I received this email yesterday and thought it most appropriate to share this with you:
To Berean Family-
Though we have been away from Berean for almost a year now and we do have a wonderful home church down here in Enterprise, AL we still think of Berean as our NC church. If we were ever to get stationed in NC we would go immediately go back to Berean and pick up where we left off.
As you have all heard Enterprise, AL was hit by several tornados on March 2nd. Our community is pulling together in the best ways that it can. The High School was hit the most dramatically and that is where we lost the most lives. Everyone in this small knit community (3 cities acting as 1) was touched as everyone knew someone who lost a son, daughter, friend or cousin. Many more are hurt and some are still fighting for their lives.
The news does not mention all the destruction they have yet to mention that right behind the HS was church row. Three churches right in a row including our current church Hillcrest Baptist Church. Our church opened its doors immediately to all the hurt students and became a makeshift hospital while they tried to figure out the mess that once was a school. Yet the church itself was badly damaged. Church itself was canceled for the Sunday after the tornados because of damage instead we had house church in people’s homes around the community. The church lost part of the roof along with many windows blown out. I myself have not seen it but my husband said it had a lot of damage to it but ever pastor and employee was out working at the HS or at the homes of members trying to help the community while counseling and witnessing. The church will get itself on its feet but it wants to make sure it helps the community too. Government has said that there will be money to rebuild homes and the school in this area but we all know that church and state aren't supposed to mix thus the churches may not get such help.
After the tornado hit I sat and talked with a woman whose son was missing at the HS. She was my trainer for a new job I had just started and a wonderful Christian woman we talked about God and an Acronym. F.R.O.G. Fully Rely On God that I have lived my life on especially since my open heart surgery. It brightened her day and she said it was her new saying from now on. I found out the next day that she lost her son that day, but from now on I know a FROG will always mean something special to her.
I am not sure what I am asking of you I know we need your prayers. I would ask that anyone that can give blood to please do that. I know they had to ship in blood from everywhere they could into this area on Thursday to try and save lives and stocks are low. Other than that I really do not know. I honestly want prayers and to know that my brothers and sisters are praying for our little community. We have friends with no homes and others with empty beds with their child use to sleep. Yes money is needed here and I am sure the Lord will provide over time.
My heart ached after I read this note and was once again reminded just how blessed my family is and I know a major part of that is your faithful prayers--thank you.
Sean
