It took three weeks, but the rain finally came to southern California — bringing more than an inch of water to the stark landscape around Los Angeles County. That first wet storm of the season helped to extinguish some of the remaining flames, even — in a surreal scene up north — blanketing areas with fresh-fallen snow. As these shell-shocked people try to pick up the pieces of their lives and start rebuilding, they have to be wondering: how long do they have until disaster strikes again? According to meteorologists, it’s anyone’s guess.

Thanks to the rain, the danger of another blaze shouldn’t be a factor for at least another week. “That doesn’t mean such devastating infernos will return in early February,” USA Today points out. But the reality is, the weekend showers weren’t “strong enough to fully soak the drought-stricken region and eliminate the fire danger.” As far as most experts like AccuWeather’s Alex DaSilva are concerned, California needs “multiple systems to come down there.” Yes, this helped “douse the fires,” but “in a week or so, it’s just going to be dry again.”

The very good news, at least for now, is that the ferocious Santa Ana winds “are nowhere in sight,” and all fires are more than 94% contained. In some places, that meant the clean-up efforts could begin in earnest. That was all Samaritan’s Purse needed to hear, as Chief Operating Officer Edward Graham explained on “Washington Watch” Wednesday.

“A lot of prayer is needed,” he and Family Research Council President Tony Perkins acknowledged. While it solved some problems, the heavy storms did make certain vulnerabilities worse. “A lot of that soil is compromised,” Graham explained, “the root structures there. And so, when you do have heavy rain and no vegetation to hold it back, it can create some difficult situations [including mudslides].” It is an answer to prayer, he said of the precipitation, “but it does create many problems.”

One of the things that Graham thinks is so healing for the victims is to go back to their neighborhoods and help people “sift through what might be left — to kind of discover those few precious things that they might be able to hold onto, to bring closure.” Together with an army of volunteers, their teams will start fanning out through the property that’s been destroyed. “I tell you what,” he said somberly, “fire is usually complete destruction.” Even so, Graham paused, “we see some of the biggest ministry there.”

Sometimes they’ll find a brooch or a wedding ring that was handed down. Maybe people who haven’t been through it wonder how that matters. They’ll ask, “How does something simple like going through people’s belongings help with someone that’s lost everything?” But, as Graham pointed out, “When you’ve lost all hope, just a little [piece of jewelry] or that earring will help create a conversation. … And our Billy Graham rapid-response chaplains, along with our volunteers, are there to listen to their stories and then pray with them. And that’s where we see the greatest healing is after a fire like this.”

The same is true in North Carolina, Graham’s home, where the devastation, heartbreak, and feeling of abandonment is still palpable. Donald and Melania Trump’s visit helped, Edward believes. “My father was over with him in Ashville, and we appreciate the president coming down and not forgetting about North Carolina. But there’s a lot of work to do,” he admitted. “We live here, so I’m not going anywhere.” But to be honest, Graham shook his head, “this is going to take years.”

On the bright side, Samaritan’s Purse has just finished what they call the emergency disaster relief — projects like “chainsaw work, muck-outs, and dry-outs of these homes.” They’ve moved on to the rebuilding program. “We’ve already started clearing lots. We’re still working on roads to get to these homes where we’re going to be building back these homes. That’s another thing that’s taken a while. We don’t normally build bridges and culverts and roads, but we’re doing that here in this case because you have to.”

Some of the difficulty is trying to figure out what the Corps of Engineers decides to do about the floodplains. While that’s up in the air, some families are stuck just waiting things out. “Some people don’t want to move. They want to stay, [and] I understand that. I’m from the mountains,” Edward said. “People love their property. It’s been handed down generation to generation. But unfortunately, I think about three years from now we’re going to find people still not in their homes … even helping those families that realize they’re not going to get back in based on the new floodplains. So continue to pray for North Carolina.”

One thing Edward knows is that the crews may be on two different sides of the country, but the feelings of utter grief and loss are the same. In California, he said he hears, “‘Well, these are rich people.’ Well, there [are] rich people in California,” Graham agreed, “and they need Jesus and prayer too. But there [are] also a lot of poor people — a lot of people that have lost their homes [and] have no way of getting back into them financially. So California needs our prayers.”

Perkins, who lost his Louisiana home to hurricane flooding, understands. “I’ve experienced this,” he wanted people to know. “[And] when you don’t have a home — it’s gone. … It doesn’t matter who you are.” Exactly, Graham agreed. “And Jesus loves every single one of them. And we’re here to show that love to them.”

To sign up to become a Samaritan’s Purse volunteer or donate to the relief efforts, visit SamaritansPurse.org.