Ask A Cop
Ask A Cop is live and unscripted. Each episode gives other officers and the community a window into a police officer's world and provides authentic community engagement with law enforcement professionals.Listeners can relate by asking questions, hearing some of their own struggles, and finding solutions. Despite preconceived notions, these men and women, who serve and protect, are approachable and eager to answer questions. This resource provides meaningful engagement for officers, their families, and the community. As chaplains, we have witnessed the immeasurable rewards of simply sitting down and having these positive conversations. Produced in partnership with Gods Way Radio.
Ask A Cop
Stories of Faith and Resilience from the Wildfire Battleground
You're listening to Ask a Cop Podcast, a time where communities and cops connect. These conversations are recorded live, so stay tuned after the podcast so you can learn where to submit your own questions and to learn how you can support us. For now, though, get ready to Ask a Cop.
Speaker 2:Good afternoon, cop. Good afternoon. We have some very special guests lined up today for ask a cop and the first one is connected, and my understanding is we're gonna have some different folks here and they're all on a time schedule because they are all on the west coast of the United States dealing with these wildfires in California in one way or another. So we want to go to our first guest. Good afternoon. I want to give you a chance, sir, to introduce yourself.
Speaker 3:Hi, this is Randy Cole. I am a chaplain with the Billy Graham Evangelical Association, part of what they call the Rapid Response Team, rrt. I'm a retired federal agent and I'm part of a group here that has deployed basically literally first in with a team of chaplains and we're out here to minister and support the whole community, but we have a strong focus on the blue and the red doing what we can to support the police and other first responders, including the National Guard. That's our main mission right now, just here for the community and being a ministry of presence.
Speaker 2:That is amazing. And Randy said you have been there, or rather were the first on the ground or the first in. What do you mean by that?
Speaker 3:Or if you could elaborate Well first in for do you mean by that? Or if you?
Speaker 2:could elaborate well first in for our team.
Speaker 3:So I I live in, uh, frederick maryland, north of dc and baltimore, um, so they called, I was able to deploy. It's how it works a lot like just when you're active law enforcement and fire, the call goes out and who can come.
Speaker 3:so I got here, landed on the ground literally, at LAX Thursday evening there was already a team of local chaplains to include some retired law enforcement PD and they literally hit the ground first in because they were right here. They're part of our rapid response team of chaplains and they got literally some relationships established and some ministry presence. I got here and joined a team and we've had others join since. Not all of us are former police or fire, which is great. We know God builds a team with different skill sets and backgrounds and uses each one of us uniquely. So it's a great blend and God's stories are incredible.
Speaker 2:Amazing For anybody listening live to Ask a Cop. We are using up all the phone lines today to juggle these guests, so we would ask you to text us at the studio if you have any questions for any of our guests. Remember, they are all going to be from the California area, or rather currently in the California area. Like the gentleman said, he's from actually the east coast of the country, correct? Have I heard you correctly?
Speaker 3:Yes, Maryland.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so the east coast. Yeah, so now that they're from there, but they are there right now and they are dealing with the wildfires or affected by or participating in that relief. So if you have any questions regarding this topic, make sure you text us at the studio, 786-313-3115. Randy, you said there are many God stories. I know we maybe only have about five more minutes with you. Can you share some of those God stories with us, can you?
Speaker 3:share some of those God stories with us. Wow, just this afternoon and we have police on this call and they will really understand this and I share this from a personal perspective. This is very raw. I will make it very brief. Okay, this is my, to be very transparent, my first deployment as a chaplain, in which I am the coordinator, the team leader.
Speaker 3:So, as we all know, as you rise in rank in police, um, you are less on the street. Sometimes you just totally become a death jockey, as we used to say, and your heart's to be out there and be with people, to what drew you to the job. But you know they also need people leading and directing and coordinating and, um, so this is my first time and I was sharing with some of the retired officers that are going out today here from local We've got Long Beach and some other retired area law enforcement and I said you know I just want to be out there with you guys. I really do, but you know I've got to be here and coordinating and doing different things. And just shared that from a personal perspective. And they went out the door and you know I'm getting ready to head up to my room to do some of the admin and sending people different places. I was approached by a couple of gentlemen One was a Jehovah Witness and God used that moment to share the gospel. Wow.
Speaker 3:I was literally just opening the door and saying a number of people are displaced in our hotel.
Speaker 3:So, there's a lot of folks staying here at the hotel that we're at, and he said no, sheridan, I know time is brief, but the bottom line is God used it to share the gospel and God, literally the Holy Spirit, put it. On my. I had a recurring thought I will use you wherever you are and I just really want to encourage your officers that are out there. We all want to respond, we all want to help and sometimes God has us where he has us and he will use you wherever you are. Yes, and we have other situations where God has opened doors to give us access. Yeah, we all know in our positions we've been there, we've been on the front lines where we have to screen people and say, all right, now, who are you? And who are you with? And?
Speaker 3:God just really opened some doors for ministry when they realized we're crisis-trained chaplains. Obviously, we bring a faith element, but we're here number one to help Help you physically, spiritually and provide emotional and spiritual care. Literally is what we're doing in the ministry of presence. So once they realize that um doors really open, we're here to support them. Some of the local chaplains get overwhelmed. We responded our team responded to the mountain fires last year and helped with death notifications. So we're here to do whatever we can to support, obviously, sharing the gospel. But you have to, as franklin graham said, you have to earn the right to share the gospel. That's why Samaritan's Purse is so fantastic, powerful, they go in and help.
Speaker 3:Jesus was the model chaplain. He helped the people.
Speaker 2:They clear the way for you guys right, Not just clearing the homes but, clearing the way for the chaplains.
Speaker 2:I want to give an opportunity for just one more thing, and again, we're pretty good on time. We have another guest holding, but it's more to respect your time, randy. You know, I know you have a lot going on there, so the rush is not on us, in a sense, just know that. But that being said, I did want to at least, or for sure, make time to ask how can we pray for you, how can we pray for the chaplains, the Samaritan's Purse teams, or for the folks that you guys are seeing? Please give us some ways to pray and our listeners.
Speaker 3:Well, we all do it. You know we pray, and I think I'm speaking for myself. We sometimes say the prayer. Do we really, we're really deeply believing when we pray for the winds to stop and the rain to come? Are we just saying it to kind of like dot the I and cross the T, or do we truly mean and feel and believe, believe that God can stop the winds, believe that God can bring the rain, because that's what is needed here truly.
Speaker 3:Because they can't get in to get these folks back to their homes. Mary's purse can't go in and start the sifting and cleanup until the situation is safe. So that is the number one prayer. Right now is literally the weather conditions, and then subsequent to that is just that the anxiety levels are so high here. These law enforcement officers listening, know suicide calls and you know prevention is part of what you, you all do, what we all have dealt with, and that's going to probably be a situation that uh is coming. We just got to pray that, um, folks will take that pause through god and get connected to someone who can help them versus taking that horrible decision yeah, you know and for shelters.
Speaker 3:There'd be a lot of displaced people here.
Speaker 2:Yes, randy, I'm sorry if it felt like I interrupted, but it just really I don't know the word to describe it, but it really rose to the surface for me that prayer request of people currently contemplating suicide or the people that will be contemplating suicide after the and again, I want to be very careful, I don't know the phrase, the term here after the aftermath or after the fire leaves, when we see the devastation. And again, I think it's so insightful for us to hear that and for you to share that, because I don't watch the news that much, but I think the news is just showing the sensational pictures. You know, the fires, the winds, the ravaging, but a lot of times when you see those pictures, you don't see the pictures of the people you know. And and maybe that's a, maybe that's a simplistic way to look at it maybe some news is showing the people, but all that to say man, it's not, it's not just the fire, it's, it's the people. But all that to say man, it's not, it's not just the fire, it's, it's the people, right? So, so important. What an important prayer request, randy.
Speaker 2:Anything else you, you, you could share with us. You know, I'll ask you one more thing and you can, you can make this as shorter as as long as you want. Again, I we're on your schedule in a sense, but we do have someone else on hold. But I would ask you this it just came to my heart and mind. If an answer comes to your heart and mind, in your career as a federal agent, compared to your, I would say, career, but your ministry as a chaplain, what's the biggest difference? What's the biggest similarity? It just came to my heart and mind. You know this is Ask a Cop. I wanted to tie it back to your experience. I wonder what you'd say is the biggest similarity or the biggest difference of these two seasons.
Speaker 3:Let me just do similarity first. I'm trying to think of some differences. There's a lot of differences, but I think the biggest similarity is to really speak to your audience. Those of us in law enforcement and fire nurses, doctors God has wired us in a certain way in which we don't want to be in chaos and danger, but we all have been gifted through training but the Lord, in being comfortable in uncomfortable situations, and obviously a lot of that goes into it from training, like I said, and God, and it's very chaotic and hectic, especially this first in and from a personal standpoint, I definitely appreciate the prayers for wisdom in the sermon.
Speaker 3:And when you're sending folks out, it's just like law enforcement. You're sending two officers out into a tough neighborhood and I'm literally telling our chaplains watch your six. It's a lot like that and we tend to thrive in that environment and it kind of is invigorating because you're busy, the time flies, the dust hasn't settled literally no pun intended but the smoke hasn't settled yet, and so we actually thrive on it. It's that kind of adrenaline rush I guess you would say yeah, no, you're right, uh, you know yeah, you know most or not most, excuse me.
Speaker 2:those law enforcement or first responder, I should say uh, folks, you know that are really called that, are really placed there by the lord. You are wired that way because some people they would just shut down, you know that are really called that, are really placed there by the Lord. You are wired that way because some people they would just shut down you know they couldn't handle it. But you're built for that, you're wired for that, but go ahead.
Speaker 3:Well, and that's part of my request for the whole area. It came to mind because I'm thinking to myself I'm starting to hit a little bit of a wall. I'm doing great. I call them espresso shots, like the Salvation we recently had.
Speaker 2:Spiritual espresso shot. I love that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and so that's what's happening right now around here with the law enforcement fire They've been on that drilling run. I see, and they're starting to crash. They're starting to crash. We've just really got to pray for them. Pray for reinforcements to come in. Okay, this isn't over here.
Speaker 2:Okay, randy, thank you so much. So, man, again, I wish I would have written them all down, but the ones that I remember, the prayer requests, if I would put them in a bullet point. We need and I love how you said it, we need to pray in faith, really pray seriously, for the rain to come and the wind to stop. Was that correct? Amen, brother. And then folks that are contemplating suicide, for the first responders, that are hitting the wall, for the chaplains and the Samaritan's Purse teams and many others, but Adrian's here as well.
Speaker 5:Yeah, let's just spend that moment in prayer, randy, and again I do thank you for your time and carving out this little bit of time. If you can, on the side, shoot me over your information, randy. Somehow I do have a chaplain from LA County Sheriff's that would appreciate a phone number or a way to contact you guys there. So if you can do that, or whoever can just send me whatever info possible to connect that to him, that would be great. But for now let me just pray for you, randy, and then we'll let you go and continue on there.
Speaker 5:So, god, we just lift up to you, lord, the needs that are there, god, some that have been spoken of. Lord, we believe and we know, god, that that wind and that rain and everything this world has is Lord ordered and controlled and, god, you have the ability. So we pray. We pray, god, that the wind would stop and the wind would go in the direction it needs to go, that the rain would come down and settle. Uh, lord, give just what exactly, as your word says in Proverbs, that that word fitly spoken for our officers and our first responders, as these interactions go on, as their fatigue sets in, god, be with those they're praying for and physically there, and I pray that the church at large, we would rise up and continue to remember in our prayers, believing God, that you are the God of God and the Lord of Lords, to help our brothers and sisters there in Southern California at this time. We pray in Jesus' name, amen.
Speaker 3:Amen, randy, thank you so much. Thank you for all the prayers out there. Everyone, thank you, will do Absolutely.
Speaker 2:If you just tuned in, you're listening to God's Way Radio, to God's Way Radio. You are tuned in and I just encourage you to obviously stay tuned. But you might want to text or call someone to remind them that this month, the first month of January, we are having Ask a Cop today, on Tuesday, january the 14th. Other information if you just tuned in, you can text us today. We have the phone lines a little bit tied up with guests over the phone, so you can text us at 786-313-3115. If you have a question, if you want to share a comment of encouragement, anything at all, it's still an interactive live program Today we will just ask you to text us at the studio Again, 786-313-3115. So we have our next guest and I want to welcome them. Hello, can you hear us? I believe we're going to bring them up on line.
Speaker 2:One hello, hello hello, hello so good to have you on live here. God's way radio, ask a cop. Let me just give you a chance right now to introduce yourself my name is, uh, chaplain baez.
Speaker 6:I'm also a Calvary Chapel pastor with Calvary Chapel, monrovia, and we're out here on the front line, sir.
Speaker 2:Okay and great to have you, chaplain Baez, and a shout out to the folks there at Calvary Chapel of Monrovia. Let me just ask you what have you seen? What is and again, not for the sake of you know the news, but to hear it directly from you what are you seeing? What's going on? What's the latest update there? And did you say you were in LA, or did I assume that?
Speaker 6:No, we are in LA. I'm in Monrovia now at the Calvary Chapel facility. I was just on site a few minutes ago, so the winds really began to kick up here in Los Angeles Monday night, and Monrovia is connected to Sierra Madre, and then west of Sierra Madre, about eight miles from our location, from my own home, is Altadena, in Pasadena. So sometime Tuesday, when the fires had already broken out and we began to lose power here in the area, myself and another chaplain, before we had been asked to come in, we actually went down there, or I should say up the mountain, when houses were still on fire, gas lines were still burning, people were still trying to get out of the area. Law enforcement had responded, but they hadn't set up barricades or, you know, really gathered or had control of the area due to the weather, and things were just unfolding. So, yeah, we were up there.
Speaker 6:I don't want to say officially that we were the first boots on the ground, but I think that we were, as far as the chaplains are concerned, and this isn't the first time that I've responded to a disaster. I was just in Acapulco with Samaritan's Purse for Hurricane Otis. I've responded to Katrina, I've responded to mudslides in the Philippines, but if you've ever responded to a fire, it's very different. It really is.
Speaker 2:How so.
Speaker 6:Well, it's a war zone because of the gas lines, because of the fire, and then the fire mixed with the. I heard gusts up to 100 miles an hour. Wow, it really becomes like an inferno. We were talking to a young man that went to sleep. When he got home he saw the fire a few miles away from his place.
Speaker 6:He actually drove to kind of the edge of what was burning at that time, came home and thought he'd be safe and go into sleep, only to be awakened by smoke. His whole house, his bedroom, was consumed with smoke. Couldn't even see his hand in front. Just by memory he was able to break through a window and when he stepped outside he said Chaplain Baez, I was literally in what I think hell would look like. I don't even know how I was able to jump in my vehicle and navigate myself out. It seemed like there was no good direction to take. My instinct said you know, I've got to travel south. He knew that the fire was coming from the mountain and working its way from the north to the south and thankfully he made it out safely. And then he made it here to Calvary, monrovia, where he was able to receive some aid, some support, a listening ear and some prayer.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's incredible. I mean you answered the question. How is it different? That's a big, how right there Now I'm looking here at a map and Monrovia, I mean it's a stone's throw from LA. I mean this is LA basically correct. I mean Pasadena, right down the highway.
Speaker 6:Yeah, we're LA County, yes, and so we're right off the foothill.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I see that.
Speaker 6:So, yes, we've been, you know, just watching the Lord work. Amen. It is amazing. I mean, southern California has so many Calvary chapels yeah, and Calvary Chapel or, excuse me, calvary Disaster Relief, which comes from La Habra Calvary Chapel. They responded so quickly, and I mean Monrovia. The facility here has turned into a staging point for the Calvary Chapels, and so there's probably been about 50 Calvary Chapels that are now partnering the warehouse that Monrovia has. We have water generators, gasoline, I mean. As quickly as they get this stuff out, it's coming back in, and so it has just been amazing to watch God pour out His resources and the people that are willing to help the hands and feet of the body of Christ. That has responded has just been amazing.
Speaker 2:That is amazing and it's encouraging to hear. You know it seems to be you know I don't have the numbers on this, but it seems to be that in any disaster it's really the people of God, it's Christians, that come together the most. You see others, you know I'm sure you've seen other groups, other religions, maybe other humanitarian groups, but by far and large I think it's Christians that jump in to help Chaplain Baez. I just want to ask you a little bit more, if you don't mind, a little bit more about Sagan Adrian.
Speaker 5:Yeah, no, I was wondering. Maybe, joey, you were going to ask the same thing.
Speaker 2:Well, let's see.
Speaker 5:Yeah, Chaplain Baez, as I got your name at first, which is Angel. So if you don't mind, Angel, How'd you get into law enforcement chaplaincy? Maybe just give us a little bit about how that came about, your life and and and that opportunity opened up, and just to see if I have it correct, is it LA County Sheriff's office? Is that where you're?
Speaker 6:chaplain with.
Speaker 6:Tell us a little bit more about that. Well, you know, I was well once a Marine, always a Marine, semper Fi. So I was a Marine when the planes hit the towers, and so I've always had a heart for law enforcement. But when God touched my life, I began to serve at Calvary Chapel, romoland, and the founder of Calvary Romoland, jerry Brown, is also the founder of U-Turn for Christ, which is a discipleship program for those that are struggling with addiction.
Speaker 6:And Jerry Brown is also Chaplain Brown. He's been a chaplain with the Riverside County Sheriffs for, I think, almost 30 years. He responded to the Oklahoma City bombing, 9-11, to Sri Lanka and, amongst many other things, going into hot zones in Colombia to minister to the soldiers at that time that were combating Lafarque. We were able to, you know, put on the flak gear and the helmets and the bulletproof vests and to be taken to where those soldiers were being taken out. And so it was, through Chaplain Brown and watching, really God bringing people that were willing chaplains into disaster zones. God uses these disasters. It heightens the sensibility of people being willing to speak about Jesus, being willing to be prayed over.
Speaker 6:As a matter of fact, I think it was Wednesday, when we were inside the zone here and delivering food and water, that we approached a woman and we were able to give them some burritos, some food. And we were able to give them some burritos, some food, and I saw the opportunity to share the gospel and I said, ma'am, do you mind if we pray, if we share with you guys about Jesus? And she responded today, today, I will allow you to pray for me and share the gospel with me. And I thought it was bittersweet in that it took those conditions for her heart to be open to hear about the gospel, but the opportunity was given to plant some seeds. So that's really where it was birthed being a Marine and then watching my spiritual father and the way that the Lord would use him, so that really sparked an appetite to be able to help those first responders.
Speaker 2:You know it gives me makes me think of a couple things. You know, we have civilians and first responders that listen to this program and so just an encouragement, you know, to first responders, listening to veterans, listening, man, god wants to use you. God wants to use your experience, your skill set, the way he's built and designed you, the things he's allowed you to go through. God wants to use that for his kingdom. So what an encouragement there. And then on the other side, for believers, for civilians man, take opportunities. You know you've described so many opportunities that you've had places that you've responded to. I would encourage believers, let me. That you've responded to. I would encourage believers. Let me ask you this Angel, yes, how would you answer this question? Or the question being how are believers missing out? What are they missing out on? That's what I was trying to say. What are believers missing out on if they're not taking opportunities to do work like this?
Speaker 6:Well, they're missing out on what someone didn't miss out on. See, the reason that you and I believe in Christ is because someone took a step of boldness to share the gospel with us and so allowing God to work in us and through us, and to be able to just say look, I don't have. Maybe someone's out there listening now. I'm not a chaplain, I'm not a pastor, I don't have this experience, but, just as you were saying, there's so many people from so many different walks of life that have lost their homes, and some of these, or I should say all of these people, because the Sheriff's Department and rightfully so law enforcement wants to make sure that, before residents are allowed back into their community, that the gas lines are turned off that they're able to recover bodies and respond to the missing persons calls, person's calls, and so most of these residents are south of the barricades, waiting for that green light to be able to go back in, and I would encourage that
Speaker 6:if the Holy Spirit is tugging on your heart. I mean the Gospels. They tell us that even someone that takes a glass of water, god takes that into account. And you may not have these articulate words to be able to speak, but you're able just to go and say here's a glass of water, here's a bottled water, and it is unbelievable how many people are touched by something so simple, by handing them a burrito. You may not be a wealthy person, but you may be able to stop in and, just, you know, buy a few burritos somewhere and just ask God to guide you to these people that are hungry and in need. And it really just I think it's a matter of God. I'm here, I'm available. Will you just lead me? And I think, if if they do that, they will find that what they're missing out on is having a front row seat to watching Jesus Christ do some pretty amazing things amen, amen.
Speaker 2:What an encouragement to anyone listening and if you're listening, remember this this is Ask a Cop. The live premiere first month of 2025. It happens to be on January 14th today, so if you're listening live, make sure to text us with your questions, maybe with words of encouragement for Angel. Maybe you heard our short segment with Randy from Billy Graham, andy from Billy Graham, and we encourage you to call excuse me to text us today as we have the phone lines tied up here with our guests 786-313-3115. 786-313-3115.
Speaker 5:And let us know. Let us know, even if you send us a text just saying, hey, I'm listening and praying. We would greatly appreciate it, angel, just for listeners to know. And if there's law enforcement listening, we have some idea. We know la county is a very large department, but would you happen to know, um, uh, how many officers in la county sheriffs?
Speaker 6:how many have responded?
Speaker 5:no, just how many are there? How large is la county, the department itself?
Speaker 6:you know what? Uh, off the top of my head, I wouldn't want to ballpark it. I really I'd be stretching it. I know that we cover a pretty large area, uh, and so it's amazing just to watch what the department is doing behind the lines, how they're patrolling, trying to keep everyone safe. I've not only seen the sheriff's department are all over the place, but I'm really encouraged by the decision that was made to bring in the national guard, and not just that, the, the Highway Patrol, many other police departments. I've seen Hawthorne, pasadena, glendale, glendora so many people that are responding to help keep the environment safe so that those that need to do the work are doing the work.
Speaker 5:Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. And again, I'm just throwing a large numbers. But for those of us listening in Miami here, just for us to realize, um, la County sheriffs is is one of the larger departments in the U S, so, um, we're talking about a very large geographical space and not only that, but a very large amount of people and we're, you know, we're, we're upward to, you know, 9 000 plus officers plus, uh, non-sworn civilians, so I know it's a very large department. Um, I'm sure there's a lot of chaplains spread throughout that whole area and, and um, what other areas? So you mentioned some that are affected the the fires just again. Being from the East Coast, not familiar with the area it's affecting, has it stopped the spread? Like, is it continuing to spread because of the winds or has it kind of just stopped?
Speaker 2:and the winds are a danger. What's the?
Speaker 5:status of the actual fire right now. What's the status of the actual fire right now?
Speaker 6:Well, as of 38 minutes ago, there's 14,117 acres. There's only a 35% containment. The status is still active. That's the Eaton Fire. Those are the numbers from Eaton Fire as of 38 minutes ago. Thankfully, the fires are on the other side, on the southern. If you're standing in Monrovia heading north, facing the mountains.
Speaker 6:The fire has now gone to the south, so we were fearful that the winds would begin to blow to the west and maybe start taking the fire into La Cañada area, but thankfully prayerfully it's been a calm day. We've been hearing that winds are supposed to be gusting up, but I haven't really seen that happen. I think it's due to people praying and God giving us an opportunity for people to get up there and to help the hurting. But yeah, it's a pretty large area 14,000 acres, 35% containment and I can tell you that because of such a large area that's burning, it's not the lack of containment, isn't on the part of the first responders not doing their job. They're doing an excellent job. It's just a very it's spread over a very wide area.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that sounds huge. I mean it's hard to wrap my mind around that. Do you have an estimate? I mean I feel almost silly asking, but maybe you do. Are you guys just at the beginning of this thing? Are you halfway through? Is this going to be over soon? What do you think, drew? Is this going to be over soon?
Speaker 6:What do you think? Well, you know, in responding to disasters, I know that the law enforcement wants to get people back into their homes so they know what they're dealing with. But this is such a large area If you know Pasadena, Altadena, I mean, you literally drive around up there and I don't want to stretch this number, but it almost seems, especially the closer you get to the foothill maybe 70, 80% of structures have been burnt down, and so it's going to take quite some time to recover. I know that law enforcement is working tirelessly. Those guys are putting in some very long hours and they're going to continue to do so Basically at this stage, also as chaplains I mean, we're 24-7 here at Calvary Chapel, Monrovia.
Speaker 6:I mean we've seen some of our own church body, a few members, lose their homes, Um, and so, yeah, I think we're just at the beginning of this. I think this will come in stages. Um, you know, thankfully, we need to be praying for those that God has placed in charge over the department. Uh, God would give them wisdom, Um, you know, from us or from a civilian standpoint, um, I don't think people really understand what the captains, the people that are making the decisions, how difficult the position that they're in, but I think they're doing a fabulous job.
Speaker 5:Absolutely. And Angel, have you gotten any opportunity just to maybe be with some of these captains or have a relationship where you've been able to call and pray and and any story there, and interaction with a law enforcement officer? Uh, in the last couple days, I imagine some of their own homes affected. I remember the last hurricane that came through our area, uh, visiting tampa bay police department. They had about 12 officers that completely lost their home and and still working. You, you know double shifts. Some of them I remember one of them married, so the wife working days, the husband working nights, and their house is gone. So you know just the life that it is of an officer. But have you had any interactions or any conversations or opportunities to pray or speak with any of the law enforcement?
Speaker 6:Yes, we have. I think that you know Chaplain Brown, who's from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. They granted him permission to just right inside one of the barricades. They brought in a food truck, and then the donations that are coming through Monrovia are being channeled to Chaplain Brown to feed the first responders, to feed the first responders, and so the captain of the fire department, I know, was there by now. The local law enforcement, the highway patrol, the sheriff's department, know that Chaplain Brown and his team are there, and so because and rightfully so they're not allowing people behind that barricade, chaplain Brown and his team have been able to really pray with all of those guys. They've been given locations, I believe, where some of the hubs for the departments are spread out through the area, and they're able to take in hamburgers, hot dogs, burritos, and Chaplain Brown is leading the charge. They're praying for those officers, encouraging them, praying over them, and so, yes, and obviously, amongst all of that stuff, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Speaker 5:Yeah, and it's amazing what that moment of food, you know, in some of those deployments and situations that we've been at, you know it's right.
Speaker 5:When they you know, in some of those deployments and situations that we've been at, you know it's right, when they, you know, have a moment to even have a bite, you know you don't realize, right, I mean any one of us, I'm sure you've experienced this Angel, and I believe, if I'm not mistaken, you work with missions there at the church and that's part of what you do, if I'm not mistaken. But we know, sometimes you get to work and it could be 12 hours, 15 hours later you're like man, I haven't even eaten a meal. And so the moment you get to not think about what I'm going to eat, because that's the last thing on your mind, you know there's a meal and there's a moment to just, you know, kind of breathe. And if you know there is waiting for you someone who's going to support you in prayer, someone who's going to be there for you, how much that one hamburger is worth, it's worth a lot more Burrito burrito.
Speaker 5:Or burrito. No, you said burrito so much times. I want to eat a burrito now when I get home. Right?
Speaker 2:You're in SoCal, you got to give them what they want.
Speaker 5:I know Of that one meal, though it's more than whatever pennies a meal might be worth. I mean it goes such a long way because that meal is a conversation. It's a chance just to stop, it's a chance to be prayed for, it's a chance to know that someone's recognizing them, that they're loved and so yeah, so thank you for sharing that little practical piece of how, um, uh, you know, we're able to be there, you're able to be there, boots on the ground in a sense, for these, um, uh, firefighters, first responders, even the whole city government is involved. Right, you have the trash all these different people get involved in and all work long hours. We specifically are highlighting our officers and our firefighters, but, but we know a lot get affected. So thank you for that little picture there, um, and you said your church. Now, there at monrovia, you have um groups coming or you have people coming other churches supporting. You're kind of just, uh, a middle, a middle ground here. Can you tell us just a little bit more about that?
Speaker 6:well, because we're so close and god has been uh generous here, the facility is large enough uh to absorb traffic. Uh, we have a large very strategically placed.
Speaker 5:Joey just showed me a map. I'm sorry, I just saw. Oh no, it's okay. Very strategically placed.
Speaker 2:I hadn't the visual of it how close you are to the foothills and to the fire of the church when you see a map of it, you're like, wow, yeah, it's literally right outside, but right there.
Speaker 6:We are. We're right outside the zone, really, and we have a large facility, and so we had a big warehouse that we've been praying for quite some time. We acquired the last 10,000 square feet of our building and we renovated it but really didn't furnish it, praying that we needed some direction. God, what is this for?
Speaker 6:We were already bursting up the seams as the church was growing and some of us were just talking yesterday like we had no idea. This is what God had in mind when we were praying God. What is this space for? Why didn't we acquire? Because we were all convinced. Our senior pastor was convinced that was the right decision. We agreed with him. He took the step of faith and now we see very clearly why God didn't really give us a vision. God knew what was coming, obviously, and to have. I mean Calvary Chapel, la Habra, artesia, downey, bellflower, montclair, golden Springs, romoland, calvary Chapel, u-turn for Christ, blue Tape Ministry I mean the list goes on and on of the Calvary chapels that are being funneled through here. But Calvary Disaster Relief and Blue Tape Ministry and Calvary Monrovia have partnered up and it's just beautiful that all of these churches were working together.
Speaker 6:Some of these guys have a lot of experience, especially Blue Tape Ministry and Calvary Disaster Relief. We respond to the fires in Lahaina. We just got back from two trips, Our guide Jeff Peters.
Speaker 2:Where was that at? In Lahaina, hawaii, in Hawaii, okay, yes, I remember that.
Speaker 6:Yeah, the fires in Hawaii and then they just got back from North Carolina helping out with the hurricane. And so these guys are experienced. Their experience goes back, I think, calvary disaster they responded to maybe an earthquake back in Japan in, I think, the early 90s, early 2000s, and that's how Calvary Disaster Relief was birthed, and now it's really a network of Calvary chapels nationwide that respond. If you picture a hammer in one hand that accidentally hit a thumb on the other and what does the other hand do?
Speaker 2:The other hand quickly cradles the other and that's really what Calvary Disaster does, and it's really beautiful to watch what Calvary disaster does and and it's really, it's really beautiful to watch, amazing and it's it's, it's encouraging. I hope that people listening are just encouraged at the body of Christ coming together in a time of need. Angel, I wanted to to kind of shift gears here just for a few moments, because we're doing good on time. If you're able to stay with us till 4.30, then we have a good amount of time to speak with you and I wanted to maybe talk on some other topics before coming back to the pressing issues of the fires in LA County and in California. But before I do, I want to encourage anyone that's listening.
Speaker 2:You can text us. You can text us at the studio, 786-313-3115. And you're saying well, this is a live interview program. What do I text? You have a word of encouragement for our guests. Maybe you have a thought you want to share? Anything at all? We're inviting you to text us at the studio, 786-313-3115, if you're listening live to the premiere of Ask a Cop. Angel, I wanted to ask you about missions more generally and I wanted to ask you why it's important for Christians to participate on missions trips.
Speaker 6:Well, I think the first thing that I'm going to respond to that is why should we be involved in missions? Because Jesus said so. You know the chaplain from. Was it Billy Graham's organization, correct? That was on Randy. Correct.
Speaker 6:He said that Jesus is the ultimate chaplain. Well, jesus is the ultimate missionary, and, you know, god has gifted me with the ability to speak fluent Spanish, and so I just got back from Calvary Chapel, guadalajara, and doing missions trips there. But my heart has really began to burn, for I was just in Iraq sharing the gospel. I just got back from Cuba, headed back to Cuba soon too, and it's amazing, because I had never been to Iraq. I was praying about Iraq. That's a country that God had laid on my heart.
Speaker 2:How did that happen?
Speaker 6:It's an interesting story. I happened to be in the foyer of our church and some of the parents were waiting for their children. We were having a youth retreat up in the mountains and the parents were here waiting for their children to arrive. And as I was walking by the foyer, I happened to see a woman and I said God bless you, ma'am, I don't think we've met. I'm Angel, I work here for Calvary. And as soon as she started to speak, I noticed an accent and I said what country are you from? And she said I'm from Iraq. Wow, and so I had just maybe a month and a half prior to that, god had placed Iraq on my heart. So I immediately understood that this was an answer to what I had been praying. So I engaged in a conversation with her. I asked you know, are you married? You know, how did you become a Christian? You know, from my understanding, not too many Iraqis, I thought at the time, aren't believers. And you know she began sharing with me that her and her husband used to run a community center in Syria. That's how they were presented to the gospel. And the funny thing is that this particular couple, they've been wanting to get back to Iraq. They love Jesus so much and they've always wanted to travel back to Iraq to share the gospel.
Speaker 6:And I think maybe a month after that, because I traveled, after I met her, I bumped into her again at the church at the finishing of one of our services. But this time I got to meet her husband and as I began to talk to her husband that there was a burden on my heart to go to Iraq, he began to weep and he tells me Pastor Angel, I want to go back, but I have a lung disease disease I cannot travel, I cannot be on an airplane at 40,000 feet. I've been praying about how can I share the gospel in Iraq. My wife tells me about you. We begin to pray. So, to make a long story short, I say look, I'm willing to go. Is there someone that you know that you can connect me? And so they what you know.
Speaker 6:We kind of bumped into a closed door and maybe a month or two after we had spoken, I get a call from him and says look, I just made contact with someone in Syria, a pastor in Syria, his brother pastors in Iraq, and he's willing to house you and to pick you up. Are you crazy enough to fly there. And I said, yeah. And so it's amazing, bro, I fly into Iraq. Actually I fly. I fly from LAX to Peru to do a pastor's conference conference. From Peru I fly to Miami, then I fly into London, to Denmark, and from Denmark I connect into Iraq. So I'm landing in Iraq at 3 o'clock in the morning.
Speaker 2:We're into Baghdad.
Speaker 6:No, actually the easiest thing to do if you're traveling there to do gospel is to travel into the north, into Kurdish country. Now, kurdish country up in Erbil is a place that's open. It doesn't seem to be as dangerous. The more south you travel into Iraq, south of Baghdad, the more dangerous it becomes. But what people don't understand is because there's some American presence up north and they're allowed to do ministry or to share the gospel to a certain extent out in the open, the very pastor that I visited.
Speaker 6:He said, pastor, it's not really a plus for us, it's a plus for you guys that come from the West and can come here for a minute and share. My wife, my daughters and my sons are all under death threat. Yes, we are in a place of Iraq where we can minister, but I'm on every terrorist's radar because we're doing open, sharing the gospel, and so you know, my hat's off to Pastor Ghassan.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we pray for them. What was his first name?
Speaker 6:Pastor Ghassan G-H-A-S-S-A-N. Pastor Ghassan, yeah, we pray for them. What was his first name? Pastor Ghassan G-H-A-S-S-A-N. Ghassan? Yeah, the interesting thing is now he is asking me if we are interested in doing a Calvary conference for men up in the north. And now my prayer has now become to fly into Kabul, afghanistan.
Speaker 6:I can't mention any names but, I, have a contact that can fly me into Kabul and fly there with me. He's been in Afghanistan in years prior and he's connected. He said that the Taliban will pick us up as soon as we land, and I can't get into the details, but that's our prayer now is to take the gospel into Afghanistan.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, yes. Well, we're going to be praying for that. I mean, I hope the folks listening are praying. I know I'm going to be praying. We did get a couple texts here. One is really a word of encouragement. God bless you. They said it's George from St Petersburg here in Florida, just to let you know we're praying for you, for signals from God that we're getting closer to the rapture. I wish I can go and help, but I can't buy something. But I can pray, pray, pray and continue praying as a believer in Jesus Christ. God bless you and thank you in the name of Jesus.
Speaker 6:So that was George. God bless that man right back.
Speaker 2:That was George from St Petersburg, and then we had a question from a listener how did you get involved with missions in the first place?
Speaker 6:You know, man, when I got saved, we're so close to Mexicoxico that, um, you know, I think I was probably six months being saved and at an outreach in encenada uh, what's your background? Because you have a hispanic accent well, you know my family, mi familia, we're from guadalajara, mexico okay, here in california.
Speaker 6:And so it was when I got you in and burritos, our home church my home church at the time Calvary Chapel, romoland to do an outreach and I was called upon to translate. There was someone else that was there before me, but someone heard me speaking Spanish and they approached me and said look me speaking Spanish. And they approached me and said look, your Spanish is a lot better than mine. I need you to translate my response. Then, at six months old, I said no way, I'm doing this. And the person, brother Alex, pastor Alex. Now he responded to me. He said Angel, if you don't translate, the Spanish-speaking people will not understand the word of God, if you don't allow God to work through you today. And when he said that, I said you know what, god? I'm sorry, and I had never translated for anybody before Pastor Jerry Brown began to teach and it was like God gifted me, touched me in that moment. It was like I had been a professional translator all of my life.
Speaker 2:A gift of the Lord, wow.
Speaker 6:It was a gift of the Lord. And from there I mean, I've been to every country, from the United States all the way down to Peru. I've been all across Europe, the Middle East. I just got back from the Philippines and Japan. God is just opening up a lot of doors to be able to share the gospel.
Speaker 2:If I were to summarize what you said, because this is very interesting. It sounds like the way you got into missions was somebody invited you in a sense. Right, I mean, somebody invited you. Hey, we have a need. We see that you can speak Spanish. You're newly saved. We need your help, is that?
Speaker 6:correct.
Speaker 2:That's it in is because man. Are we doing that as believers? Are we inviting other believers? Are we giving them a chance?
Speaker 6:That's a great point and I'm glad you highlight that and you know, I think at the end of the day, what really solidified it for me was these are my people, you know. I mean God has allowed me to grow in Christ through his grace and mercy, and I have a heart for all nations. But I love the Mexican people. They're our neighbors and so, yes, someone invited me and our missions department here. Amongst many other Calvary chapels, like Calvary Chapel Downey. They're very active and it's just a blessing we are watching so many newcomers join us. We try to travel into Mexico 12 times a year, once a month on a day trip. Wow, that's awesome.
Speaker 6:And connect with smaller Calvary chapels, man and any listeners out there that can pray for us. You know we welcome the prayer. If anyone's listening from Los Angeles area and you want to get involved in missions, we would love to have you yes, angel, pastor, angel, this has been great.
Speaker 2:And now, you know, at first I saw that we had so much time, we got to get into other topics, but now, with only about five minutes left, I did want to, um, I did want to get back to the, the pressing issues, or the current issues of the fires in la county and just give you several minutes to, to give us some, uh, specific prayer requests, whether for you, for the you know church, in a sense, for the folks aiding right, or for those that you're seeing the suffering, the people that you're serving. Please leave us with some prayer requests for our listening audience.
Speaker 6:Well, first of all, for the residents, those that have lost their homes. They're in desperate need. Some of them I mean literally have lost everything. Unfortunately, some of them don't have insurance. So you know, as Randy was talking about, you were talking about just the suicide threat that we'll have when people finally get to go back and they see what they're dealing with. So we want to pray for that, that the Lord would send someone to them to give them a word of hope, and so we want to pray for that. I want to pray also for those that are just, you know, taking days off from work and making themselves available. So many times we want to jump on a plane and do a mission across the ocean, but God is giving the body of Christ here in Southern California an opportunity.
Speaker 6:There's a missions field here and people are hurting and, as I mentioned, even if you can't get into the back to the zone, to the affected area, because people lack credentials, the people that are really hurting aren't even inside. So, if you drive up to the barricade, make yourselves available and I want to pray that people would that. We would pray that God would stir up the hearts of the body of Christ to respond to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. And I think here for our church, we're not. This isn't us petitioning for any resources. I think anybody that does church, this isn't us petitioning for any resources. I think anybody that does ministry. You understand that resources are needed.
Speaker 6:So my last prayer is that God would just continue providing the resources that he's doing. You know it costs X amount of dollars to provide the food that's being cooked for those first responders that are laboring day and night and there's very generous people that are responding and providing. So just God's provision and God's protection for those that are out there having to deal with the aftermath. And I think my last request, as people get anxious and desperate, people that would just remain, that God would just touch, especially the residents' hearts. I think they don't understand what a big job it is for the law enforcement to clear and make that area safe for them, and that people would, just, you know, hang tight, as difficult as that is and as easy as it sounds to say, but that the Lord would just pour out His grace and His mercy.
Speaker 2:That last prayer request really stuck with me, you know, because tensions are rising, right, you know, people are wanting to get back and law enforcement is tired and we, god forbid, you know, give them all grace. Give them all grace in these interactions, it's, you know, everyone's trying their best, I'm sure. Pastor Andrew, I can't thank you enough. I'm looking at the clock. We are pretty much out of time. Thank you so much, adrian. Thank you for setting this up.
Speaker 5:Man, this was our pleasure. We're so glad to have had you and meet you over the phone and be able to pray for you continuing on Well.
Speaker 6:thank you guys. God bless you for having me. The Lord bless your ministry. Hey, well, thank you guys.
Speaker 2:God bless you for having me. The lord bless your ministry. God bless, brother. Thank you, and lord.
Speaker 5:We just lift up to you right now, god, these prayer requests that we just were spoken of, lord, pray for those that are just uh desperate with anxiety, uh waiting to get back to their home patients. The first responders got wisdom and and, and just as they now uh go from this uh adrenaline mode back to settling down and the fatigue and the trauma that that causes in them. And, lord, may they have people that they can go to. May they have you, god, that they can turn to. We pray for just those physical needs that are coming and that will be coming up, lord, whether the rebuilding or even just food and just family and the care.
Speaker 5:And again, just pray for my brother, as you've opened up doors in many places of the world, places you've put on his heart to be at, lord. He seems to like the not simple soft areas but, lord, you've put on his heart just to go to wherever areas you would open up. Lord. So, just pray, you use God, even the years as he was in military and all our first responders, god, may they see that you're equipping even them for a task at hand. So we lift these things up to you, lord. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
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