse who was part of thesheriff's department in this
area.
And it said the veteran cityofficial whose spouse in a Los
Angeles County sheriff, who's aLos Angeles County sheriff's
(25:01):
deputy, who had been dispatchedto help with evacuations, said
the entire family wasexperiencing fire fatigue After
more than two weeks spentwaiting for wind-driven flames
to threaten their home.
So they were just on pins andneedles.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
That's right.
For sure it was exhausting.
Right it was exhausting.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
And they said it's a lot.
I love california, I love losangeles, but this is definitely
stressful.
Can you identify with that?
Speaker 4 (25:32):
oh for sure, and I think that was probably one of
the hardest things, because youdidn't, you just did not know,
and that's the thing, because,um, like one of the fires, the
hollywood fire, they wereclosing exits from two exits
down for me and going south.
So if any time, if the windwould have gone north, it would
have been heading my direction.
The palisades, 5, 12 miles fromthere, was like coming so far
(25:53):
to my area that they startedevacuating the next community
over because of the wind.
So that's the thing.
You just didn't know.
You know and like, and then youhave, like, you're like, you
probably noticed, like, if, likea notification is going off,
like at all times of the day andnight, and you're like, is it
time?
Do I go now?
Do I not?
Can I go back to sleep?
You know, and so it was, it wasjust a lot.
And then just to know, like,okay, if we need to go, what do
(26:13):
I take?
And like, what do I leave?
And thankfully, I think, unlikeyou, because the winds were so
bad.
I saw this other Facebook friendof mine.
She was like I took my son toschool and I didn't even.
I smelled smoke, I didn't seeanything near my community.
She goes I want to go grablunch In 30 minutes.
She came back.
Her house was gone 30 minutes.
(26:34):
So it's like people, so likeshe goes, I had all of the
clothes on my back and so that's, I think, probably one of the
big differentiators this timecompared to maybe others, that
because it spread so quickly, oryou know, you even assuming
like we'd be able to go back,you know, and then it's kind of
like how seriously do you takeit or not?
You know all those differentthings.
So, yeah, it was a very, veryexhausting week.
And then, on top of the fact, Igot sick, so that was a whole
(26:56):
other other other level of liketrying just to like keep alert
and making sure you know andwhat did you keep thinking of
what?
Speaker 3 (27:02):
what's the first thing you take, as if that fire
would have touched your backyard.
What's the first thing you?
Speaker 4 (27:06):
I was kind of like do I leave?
You know what I mean?
Just because they're like youknow my family.
I have a lot of family in Ohio,so they're like come home and
trying to decide, do I just getout of here altogether and just
kind of like take, because I,you know, I don't own a home, so
it was just easy.
So for me to leave would bemuch easier, did?
Speaker 1 (27:24):
you have a bag packed .
Speaker 4 (27:25):
Oh my gosh.
Yes, yes, I think I'm going tokeep it packed, because I was
like there could be anearthquake around the corner my
slides will be coming.
I was like I think now that ismy bag, that will just be there,
you know, especially with mydocuments and stuff.
But it's like you know, youdon't realize.
So every time I kept thinking,oh my gosh, I need to have that
in my bag, or that should havebeen in my bag, and you just
don't think, you know, like youthink, oh, I'll have time, but
(27:46):
you just don't sometimes, youknow.
But I definitely identify withthe fatigue of it, for sure.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
Well, down below just a while ago in Moss, one of the
key leaders here.
He's experiencing the firefatigue as someone serving
others during this time.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
You're watching a special edition of our Beyond
the Plate podcast.
We're here in Venice Beach,california, speaking with two of
our family members here at Foodfor the Poor, laura Anderson
and Pastor Stephen Snook, andwe're so grateful for Savannah
and the team here at Moss inVenice Beach, california, for
allowing us this very cozy.
I say that if we are comingback for a West Coast podcast,
(28:29):
we're back here, right?
Oh, we have to.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
I have to now.
Let's see if she's available.
I'm like way too comfortable,just come on in, knock on the
door.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
We know where the fridge is, yeah exactly, but
Danny shared earlier about hopefrom the ashes.
You know coming back from theashes.
And before we talk aboutrevival, I'd like to take us
back to history.
You were telling us somethingvery interesting about the
history of Pacific Palisades andthe spiritual connection with
Pacific Palisades.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
before we talk about that revival, so the Palisades
was owned by the methodistdenomination.
The methodist church bought itas a place for missionaries and
pastors who served their life toretire by the beach.
The mobile home park we live inat the beach, which is a
(29:18):
beautiful place to live, was acampground for the methodist
church for those same people inthe summers.
At the top of Temescal, atSunset Boulevard, is a
campground the Methodist Churchowned and it was a place it was
called Chautauqua West and itwas a gathering place in the
1920s where they would raise upthe next generation of Christian
(29:40):
leaders.
So they would come to thiscampground and meet in tents and
they would all stay there andthey would train them up because
there wasn't formal Biblecolleges and stuff.
So they would come and theywould do it at Chautauqua, new
York, and then Chautauqua Westin the Palisades.
The alphabet streets in thePacific Palisades are named
after missionaries and leadersin Christianity back in those
(30:05):
days in the 10th, you know, turnof century 19, up to 1920 and
30.
That's all gone.
All the alphabet streets aregone.
But where that was and thevillage there it's like an
amphitheater and back in the 20sthere was multiple churches
would come together from SantaMonica and the west side of Los
(30:26):
Angeles for a sunrise servicewhere 20,000 people would come.
We still have a sunrise serviceon the beach where multiple
churches come together.
For the last 35 years or so andI've been a part of that 35
years or so and I've been a partof that so in the past was a
(30:51):
history that then became now oneof the most exclusive
communities in America.
But it's kind of lost some ofthat.
But our prayer is that therecould be more.
But Los Angeles is a citythat's had major revival over
the years that it's kind of comeand left azusa street we talked
about that idea of crew andother organizations but these
things that have happened herethat are so amazing.
(31:12):
But it's like in these last daysI think god's heart is that I
don't want anyone to perish andmaybe I I will allow a shaking.
I don't think God's behind this, but he allowed it and the
shaking I'm believing is goingto bring a spiritual awakening.
But there's a need for revivalin the church so we can have a
(31:35):
spiritual awakening among thosepeople who don't know the love
of Christ, don't know that Godloves them and that there is
more to life and there's a lotmore on the other end when we
leave this world.
So, yeah, this is the history,but it's not been the story for
many, many years.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
Just after what you just said.
I'm just thinking about howwildfires will change people,
but not the actual place whereit'll happen.
So I'm imagining, probablyanother year from now, somebody
from the Methodist Church isgoing to come back and say this
is where our history is.
Why would we want to changethat?
So I think it's now changingnot only people, but now you're
(32:19):
changing communities as well.
So, even though it's in ashesright now, I think it's going to
come back stronger and you'regaining other people while this
process is going on.
Um, people that didn't knowwhere the palisades were before,
now they do.
Folks that they didn't knowlive there and now they know
where they live and what kind ofneed they help.
So what kind of help they need,excuse me.
(32:40):
So, uh, this is, um, this isunfortunate.
Again'm going to say becausethis is the only time that we're
getting together.
We should get together becauseit's Sunday or it's Tuesday or
Wednesday, it doesn't matterbecause there was a fire or a
hurricane or a tornado, the factthat devastation does bring us
together.
But I think it's a littledifferent now and it's going to
be a lot different.
Speaker 1 (32:59):
So my hope, the body of Christ under Christ's
headship.
My hope, the body of Christunder Christ's headship is
supposed to carry on the mission.
But the picture of the body ofChrist is not a bunch of little
bodies of Christ in differentcongregations, it's one body.
So if we could unite reallyaround the mission of Christ,
(33:26):
under his leadership, we couldshow Los Angeles what Jesus
looks like.
That's powerful, okay.
But for us to operate the wayit's designed means we're going
to have to let go of some things, and that means I've had to do
that, but I'm not the only one.
But I believe that in thestirring is that the greatest
thing in America, the greatestvolunteer force in America, is
the church.
Everyone says it but we are sodivided it doesn't look like it.
(33:49):
So this may be an opportunityin one place where they would
never expect it that it couldactually happen here.
Speaker 4 (33:56):
And even like from a cultural standpoint too, because
you know, I think of everythingthat comes out of LA, whether
it's music, art, film it shapesculture not only in our country
but across the world, you know,and so I think if that can be
redeemed we've seen a lot of thestuff that's been coming out of
the industry that's very dark,and I think if that can be
redeemed for God as well, that Ithink will be part of all that
(34:17):
too, you know again, but I thinkit's just people uniting of
again around culture, again,again around the arts, again
around the church, everything,and I think that will all come
out of here, you know.
Speaker 1 (34:27):
So even around podcasts, right?
A city of angels?
Yeah, los Angeles.
Messengers for God, that's ourname, and it can be redeemed it
will it sure will.
Speaker 4 (34:42):
And it doesn't take another fire.
Right One is enough.
Yes, enough.
We need this happening everyyear to remind everybody that
God's here.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
It's all right, one's enough if you're listening.
Speaker 4 (34:50):
An earthquake right now.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
That would be interesting.
Speaker 4 (34:53):
I was just like no.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
My fear now is that because Well you guys are here
so you could experience it.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
No, okay.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 4 (35:03):
Emphasis on thank you I think the prayers really need
to be, because we're headinginto our rainy season too, so I
think we all we kind of spoke alittle about that with all the
vegetation gone Now I've seenlittle houses Fall off hills
because of the way the mud Will,like literally, go away from
underneath the homes.
I think it was near me in thevalley.
Like, literally, the mud camedown the hill so quickly that
(35:26):
Lily pulled a grand piano out ofthe house onto the road and was
just sitting there in themiddle of the road.
So that's another element thatwe deal with quite often and
because now we have all thisopen land with nothing there to
hold the mud there that could becoming.
So we'll see how that goes.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
Another reason to keep us on our knees praying for
this community and to connectbecause we have listeners, and
over 200 you know that followour podcast in over 250 cities,
24 countries around the world.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
That um have heard your story and others on our
podcast, but we're one yeah butwe're one yes so I just this
week I've been working on how topray.
30 years ago we started doingthese pray for la cards and had
a list of things, and I wentback and looked at the list but
(36:19):
I realized that there's somethings that need to change for
right now.
And so there's some specificthings that I think could help
people and that I could evenpass on to you guys.
But we do need prayer right nowso we can see God do what he
wants to do and we can kind ofstay out of the way.
But on that list we've writtenit even in a way that you could
(36:39):
give it to anybody your neighbor, your coworkers, people that
don't believe that you believe.
But for us to be able to saylisten, we need prayer, but
knowing that, for those of usthat are in Christ, we know
what's behind these prayers aswell.
But for me, to put it in thehand of the chief of police, or
put it in the hand of UCLA,where I get to do some work over
(37:00):
there, or among these peoplethat are just trying to help,
but we need your prayers.
And so for you guys, as youshare with other people, just
know that LA needs your prayersright now and they need them
focused, because we can't seethe restoration if God's not in
it.
Speaker 3 (37:20):
We're talking with Laura Anderson from our
development team, as well asPastor Stephen Snook from Church
Alliances, and a question forboth of you actually, who needs
more prayer right now Family,friends or community?
Speaker 1 (37:35):
Well, I'm going to start.
I'm going to say my family.
I was going to say my friendsfamily, I was going to say my
friends.
Yeah, so for me, because I knowwhat this is like when I drove
up with my wife two days ago andthe first time she had seen it.
And my daughter is goingthrough some physical things.
So one of the problems with mesometimes and people that do
(37:58):
what I do is that we just startfocusing in on other people and
I I do care about the communityand my heart is there, but my
heart has got to be right whereit needs to be, with my wife and
my daughter that are goingthrough this, and even my
daughter's dog, George, who islike what's going on.
But with that then comes thisheart, because God then starts
(38:24):
showing us how much he loves usand he's going to get us through
, and then we get to actually bemore organic.
I believe in how we care forothers and we comfort others
from the comfort we've received.
So I need to receive, becauseI'm usually the one that's
always giving.
Right now I need to receive andI need to receive for my family
.
So pray for us so that we canthen be the salt and light that
(38:45):
we need to be, Cause she's sheneeds that too.
Speaker 4 (38:48):
And she needs to tell a different way in a different
way.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
Same question for you .
Speaker 4 (38:54):
Um, I think for me, because I don't have my own
family, I think it's just alittle bit easier for me in that
way.
Um, it's different, you know,it's very different, but at the
same time I'm just so thankful,like just for the support of
people from food for the poor.
That's been like so amazing.
Um.
But I think too, I think it'svery interesting, and just like
cause, of knowing Steve for sucha long time, and even like
(39:15):
hearing some of the littlestories you've had in just in
our conversations.
You know, in taking care ofyourself and in taking care of
your family, cause think that'sthe thing too right, if you
don't have anything to give out,you you know, if you're not
taking care of yourself inenough, in a good enough way,
you can't give out, so thenyou're just drained all the time
.
But I think too, it's just beenso interesting to hear, just
like, in all your littlemeetings, all these divine
(39:35):
appointments, in the midst ofall of that, god is still
working, god is still bringingpeople to you, you're still
having conversations, you, and Ithink that's what's the beauty
of it.
I just think you kind of justneed to do your day to day, you
know, and God will show up, youknow, and.
God will bring the right peopleat the right time.
You know, I think a lot of itis just organic and I think,
like you're doing some things toeven organize leaders and
(39:56):
spiritual leaders, you know, sothat's an undertaking you're
doing.
So I think, yeah, it kind ofgoes in a lot of different ways.
Speaker 2 (40:03):
You know, well, we end every episode on a positive
note, but this time I want to dosomething different, because we
just talked about greatestprayer.
I'd like that positive note tocome from all of you in our
(40:24):
audience.
I'd love for our audience,those who'd like to subscribe to
our Best Bite you can go tofoodforthepoororg slash podcast
or follow us on Instagram atbeyondtheplatepodcast.
I'd love to send each and everyone of you that will sign up
for our Best Bite, the list ofhow to pray for Los Angeles.
(40:44):
If you give that to us in a pdfform, we would love to share it
with all of you in our audience, because this is too important
to just be a podcast, just totalk about it.
Faith without works is dead andand and.
That james 2 scripture wasprobably a scripture I read
(41:06):
almost every day.
When I started at Food for thePoor, I had it almost every day.
I would sit at my desk and I'dgo there because I knew that
what is it that I say?
God bless, go.
You know I'm praying for you,be well.
And I did nothing to help thebody do something.
And so I want to ask all of ouraudience as watching either our
(41:31):
last episode with Savannah fromhere at Moss, or right now with
Laura and Pastor Steve.
If you would like to be a partof praying for this community,
praying for this man of God,this family member, these family
members to Food for the Poor,we'd like you to please sign up
for our Best Bite atfoodforthepoororg slash podcast.
(41:51):
Just go to Best Bite, sign upand we'll send you out the list
of how you can pray for thiscommunity.
Let that be our positive note.
Speaker 1 (42:01):
It's a big drive.
Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 2 (42:04):
Pastor Stephen, Laura , we'll be back.
Speaker 4 (42:07):
Okay, that's what I was going to say.
I was going to say like yeah.
I think that's one of thebiggest things, right Like we
have a lot of attention, but ina few months that cycle will
spin out you know and the peopleare still left here to continue
to figure out their life, andso I think it'd be great to do a
follow-up, you know.
Speaker 1 (42:23):
We see North Carolina .
Right, let's go to the party atthe beach.
Speaker 2 (42:29):
You can be a part of it Tacos and people.
That's all I heard.
Speaker 3 (42:35):
That's all.
Speaker 2 (42:35):
I heard let's stop there.
Speaker 1 (42:36):
Food in the ocean, all right, god bless you guys,
fist bump, thank you so much,thank you.
Speaker 3 (42:46):
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Speaker 3 (44:14):
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Speaker 2 (44:18):
Keep up with us on Instagram and TikTok at
beyondtheplatepodcast.
Speaker 3 (44:23):
And if you enjoy the show, don't forget to subscribe
to our YouTube channel and giveour videos a like.
Just search Food for the Poor.
Speaker 2 (44:30):
Beyond the Plate.
Your support means the world tous All.
Speaker 3 (44:34):
right folks we'll see you on the next Beyond the
Plate episode.
I'm waving.
This is my neighborhood, so we live at the
beach and I'm grateful for that.
But for 178 homes here we haveall been displaced.
So our house was right up thereon the bluff.
For the last 14 years this hasbeen our home and there's just
(00:22):
nothing left.
You know there's a fountainthat's still there, with my
Vespa sitting in front and acouple bikes next to it, but you
know, it's just the rubble.
It's like a bomb hit here and Ifeel for not just my neighbors,
but I realize, yeah, when welook up here, the houses up here
are houses that are way beyondwhat most people even imagine.
But I feel for the people thatserve them, for gardeners and
(00:47):
housekeepers and nannies, and soin a community like this we're
feeling a lot of love frompeople who are supporting us,
but the loss is real and seeingthe devastation it just kind of
brings me back to what's lost.
But I know that.
I know that not everything'slost.
(01:09):
Hopefully, you know, in a fewyears we'll be coming back to
this place and to be able to seethis community thrive.
But between now and then we'refinding ways to stick together
as a community and see what wecan do to bring some hope to
people that are hopeless.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Welcome to Beyond the Plate.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
I'm Paul Jacobs where food is more than just a meal.
It's a powerful way to connect,inspire and transform.
We call it Tertulia, agathering where bonds are formed
and stories are shared.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Get ready to dive into real stories that inspire,
challenge and nourish the soul.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
I'm Daniel Patino, inviting you to join our
Tertulia and explore how foodand connection can truly
transform lives.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Let's go Beyond the Plate.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
All right, welcome back to another episode of
special episode, that is, ofBeyond the Plate here in Los
Angeles, now Venice, californiabuddy, we've seen a little bit.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
We've seen a little bit Venice Beach.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Venice Beach and our folks from Santa Monica here
also having us today, but hereon location is what we like to
call it.
There you go.
We have some of our own familyhere to tell us a little bit
about what's been going on onthis part of the US.
Now we're here with LauraAnderson, one of our own from
our development team and as well, as we all know, pastor Stephen
(02:32):
Snook from Church Alliances.
The fact that we're all here asfamily, I like it because it's
an example of what's been goingon recently here in Los Angeles
and from the area most affectedby the fires and the Palisades
is every stranger is no longer astranger right now.
We'd say you're maybe a distantcousin, you may be a good
friend from now on, and I I feltit as soon as we we got here
(02:53):
and unfortunately, um, it's ashort while while we're here, so
we will probably we'll get thewhole thing, but the fact that
we're all gathering, uh for onemain cause is something that we
don't see every day, and it'sunfortunate that it has to be
right after a natural disaster.
But this is something specialand thank you guys for sharing,
uh, your story with us today.
(03:13):
Laura, I want to start with youfirst.
Sure, the first of all thereason that you're here.
Tell us a little bit more aboutwhy you're here today.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
Well, um, I started working with Food for the Poor
almost two years ago, so I'mstill relatively new to Food for
the Poor, but it has been anamazing blessing for my life
just being a part of everythingthat they're doing.
I've worked with nonprofitspretty much my whole career,
mostly locally, and so this isthe first time I was able to
serve someone internationally.
(03:43):
So it's been a really greatexperience so far, and just and
then I'm actually on the WestCoast because I work with all of
our donors on this end of thecountry, so has it been a little
bit different for the last fewweeks here dealing with these?
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Yes, you know this natural disaster.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
Yeah, I mean, I mean like obviously Steve's had a way
harder road than I have, butyou know it affects all of us in
a way.
You know I live more in the SanFernando Valley and because of
where I am, I literally hadfires on every side of me like
pretty much the whole week andthe one thing I've been sharing
with other people is that, youknow, it's interesting.
With other storms I've lived inthe Midwest so I've been
(04:19):
through tornadoes, I've beenthrough snowstorms, I've been
through snow storms, I've beenthrough mudslides here in
california and now all thesefires and etc.
But like the thing I think wasso interesting about this
particular event usually, likewith a hurricane or tornado, you
know it's coming and it's donewhere we live through.
Seven days of that, you know, Imean years, happened quite early
in the experience.
But for me, because it doesn'twasn't kind of hitting my
(04:41):
community directly like everyday, I was on evacuation notice
for seven days, you know, and wenever knew.
Like is it time, is it not?
And like do we stay up allnight and someone else stay up
during the day?
And like we're all kind ofcoordinating with our neighbors
and everything too, because Ihave a couple older people in
our complex just to make surethey're okay, you know.
So it's just a very interestingtime because I think of the
(05:01):
length of time that it went onand you know, and I just want to
give a big shout out to Foodfor the Poor, because everybody
there has been so supportive,because it's been such a like a
taxing time.
You know, I'm still trying todo my normal day-to-day things,
you know, but I've had peoplereach out to me from pretty much
every department, people I'venever met before.
People are praying for me, youknow, like, and I think,
(05:23):
organizing, organizing a prayerday for California, and I'm
really kind of the only one outhere besides Pastor Steve.
So it's just so blessing thatlike people would support us in
that way, for sure.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Yeah, and it's interesting because here we are
at Food for the Poor.
We're always, as a churchspeaker, as a development
officer, working with donors,putting our focus and attention
outward to the 15 countries thatFood for the Poor serves.
But now the tables are a bitturned and the attention is on
this community for you all andthose who live out here that are
(05:57):
part of the Food for the Poorfamily.
But before we get to that part,I really want to know something
.
There's a story I heard.
Why are you laughing?
You know what?
Really want to know something.
There's a story I heard.
Why are you laughing?
You know what I'm about to saythere's a story about the
connection that brought you two.
You just are not just twoemployees of Food for the Poor
that have come here to interviewon Beyond the Plate, a special
edition.
(06:18):
You actually have some history.
So I'm going to let you startand you finish, because I Is
that good.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
How do you?
Speaker 2 (06:24):
guys connect.
This is, this is interesting.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
Well, I actually was attending Steve's church for a
very long period of time, alongwith a lot of other people that
became very dear friends of minethere was.
I actually lived in Nashvilleand moved out here, and a whole
group of us all kind of movedwithin probably a year and we
kind of had our own littleNashville.
I think pretty much all of usended up here at church in some
way or another time, you know.
(06:47):
And then it was just a reallyblessing being part of the
congregation.
And then, because I sing aswell, steve was like really
gracious enough and I actuallyled worship with his church for
a long time.
I came from a very diversechurch out of Nashville.
We had black, white, everythingyou would want.
So we kind of brought a littlegospel vibe to Metro that hadn't
been there before because I hadkind of grown up around that.
(07:09):
So he was just such a great, sogracious to allow me to do that
too.
And then we've just alwaysstayed in touch.
We've kind of been in and outof each other's lives.
I served at another nonprofitlocally here in Santa Monica and
he was like in walking distancehis coffee house of where I was
.
So, especially during COVID,because of the way LA works,
everybody likes to give to theirneighborhood.
(07:30):
So we had like an overabundanceof things because of all the
companies here so we couldn'tuse everything.
So I called Steve and said, hey, google's just donating like
trucks of food, do you needanything?
Or we have all this makeup fromwhoever do you want.
So then we kind of reconnectedin that way.
And then when I worked here andI heard oh, we're going to get
into the more of the evangelicalworld.
(07:51):
I was like Steve would beperfect for this, and so then
that's how we ended up coming onboard, you can fill in some
holes.
No, it's really great.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
So seeing another young lady for them doing those
gospel Sundays, it was soexciting because we were known
for just our worship, but thatday everybody's moving, you know
, and it's so much fun.
It's a big auditorium so youfeel it, you know.
But Laura's always been full oflife and even today when she
(08:23):
walked into the hotel where wewere and when she saw my wife.
You know they have a bond.
So it's just very cool to thinkthat these relationships they
don't change, even over time,that you just know that it's a
great bond.
So to see her in this positionand know that I've watched her
along the way, you know she'spouring into other people all
the time and she brings light toso many situations.
(08:44):
So to be on the same team rightnow, pouring into other people
all the time and she bringslight to so many situations, so
to be on the same team right nowis a pretty cool thing.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
Yeah, very cool Even though it's a very different way
.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Yeah, yeah, that's excellent.
So, mike, you know, I reallywould love to find out, as we
dial the clocks back to January7th, where you're under
impending evacuation order atany moment.
You told us that you're dealingwith, literally, the fire on
(09:12):
your in your back backyard.
Literally, what was what wasgoing through your mind at that
time?
When this is all happening, Imean, you've, you, you've got to
be on pins and needles everyminute, not every day, but every
minute of the day well, on topof the fact, like so the fires
hit and the next day I got afever and was sick like out.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
So I was like trying to deal with all that on top of
everything and a lot of it couldhave been because of the smoke
and whatever else we were havingto deal with in that and, um,
you know, who knows the stress,I'm sure probably doesn't make
your immune system work properlyeither, but it was.
It was just a very interestingtime and I think too it's one of
those things like like how canyou be worried when you have
because I knew him, I haveanother dear friend that lost
(09:51):
his home, when they lost theirhomes, you know, it's kind of
like you do that comparisonthing of like you know, kind of
like how, why did I?
Am I okay, and like they're not.
You know, like it was kind ofthat thing too, like you're like
why the survivors, you knowguilt or whatever, in a way too,
I mean.
So I think there's a lot offeelings for a lot of different
people, and I think too, the onething that Steve's probably
(10:12):
shared too is just to see theoutpouring People, I think, or
two, just to see the outpouringpeople.
I think la gets a very bad rapabout being selfish and
egocentric.
But, like again, like withpeople and that's one thing,
working in non-profits in la, Ipeople want to help, sometimes
they don't know how, but, likewith celebrities, I've worked
with all different types ofpeople.
They really want to give back.
They just don't know, maybe, toconnect with the right people
yet sometimes.
(10:33):
And so it's beautiful to see,you know, because there is so
much money, there is so muchwealth here, but there's so much
poverty, there's so muchhomelessness.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
You know, you see both things, you know, and it's
so good to see everybody cometogether, you know and we
mentioned that at the beginningof our previous episode, which
was from the ashes is now anewer community, yeah, a
stronger community, a differentcommunity that wasn't here
before, uh, a disaster, and it'suh, it's unfortunate that it
has to happen, yeah, with a fireor a.
a different community thatwasn't here before, a disaster,
and it's unfortunate that it hasto happen with a fire or a
(11:01):
hurricane or something thateverybody tends to just drop
everything in.
We're no longer ex-neighbors orneighbors and we never know
each other's whereabouts.
It's now, how can I help you?
You're helping me, and sincewe're all on the same line, it
just becomes a differentcommunity from now on.
It's not the same communitythat was there come December 7th
, just pick a date here, right?
So that's something else, thatfrom the ashes, like Pastor
(11:24):
Steven Slick said, it's kind oflike the Phoenix from the ashes
rises of Phoenix and a newerfuture.
I mean, this is.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
It's palpable, that's great we're here on a special
edition of our Beyond the Platepodcast.
We're just so grateful to thefriends here at Moss in Venice
Beach, California.
That just sounds nice.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Ooh that sounds nice.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
I live in South Florida, we live in South
Florida.
We're from South Florida toVenice Beach.
I love it.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
So thanks to Savannah and the team from Moss, but,
pastor Stephen, so it's the daythat you know there's no more
warnings.
It's here.
We've got to get out what'sgoing through your mind, what's
happening with you that day.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Honestly, you're thinking we've been here before,
so you had warnings, and thenall of a sudden there's
evacuation in malibu and and Icould see that, I can see where
it's at.
And then all of a sudden, thewarning on the phone.
The police haven't come up toactually tell you, leave that.
That comes a little bit later.
(12:31):
But here's the warning on thephone evacuate now.
So you think, okay, let's get abag of clothes for each of us
and let's get some importantdocuments.
But you're really thinkingyou're coming back in a couple
days.
I didn't think about going tothe office, which is about 75
yards away from me, to get tograb stuff that I need to get.
That's in another location.
(12:52):
You, just you.
You, you get in a car and wedidn't get in all three of ours.
We, we realized, becausetraffic is crazy, we'll get in
one car, let's get out of here.
We'll, we'll come back.
But what's going through ourmind is you're seeing a fire and
and it's right above us, andand you're realizing that that
could shift.
And yes, it maybe hasn't comehere, but that doesn't mean it's
(13:17):
not.
But you're still not, it's notreal, until the end of the day
when you realize it has changedand you're seeing something at a
distance at my mom's house inOrange County and you're
watching on the news.
You're looking at the Cal Firemap and you realize, wait,
that's coming to ourneighborhood.
Speaker 4 (13:36):
I think Timer texted me and said we just got an alert
and's coming to ourneighborhood.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
I think timer texted me and said we just got an alert
it was gone it was in ourneighborhood and you're just
like then you realize, wait, youstart thinking of all the
things you didn't, you didn'tgrab, and then you're thinking,
well, but, and you just so it'snot.
The emotion that comes in themoment is that what we thought
was not going to happen could behappening.
(13:59):
And I'm thinking of all thethings I didn't do, or I didn't
grab, or memories and all thosethings, and so that's in that
moment I'm just thinking aboutme for a moment and my wife and
my daughter.
And then, all of a sudden, Ibegan to think about our
(14:22):
neighbors and all the otherpeople are going through the
same thing, they're feeling verysimilar things.
But it was, it was heavy andit's.
There's a numbness that comesand an ache, when you realize
it's gone and you have toembrace it.
You.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
You talked about the history of Pacific Palisades and
I really would love to sharethat, you to share that story,
but before we do.
A lot of times when people lookat Southern California,
especially this area, malibu,pacific Palisades, all these
very wealthy areas but this firemade an equalizer of everybody,
(14:57):
everyone.
There was no respect of persons.
What was it that was takingplace in the community, whether
you're a tech executive or youwork as a server at a local
restaurant?
What was going on in thecommunity, with everybody on the
same level, going on in thecommunity?
Speaker 1 (15:16):
with everybody on the same level.
Immediately, the average personin the community seemed to care
, and that might not be true.
A lot of times it's like theystopped to listen, I think,
because they realized that thiscould happen to them and they
(15:39):
started saying I wondered whatwould I take if I knew I had to
evacuate my home.
So in processing this, part ofmy processing has been through
other people telling theirstories and to be able to just
take that in.
So sometimes we go to the placelike the celebrities and there
was a woman that was they, theycaptured on the news who said we
(16:02):
just remodeled our home and wehad to go to our other house in
Holmby Hills, which is LA.
This is just our house at thebeach, yeah, and now we had to
go and I'm like, are you kiddingme?
And that.
But you know celebrities, oh,we lost our home, but people
love celebrity all over theworld.
(16:34):
A pastor I met with yesterday,gary a great guy locally.
He said he was talking to afriend and he said you know
Pacific Palisades.
No one knew what PacificPalisades was two weeks ago.
They just were like you talkabout LA, maybe Malibu, people
even heard of Santa Monica, butnow the whole world knows about
Pacific Palisades and thenthey're like oh, they live there
.
They live there, but we can'tforget the people who live there
when we talk about food for thepoor and we realize Latin
America or the Caribbean andthose 15 different countries.
(16:58):
The biggest population of LatinAmerica lives in Los Angeles.
There's no other city inAmerica.
So those are the same peoplethat do the majority of
housekeeping and I'm just honestwith you and gardening and
(17:18):
construction and nannies inpacific palisades and malibu.
So how are they affected?
Because they're the ones thatsend the money back to their
families, who are wishing theycould just leave because, but
they can't.
So this effect isn't aboutwealthy people, because I'm one
that lives there and I'm notwealthy and that's a lot of
(17:40):
people who live there.
But the focus sometimes is likethese people don't even need it
.
They'll just go buy anotherhouse or whatever.
So the effects go really deepand it affects people all over
the world.
But it does affect me and I feelthe ache now when I talk to
someone else because I don't saythe words.
(18:01):
I understand because I don'tknow their whole story, but I
understand in part now because Ifeel something that I didn't
feel before, and so if you canreach down into this and start
realizing.
So what does it look like tolove your neighbor as yourself?
And then I say what does itlook like to love your neighbor
as yourself?
And then I say what does itlook like to love God with all
my heart, soul, mind andstrength?
And what does it mean for Jesusto say these are the greatest
(18:24):
commands and all the law and theprophets hang on these too.
Well, can I embody that samelove for God and then allow that
to overflow in my love forsomeone else?
But that does mean in a cityand Laura and I can tell you
this is a city that's prettyself-focused, so we needed to be
shaken.
(18:44):
I just didn't want it to happenthis way, but I'm believing that
from this, from the ashes,where you began is that this is
maybe where we get to seerevival, to come back to this
city and to come to people whoare in desperate need of a
spiritual awakening and it'sgoing to be a different thought
process.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
nowadays it's not Most of that.
Like you mentioned, stigma,it's like oh yeah, everybody who
lives in that place, they'refine next week.
But I think it's up to us toreally tell the real story,
which is not everybody in thereis as wealthy as their neighbor.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Well, I'll just tell you a quick story.
I meet a little girl and hergrandmother at the hotel.
Because we're in a hotel nowtrying to figure out where are
we going to live.
It's so expensive.
And this little girl got to goback to school because her
school wasn't the Palisades.
They lived in the Palisades,but she went to school in Santa
Monica and I said what's it likefor you?
And she goes.
Well, it's kind of fun being ina hotel, but I realized I don't
(19:38):
get to go home and some of myother friends at school gave me
a uniform, because I don't haveany uniforms anymore.
And so she was in such apositive place and her
grandmother was with her.
And yet she says you know,things are real different.
So, like every day now I'msaying to my grandma if you're
going to walk with me to schoolor to go to school, I want to
(19:59):
walk.
So how is she processing?
So my heart for the kids rightnow?
Speaker 4 (20:04):
yeah, yeah, kids are kids yeah wow, they won't
understand.
Probably a little till later Idon't get to go home yeah and I
think the biggest thing, which Ithink we kind of discussed
earlier, is just the fact thatbecause there's so little real
estate in the surrounding areasthat, like people are having to
move way further, so that meansall the kids are being taken out
of schools and put in differentschools.
(20:25):
So that's like a whole othershift and maybe even out of
state again who, depending youknow like where they they're,
where they can actually find aplace to go that's affordable.
So it's a very interesting time, I think, for the, for the kids
especially, you know.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
I think this is a generational thing taking place,
because this has a lot ofreminiscence of COVID and that
was one of the biggestconversations was the children
in school that couldn't gettraditional teaching.
First of all, they weren'tgoing into the classroom.
Second of all, it was classroomwas in their computer.
I remember hearing storiesabout children who borrowed mom
(20:59):
and dad's cell phone just to dotheir homework, you know, and
then, of course, they had topass it around.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
right, they got internet from a coffee shop down
the street because theycouldn't afford internet for
that much, for just a, you know,a virtual classroom.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
that is Right, but yet you're telling, telling me
and you're telling me.
These children don't even havea home to do a home, homework on
a cell phone, borrowinguniforms it's.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
It's a and most don't have a school and don't have a
school.
Yeah, don't have a home, don'thave a school, don't have a park
, don't have a my the, the ymcathat I went to, I don to, I
don't have this, don't have this.
One of the dads said mydaughters kept asking but what
about?
And she named a yogurt shop inthe Palisades.
But when do we go back to theyogurt shop?
(21:48):
Oh, it's going to be a while,honey, but she couldn't
comprehend that it's gone.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
It's a part of your life.
Now that just gets erased,almost sure it gets written into
history yeah, yeah race from,from the present, but now it's
in the history books to come.
But even the simplest things,things that probably that young
lady used to do with her fatherevery friday we used to go to
that yogurt shop.
That was our thing.
It wasn't so much for theyogurt, it was just the
experience.
And now they'll probably findit somewhere else.
(22:15):
And again it circles back toeverybody's, again on the same
level.
Everybody now understands thatI lost something, you lost
something, you lost something.
We all lost something together,and it's not just a me and
everybody.
Look for help, just for me.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
So let's just use the idea of church.
If we define church as abuilding which is what a lot of
people do or a service, then youwould say but what are the
people going to do when all ofthem have been burned down?
There is a synagogue that islike a fortress with steel and
concrete.
It's still there, but prettymuch everything else is
(22:49):
destroyed.
So most people don't go to them.
But if you wanted to, they cancan't.
So we are realizing this issomething of multiple layers.
The rebuilding isn't going tohappen quick.
So even what was happening inthat last episode with savannah
is that only people thatforecast into the future, or the
(23:10):
guy a guy I met this morningthat could give me insight is
saying this is a long time.
So what is it going to looklike to rebuild and who's going
to stay?
So people like food for thepoor?
That says we deal with peoplewho are in need all over the
world.
But we're realizing that in inamerica, even in the most
(23:34):
wealthy area, people in majorspiritual poverty don't know
where to turn.
They have no anchor of hope.
They don't know because see,the most part around here,
you've kind of given up oneverything.
So if you're Jewish.
You say I'm Jewish, but I mightbe an atheist, or at least I
just don't.
I'm not religious at all, andthe average Christian might even
(23:55):
call themselves a Christian orwhatever.
But they say but I don't reallybuy into all this.
And they said well, I'm justone of the nuns N-O-N-E's now,
or I'm spiritual but notreligious.
But it's in times like this andthis is a big new age pagan
community we're in right now andWest Side is, but when you've
tried everything else and itdoesn't work.
I think this is a time wherethe lessons that Food for the
(24:17):
Poor has learned aboutpartnership in other countries
could give some great advice forsome of us in this environment
to say here's how partnershipworks.
But you gotta be willing to laydown some of the things that
separate and divide us, and soI'm really excited that Food for
the Poor can be a part of thisrebuilding and restoration,
(24:37):
because I think that's whatGod's all about.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
And I heard a term, I read an article and I had to
write it down a term that Ithought was fascinating called
fire fatigue.
This is an article I read.
It said and this was a cityofficial was recalling their
spouse who was part of thesheriff's department in this
area.
And it said the veteran cityofficial whose spouse in a Los
Angeles County sheriff, who's aLos Angeles County sheriff's
(25:01):
deputy, who had been dispatchedto help with evacuations, said
the entire family wasexperiencing fire fatigue After
more than two weeks spentwaiting for wind-driven flames
to threaten their home.
So they were just on pins andneedles.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
That's right.
For sure it was exhausting.
Right it was exhausting.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
And they said it's a lot.
I love california, I love losangeles, but this is definitely
stressful.
Can you identify with that?
Speaker 4 (25:32):
oh for sure, and I think that was probably one of
the hardest things, because youdidn't, you just did not know,
and that's the thing, because,um, like one of the fires, the
hollywood fire, they wereclosing exits from two exits
down for me and going south.
So if any time, if the windwould have gone north, it would
have been heading my direction.
The palisades, 5, 12 miles fromthere, was like coming so far
(25:53):
to my area that they startedevacuating the next community
over because of the wind.
So that's the thing.
You just didn't know.
You know and like, and then youhave, like, you're like, you
probably noticed, like, if, likea notification is going off,
like at all times of the day andnight, and you're like, is it
time?
Do I go now?
Do I not?
Can I go back to sleep?
You know, and so it was, it wasjust a lot.
And then just to know, like,okay, if we need to go, what do
(26:13):
I take?
And like, what do I leave?
And thankfully, I think, unlikeyou, because the winds were so
bad.
I saw this other Facebook friendof mine.
She was like I took my son toschool and I didn't even.
I smelled smoke, I didn't seeanything near my community.
She goes I want to go grablunch In 30 minutes.
She came back.
Her house was gone 30 minutes.
(26:34):
So it's like people, so likeshe goes, I had all of the
clothes on my back and so that's, I think, probably one of the
big differentiators this timecompared to maybe others, that
because it spread so quickly, oryou know, you even assuming
like we'd be able to go back,you know, and then it's kind of
like how seriously do you takeit or not?
You know all those differentthings.
So, yeah, it was a very, veryexhausting week.
And then, on top of the fact, Igot sick, so that was a whole
(26:56):
other other other level of liketrying just to like keep alert
and making sure you know andwhat did you keep thinking of
what?
Speaker 3 (27:02):
what's the first thing you take, as if that fire
would have touched your backyard.
What's the first thing you?
Speaker 4 (27:06):
I was kind of like do I leave?
You know what I mean?
Just because they're like youknow my family.
I have a lot of family in Ohio,so they're like come home and
trying to decide, do I just getout of here altogether and just
kind of like take, because I,you know, I don't own a home, so
it was just easy.
So for me to leave would bemuch easier, did?
Speaker 1 (27:24):
you have a bag packed .
Speaker 4 (27:25):
Oh my gosh.
Yes, yes, I think I'm going tokeep it packed, because I was
like there could be anearthquake around the corner my
slides will be coming.
I was like I think now that ismy bag, that will just be there,
you know, especially with mydocuments and stuff.
But it's like you know, youdon't realize.
So every time I kept thinking,oh my gosh, I need to have that
in my bag, or that should havebeen in my bag, and you just
don't think, you know, like youthink, oh, I'll have time, but
(27:46):
you just don't sometimes, youknow.
But I definitely identify withthe fatigue of it, for sure.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
Well, down below just a while ago in Moss, one of the
key leaders here.
He's experiencing the firefatigue as someone serving
others during this time.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
You're watching a special edition of our Beyond
the Plate podcast.
We're here in Venice Beach,california, speaking with two of
our family members here at Foodfor the Poor, laura Anderson
and Pastor Stephen Snook, andwe're so grateful for Savannah
and the team here at Moss inVenice Beach, california, for
allowing us this very cozy.
I say that if we are comingback for a West Coast podcast,
(28:29):
we're back here, right?
Oh, we have to.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
I have to now.
Let's see if she's available.
I'm like way too comfortable,just come on in, knock on the
door.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
We know where the fridge is, yeah exactly, but
Danny shared earlier about hopefrom the ashes.
You know coming back from theashes.
And before we talk aboutrevival, I'd like to take us
back to history.
You were telling us somethingvery interesting about the
history of Pacific Palisades andthe spiritual connection with
Pacific Palisades.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
before we talk about that revival, so the Palisades
was owned by the methodistdenomination.
The methodist church bought itas a place for missionaries and
pastors who served their life toretire by the beach.
The mobile home park we live inat the beach, which is a
(29:18):
beautiful place to live, was acampground for the methodist
church for those same people inthe summers.
At the top of Temescal, atSunset Boulevard, is a
campground the Methodist Churchowned and it was a place it was
called Chautauqua West and itwas a gathering place in the
1920s where they would raise upthe next generation of Christian
(29:40):
leaders.
So they would come to thiscampground and meet in tents and
they would all stay there andthey would train them up because
there wasn't formal Biblecolleges and stuff.
So they would come and theywould do it at Chautauqua, new
York, and then Chautauqua Westin the Palisades.
The alphabet streets in thePacific Palisades are named
after missionaries and leadersin Christianity back in those
(30:05):
days in the 10th, you know, turnof century 19, up to 1920 and
30.
That's all gone.
All the alphabet streets aregone.
But where that was and thevillage there it's like an
amphitheater and back in the 20sthere was multiple churches
would come together from SantaMonica and the west side of Los
(30:26):
Angeles for a sunrise servicewhere 20,000 people would come.
We still have a sunrise serviceon the beach where multiple
churches come together.
For the last 35 years or so andI've been a part of that 35
years or so and I've been a partof that so in the past was a
(30:51):
history that then became now oneof the most exclusive
communities in America.
But it's kind of lost some ofthat.
But our prayer is that therecould be more.
But Los Angeles is a citythat's had major revival over
the years that it's kind of comeand left azusa street we talked
about that idea of crew andother organizations but these
things that have happened herethat are so amazing.
(31:12):
But it's like in these last daysI think god's heart is that I
don't want anyone to perish andmaybe I I will allow a shaking.
I don't think God's behind this, but he allowed it and the
shaking I'm believing is goingto bring a spiritual awakening.
But there's a need for revivalin the church so we can have a
(31:35):
spiritual awakening among thosepeople who don't know the love
of Christ, don't know that Godloves them and that there is
more to life and there's a lotmore on the other end when we
leave this world.
So, yeah, this is the history,but it's not been the story for
many, many years.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
Just after what you just said.
I'm just thinking about howwildfires will change people,
but not the actual place whereit'll happen.
So I'm imagining, probablyanother year from now, somebody
from the Methodist Church isgoing to come back and say this
is where our history is.
Why would we want to changethat?
So I think it's now changingnot only people, but now you're
(32:19):
changing communities as well.
So, even though it's in ashesright now, I think it's going to
come back stronger and you'regaining other people while this
process is going on.
Um, people that didn't knowwhere the palisades were before,
now they do.
Folks that they didn't knowlive there and now they know
where they live and what kind ofneed they help.
So what kind of help they need,excuse me.
(32:40):
So, uh, this is, um, this isunfortunate.
Again'm going to say becausethis is the only time that we're
getting together.
We should get together becauseit's Sunday or it's Tuesday or
Wednesday, it doesn't matterbecause there was a fire or a
hurricane or a tornado, the factthat devastation does bring us
together.
But I think it's a littledifferent now and it's going to
be a lot different.
Speaker 1 (32:59):
So my hope, the body of Christ under Christ's
headship.
My hope, the body of Christunder Christ's headship is
supposed to carry on the mission.
But the picture of the body ofChrist is not a bunch of little
bodies of Christ in differentcongregations, it's one body.
So if we could unite reallyaround the mission of Christ,
(33:26):
under his leadership, we couldshow Los Angeles what Jesus
looks like.
That's powerful, okay.
But for us to operate the wayit's designed means we're going
to have to let go of some things, and that means I've had to do
that, but I'm not the only one.
But I believe that in thestirring is that the greatest
thing in America, the greatestvolunteer force in America, is
the church.
Everyone says it but we are sodivided it doesn't look like it.
(33:49):
So this may be an opportunityin one place where they would
never expect it that it couldactually happen here.
Speaker 4 (33:56):
And even like from a cultural standpoint too, because
you know, I think of everythingthat comes out of LA, whether
it's music, art, film it shapesculture not only in our country
but across the world, you know,and so I think if that can be
redeemed we've seen a lot of thestuff that's been coming out of
the industry that's very dark,and I think if that can be
redeemed for God as well, that Ithink will be part of all that
(34:17):
too, you know again, but I thinkit's just people uniting of
again around culture, again,again around the arts, again
around the church, everything,and I think that will all come
out of here, you know.
Speaker 1 (34:27):
So even around podcasts, right?
A city of angels?
Yeah, los Angeles.
Messengers for God, that's ourname, and it can be redeemed it
will it sure will.
Speaker 4 (34:42):
And it doesn't take another fire.
Right One is enough.
Yes, enough.
We need this happening everyyear to remind everybody that
God's here.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
It's all right, one's enough if you're listening.
Speaker 4 (34:50):
An earthquake right now.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
That would be interesting.
Speaker 4 (34:53):
I was just like no.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
My fear now is that because Well you guys are here
so you could experience it.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
No, okay.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 4 (35:03):
Emphasis on thank you I think the prayers really need
to be, because we're headinginto our rainy season too, so I
think we all we kind of spoke alittle about that with all the
vegetation gone Now I've seenlittle houses Fall off hills
because of the way the mud Will,like literally, go away from
underneath the homes.
I think it was near me in thevalley.
Like, literally, the mud camedown the hill so quickly that
(35:26):
Lily pulled a grand piano out ofthe house onto the road and was
just sitting there in themiddle of the road.
So that's another element thatwe deal with quite often and
because now we have all thisopen land with nothing there to
hold the mud there that could becoming.
So we'll see how that goes.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
Another reason to keep us on our knees praying for
this community and to connectbecause we have listeners, and
over 200 you know that followour podcast in over 250 cities,
24 countries around the world.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
That um have heard your story and others on our
podcast, but we're one yeah butwe're one yes so I just this
week I've been working on how topray.
30 years ago we started doingthese pray for la cards and had
a list of things, and I wentback and looked at the list but
(36:19):
I realized that there's somethings that need to change for
right now.
And so there's some specificthings that I think could help
people and that I could evenpass on to you guys.
But we do need prayer right nowso we can see God do what he
wants to do and we can kind ofstay out of the way.
But on that list we've writtenit even in a way that you could
(36:39):
give it to anybody your neighbor, your coworkers, people that
don't believe that you believe.
But for us to be able to saylisten, we need prayer, but
knowing that, for those of usthat are in Christ, we know
what's behind these prayers aswell.
But for me, to put it in thehand of the chief of police, or
put it in the hand of UCLA,where I get to do some work over
(37:00):
there, or among these peoplethat are just trying to help,
but we need your prayers.
And so for you guys, as youshare with other people, just
know that LA needs your prayersright now and they need them
focused, because we can't seethe restoration if God's not in
it.
Speaker 3 (37:20):
We're talking with Laura Anderson from our
development team, as well asPastor Stephen Snook from Church
Alliances, and a question forboth of you actually, who needs
more prayer right now Family,friends or community?
Speaker 1 (37:35):
Well, I'm going to start.
I'm going to say my family.
I was going to say my friendsfamily, I was going to say my
friends.
Yeah, so for me, because I knowwhat this is like when I drove
up with my wife two days ago andthe first time she had seen it.
And my daughter is goingthrough some physical things.
So one of the problems with mesometimes and people that do
(37:58):
what I do is that we just startfocusing in on other people and
I I do care about the communityand my heart is there, but my
heart has got to be right whereit needs to be, with my wife and
my daughter that are goingthrough this, and even my
daughter's dog, George, who islike what's going on.
But with that then comes thisheart, because God then starts
(38:24):
showing us how much he loves usand he's going to get us through
, and then we get to actually bemore organic.
I believe in how we care forothers and we comfort others
from the comfort we've received.
So I need to receive, becauseI'm usually the one that's
always giving.
Right now I need to receive andI need to receive for my family
.
So pray for us so that we canthen be the salt and light that
(38:45):
we need to be, Cause she's sheneeds that too.
Speaker 4 (38:48):
And she needs to tell a different way in a different
way.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
Same question for you .
Speaker 4 (38:54):
Um, I think for me, because I don't have my own
family, I think it's just alittle bit easier for me in that
way.
Um, it's different, you know,it's very different, but at the
same time I'm just so thankful,like just for the support of
people from food for the poor.
That's been like so amazing.
Um.
But I think too, I think it'svery interesting, and just like
cause, of knowing Steve for sucha long time, and even like
(39:15):
hearing some of the littlestories you've had in just in
our conversations.
You know, in taking care ofyourself and in taking care of
your family, cause think that'sthe thing too right, if you
don't have anything to give out,you you know, if you're not
taking care of yourself inenough, in a good enough way,
you can't give out, so thenyou're just drained all the time
.
But I think too, it's just beenso interesting to hear, just
like, in all your littlemeetings, all these divine
(39:35):
appointments, in the midst ofall of that, god is still
working, god is still bringingpeople to you, you're still
having conversations, you, and Ithink that's what's the beauty
of it.
I just think you kind of justneed to do your day to day, you
know, and God will show up, youknow, and.
God will bring the right peopleat the right time.
You know, I think a lot of itis just organic and I think,
like you're doing some things toeven organize leaders and
(39:56):
spiritual leaders, you know, sothat's an undertaking you're
doing.
So I think, yeah, it kind ofgoes in a lot of different ways.
Speaker 2 (40:03):
You know, well, we end every episode on a positive
note, but this time I want to dosomething different, because we
just talked about greatestprayer.
I'd like that positive note tocome from all of you in our
(40:24):
audience.
I'd love for our audience,those who'd like to subscribe to
our Best Bite you can go tofoodforthepoororg slash podcast
or follow us on Instagram atbeyondtheplatepodcast.
I'd love to send each and everyone of you that will sign up
for our Best Bite, the list ofhow to pray for Los Angeles.
(40:44):
If you give that to us in a pdfform, we would love to share it
with all of you in our audience, because this is too important
to just be a podcast, just totalk about it.
Faith without works is dead andand and.
That james 2 scripture wasprobably a scripture I read
(41:06):
almost every day.
When I started at Food for thePoor, I had it almost every day.
I would sit at my desk and I'dgo there because I knew that
what is it that I say?
God bless, go.
You know I'm praying for you,be well.
And I did nothing to help thebody do something.
And so I want to ask all of ouraudience as watching either our
(41:31):
last episode with Savannah fromhere at Moss, or right now with
Laura and Pastor Steve.
If you would like to be a partof praying for this community,
praying for this man of God,this family member, these family
members to Food for the Poor,we'd like you to please sign up
for our Best Bite atfoodforthepoororg slash podcast.
(41:51):
Just go to Best Bite, sign upand we'll send you out the list
of how you can pray for thiscommunity.
Let that be our positive note.
Speaker 1 (42:01):
It's a big drive.
Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 2 (42:04):
Pastor Stephen, Laura , we'll be back.
Speaker 4 (42:07):
Okay, that's what I was going to say.
I was going to say like yeah.
I think that's one of thebiggest things, right Like we
have a lot of attention, but ina few months that cycle will
spin out you know and the peopleare still left here to continue
to figure out their life, andso I think it'd be great to do a
follow-up, you know.
Speaker 1 (42:23):
We see North Carolina .
Right, let's go to the party atthe beach.
Speaker 2 (42:29):
You can be a part of it Tacos and people.
That's all I heard.
Speaker 3 (42:35):
That's all.
Speaker 2 (42:35):
I heard let's stop there.
Speaker 1 (42:36):
Food in the ocean, all right, god bless you guys,
fist bump, thank you so much,thank you.
Speaker 3 (42:46):
Bear Brews.
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entering the non-alcoholicmarket feels impossible.
Well, we're talking about toomuch cost, too much risk.
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Speaker 2 (42:57):
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Speaker 3 (43:09):
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Speaker 2 (44:06):
Yeah, cheers to that BearBrewscom, that's
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Speaker 3 (44:14):
Hey everyone.
Thanks for listening to Beyondthe Plate.
We love having you here.
Speaker 2 (44:18):
Keep up with us on Instagram and TikTok at
beyondtheplatepodcast.
Speaker 3 (44:23):
And if you enjoy the show, don't forget to subscribe
to our YouTube channel and giveour videos a like.
Just search Food for the Poor.
Speaker 2 (44:30):
Beyond the Plate.
Your support means the world tous All.
Speaker 3 (44:34):
right folks we'll see you on the next Beyond the
Plate episode.
I'm waving.
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