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When wildfires tore through Maui in August of 2023, they left behind a trail of devastation — homes lost, lives uprooted, and hearts heavy with grief. For Mark and Dawn Brown, longtime Maui residents and faithful servants in their local ministry, the fire hit close to home — literally and spiritually. But even in the darkest smoke, God’s light came shining through.

Mark and Dawn, who both have deep roots with Cedarville University, shared their experiences during the 2023 Maui fire on the the .

The Browns are proud alumni, and their daughter Lila is a current student. Cedarville has always been more than just their alma mater — it’s part of their extended family. So when a team of 14 Cedarville students, along with professors Col. (Ret.) Greg Thompson and Dr. Patrick Oliver, landed in Maui to help, it wasn’t just a service trip — it was a homecoming of sorts.

The students came with no agenda but love, no plan but to serve.

“We’ll do whatever you need,” they told the Browns — and they meant it. They painted, cleaned, hauled, prayed, and, most of all, stood in the gap alongside hurting people.

Mark, who serves on a federal disaster medical team, has responded to tragedies all over — from New York City to Key West to Saipan. Years ago, his young daughter Lila once asked him why he did it. He told her, “Someday, we’re going to need help too — and I want people to come.”

That moment came. And people came — wearing Cedarville blue and gold.

For the Browns, it was a humbling reminder that the body of Christ truly works. God didn’t just send help — He sent family. And in the ashes of disaster, they saw grace rebuild what flames had taken.