Since this video has gone viral you may have already seen it, but it’s such an inspiration I wanted to share anyway ~ Samoan firefighters sing moving hymn in midst of California wildfires.
 
This crew of “hotshots” have been helping out with the desperately needed fire-suppression efforts in California. A specially trained hand crew from American Samoa, they were fighting the Helena Fire in Trinity County, CA earlier this month.
 
These are men who truly appreciate that all work is for the glory of God.
 
Video via Nancy Flory at The Stream ~

The hymn is called “Fa’afetai i le Atua.” Set to the melody of “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” its three verses apparently thanking the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
 
It’s a haunting, beautiful experience. The clip opens on a forested landscape. Then you hear the voices in the distance approaching. Finally, you see the firefighters emerge.

[Turn up the volume ]
 

 
The latest news from California is good; finally, most of the wildfires have been contained ~

Most mandatory evacuations throughout the region have been lifted, but about 22,000 people in Sonoma County were still displaced Thursday morning, either because their homes are still at risk or were in a burn zone, said Sonoma County spokesman Scott Alonso.
 
The fires destroyed at least 5,700 structures, including more than 2,800 homes in the city of Santa Rosa alone. Officials called it the deadliest week in California fire history, with at least 42 confirmed fatalities […]
 
At their peak, the state’s large fires had drawn about 11,000 firefighters into the battle. But with the largest blazes in Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino counties nearing full containment, firefighters have begun to trickle back to their respective states, counties and districts.