Fires erupt as Mississippi mission team serves in Los Angeles through Send Relief

LOS ANGELES – When Steven Smith and the group of college students he was leading began their mission trip to Send Relief’s Ministry Center in Los Angeles, they had no idea they would soon be serving a city facing some of its most challenging days.

“On Tuesday (January 7), we became aware of the fire situation. We were there when it got on the radar of the city that it was out of control,” said Smith, associate pastor of college, young adults and discipleship at First Baptist Church, Jackson, Mississippi.

Smith and his team were in North Hollywood and East LA, miles from the worst of the fires. So, they carried on with ministering to people alongside Darryl Speers, the Ministry Center director, and others on the Send Relief team.