There truly is no devastation like that of a tornado. Lives taken, families destroyed, homes and things strewn for miles in the blink of an eye. While there is no ideal time for a tornado, one at Christmas amplifies the loss of lives and the memories yet to be made. When the tornadoes hit this past December in Kentucky, The Bridge Church, in Mocksville, NC, collected items for those displaced by the tornado to aid the victims in their darkest hours.
The Bridge Church
Justin and Melisa Blue formed The Bridge Church in July, 2017 after Bible study meetings at local coffee shops grew and a larger, central location was needed to meet. As a wife and mom of three, Melisa’s heart broke for those affected by the tornadoes in Kentucky. “On Sunday, December 12th of last year, I heard the news from a friend’s post on Facebook about the tornadoes in Kentucky. I searched online and saw just how bad things were there. I began to pray and felt overwhelmed by it all. On our way to church that morning, I talked to my children about Christmas, and as they began to share with me all they hoped for on Christmas, I could not help but think of those children I had seen in some of the photos that were posted from Kentucky; their Christmas looked much different than ours. I told my husband and my children about the news from Kentucky. My husband, Justin, is a visionary and acts in faith said ‘what are we going to do?’ He insisted that we do something! We didn’t have anyone we knew in the areas affected in Kentucky, so he immediately called the Governor of Kentucky’s office and spoke to an assistant on how we could possibly help,” said Melisa.
With a Plan and a Heart of Giving, All Things Are Possible
After making a connection with the Governor of Kentucky and expressing how they wanted to help, Melisa and Justin got busy with their plan.
“We spent the next week contacting all our local pastors and businesses we knew to get involved. We were so overwhelmed by the thousands of dollars, food and hygiene products, along with hundreds of toys that were donated. Soon, we rented a Penske truck to deliver all the goods just a few days before Christmas,” Melisa commented. It really reached beyond the walls of The Bridge Church and became a community effort.
“There were drop off donation sites all over Davie County, beyond our church. From Los Toritos Mexican Restaurant, to South and Main Boutique, to First Horizons Bank, to The Factory Coffee Shop, to The Station, and Fort Bixby General Store, the community really stepped up to help in the effort. We were fortunate that LeBleu donated a pallet of bottled water and The Ascension Episcopal Church donated non-perishable food to feed hundreds of people,” stated Melisa.
Upon arriving in Kentucky, Melisa and Justin met several people affected by the storms. “We met one lady and her daughter who allowed us to walk through their home that had been destroyed. They showed us the closet they hid in when the storm hit, and the only portion of the roof that was left was over the closet that sheltered them. The entire back wall and roof of their home was detached and lying in the field behind their house. We were really touched and reminded of the preciousness of life and the importance of helping others in times of need,” Melisa said.
The Bridge Church is located at 1509 Angell Road in Mocksville, NC. Follow The Bridge Church on Facebook @bridgechurchmocksville.
