{"id":2142,"date":"2025-07-09T00:01:41","date_gmt":"2025-07-09T04:01:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.cedarville.edu\/cedarville-stories\/?p=2142"},"modified":"2025-07-07T17:04:58","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T21:04:58","slug":"s13-e02-healing-in-maui-mark-and-dawn-brown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cedarville.edu\/cedarville-stories\/2025\/s13-e02-healing-in-maui-mark-and-dawn-brown\/","title":{"rendered":"S:13 E:02 | Healing in Maui: Mark and Dawn Brown"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cedarville\u2019s Connection to Maui\u2019s Healing<\/strong><\/p>\n

When wildfires tore through Maui in August of 2023, they left behind a trail of devastation \u2014 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 \u2014 literally and spiritually. But even in the darkest smoke, God\u2019s light came shining through.<\/p>\n

Mark and Dawn, who both have deep roots with Cedarville University, shared their experiences during the 2023 Maui fire on this week\u2019s episode of the Cedarville Stories <\/em>podcast.<\/p>\n

The Browns are proud alumni, and their daughter Lila is a current student. Cedarville has always been more than just their alma mater \u2014 it\u2019s 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\u2019t just a service trip \u2014 it was a homecoming of sorts.<\/p>\n

The students came with no agenda but love, no plan but to serve.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll do whatever you need,\u201d they told the Browns \u2014 and they meant it. They painted, cleaned, hauled, prayed, and, most of all, stood in the gap alongside hurting people.<\/p>\n

Mark, who serves on a federal disaster medical team, has responded to tragedies all over \u2014 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, \u201cSomeday, we\u2019re going to need help too \u2014 and I want people to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

That moment came. And people came \u2014 wearing Cedarville blue and gold.<\/p>\n

For the Browns, it was a humbling reminder that the body of Christ truly works. God didn\u2019t just send help \u2014 He sent family. And in the ashes of disaster, they saw grace rebuild what flames had taken.<\/p>\n