When disaster strikes, a multitude of emotions—disbelief, sadness, despair—and an overwhelming need for community support emerge from the chaos. In the aftermath of January’s Los Angeles fires, mere miles from Azusa Pacific University’s main campus, students were quick to step into the roles God called them to and serve communities in ways that touched the lives of fire victims.
It all started with a prayer service. Classes and chapel were canceled on Wednesday, January 8, and social work major Hannah Grace Cicciari ’25 texted a few friends inviting them to join her in the Hartwig Prayer Chapel on East Campus.
“I had been looking forward to gathering with the APU community to start the semester in prayer and worship, so when chapel was canceled, I just wanted to connect with God and others amidst the crisis,” she said. What began with five people soon grew to a group so large they had to relocate to Cougar Dome. A crowd of students spent the day worshiping together and praying for those impacted by the fires.
The next day, at Thursday night’s chapel service, kinesiology major Mathieu McGowan ’26 recruited more than 60 students to participate in a weekend of service through the Dream Center Foundation in L.A. He and many students also volunteered at Victory Bible Church, Flintridge Center, Harvest Rock Church, Holy Assembly Church of God in Christ, and Lake Avenue Church.
“Serving on the Maui relief trip through the Office of Service and Discipleship (OSD) exposed me to what fire relief looks like in the long term,” McGowan said. “Meeting people directly affected by the Lahaina wildfires showed me that recovery from a natural disaster is an ongoing process, even years later. The empathy I feel for the people of Maui led me to take action when more fires erupted so close to home.”
Cicciari stepped into a team leader role. “I’ve done relief work before, so I told Mat, ‘Put me wherever you need, and I’ll be there,’ ” she said. Cicciari and her teammates volunteered at the Pasadena Convention Center, where hundreds of victims sought shelter. While her team got to work organizing large quantities of donated items that churches and neighbors had provided, they also learned a valuable lesson about the importance of lending an ear.
Hearing people’s stories puts in perspective that service isn’t always about the physical acts of getting tasks done. Listening attentively to those who had been affected and lost everything meant the world to people who simply longed to be heard.Hannah Grace Cicciari '25
Leaning into the needs of others, students on McGowan’s team completed a variety of tasks. Unexpectedly, some directed traffic, as so many cars arrived to donate resources. “It was encouraging to see how many people wanted to give to those in need,” McGowan said. He was also part of a prayer walk around the Pasadena Convention Center and Hotel Dena.
Karen Rouggly ’05, DMin, director of OSD, facilitates APU’s partnerships with organizations such as Samaritan’s Purse, World Vision, Habitat for Humanity, and local outposts to provide access for students to serve. Many participated in “ash outs”—when professionals confirmed that a space was safe, students, partnering with Samaritan’s Purse, entered wearing protective equipment and sifted through the ashes to find families’ belongings, such as silverware, plates, and jewelry.
“It’s one thing to rebuild a house, it’s another to rebuild a community,” Rouggly said. “We aren’t going anywhere. We keep asking God how we can use whatever resources, skills, gifts, talents, and treasures that He has given us to come alongside our neighbors who need it most and stay committed to them for the long haul.”
Students and alumni have tapped into their God-given callings to be lights in the midst of darkness. Rachel Battaglia ’22 and Janice Kim ’21 are nurses who live in Pasadena; through Epicenter Church, they were among the first people to enter the Pasadena Convention Center. Battaglia was on a three-month sabbatical, so she was able to implement her nursing expertise to provide care as a trauma-informed helper when the fires broke out. From initial mental health help to tending to patients who had little time to evacuate their homes, she was a listening ear for many throughout the uncertainty. A week after the fires started, Battaglia was asked to run a clinic in Pasadena with Medical Mission Adventures. Partnering with four external organizations and six churches, Battaglia’s coordination and heart for serving the Lord helped many victims recovering from mental and medical crises.
“As with any grief experience, people are still in it even when other parts of a community feel like it’s over, so getting to remind patients that we’re in the hardship with them helps them feel less alone,” Battaglia said.
Kim shared the struggle of wanting to volunteer more while holding the responsibility of her full-time job at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. She ultimately discovered the ways God called her to be a light in her workplace to those impacted by the fires. The resources she has access to as a nurse also lent a major hand in unexpected circumstances.
While staying at a church friend’s house, Kim and Battaglia had the privilege of meeting their friend’s grandmother, Nani, who planted churches in Pasadena for the Armenian community with her late husband. Sadly, she lost her home of 50 years, leaving with nothing but her dog and the clothes on her back.
“Meeting Nani, who was also a nurse, was so beautiful and we continue to stay in touch,” Kim said. Battaglia fondly recalled Kim’s intervention when Nani needed her prescription medication, which had been lost in the fire. “The insurance wouldn’t refill her medications, because they said it was too early, and she went to the hospital because of withdrawal,” Kim said. “I ended up calling the pharmacist as Nani’s nurse, putting my foot down about these meds, and it took a few hours but we secured them.” Kim’s determination and nursing knowledge helped save her new friend’s life.
APU cultivates a community that upholds service—not for the number of hours students spend completing volunteer work, but for the connections they make with those who yearn to feel seen, loved, and understood. Whether they’re sifting through ashes, sorting clothes, or getting on the phone to advocate for a friend in need, APU students enact Christ’s character by walking alongside others.