Don Shoemaker, chair of the Social Concerns committee for the Charis Fellowship, attended the funeral of Capt. Dave Rosa, the Long Beach, Calif., fireman who was killed last week as he responded to a fire. Below is his response to the service.
This Fourth of July, as we celebrate our nation’s freedoms, many of us will be remembering one who gave his life in the Line of Duty–Captain Dave Rosa of the Long Beach Fire Department.
He was shot and killed on June 18 as he responded to a fire in a high rise apartment building. I attended the funeral today, with about 8,000 others including firefighters I met from NYC. I sat there filled with sorrow and anger at this needless loss of life in service to others.
Captain Rosa was 45, married father of two sons. He graduated from Brethren High School. He had served 17 years on the LB Fire Department. His pastor gave an excellent message from Ecclesiastes 7:1-2.
His death weighs heavy on many hearts today. It should motivate us to redouble our efforts to “seek the shalom of the city” (Jeremiah 29:7) where God has placed us.
Thank God for America and for public servants like Captain Rosa.
Don Shoemaker
Chair, Social Concerns Committee, Charis Fellowship
Senior Chaplain, Seal Beach Police Department