By Burt Mummolo, FOX23.com News Staff
TURLEY, Okla. — A church in Turley is grappling with a theft that’s placed a heavy burden on their small congregation.
Even so, they’re displaying grace despite the hardship.
Pastor Charles Young has given plenty of sermons over the years at In Christ Outreach Ministries.
“Lord, forgive them for they know not what they do,” Charles said.
Over the past few days, Charles has had to practice what he preaches.
“A lot went through my mind at that particular time and moment, but I had to realize that the individual or individuals who did that, they need help.”
Young is talking about the unpleasant discovery he made over the weekend.
“Before I open the door, I just check around the building.”
That day’s check revealed that the church’s entire air conditioner unit had been stolen.
“My unit was gone. I just wanted to throw up.”
Young immediately called his wife to tell her the bad news.
Donna Young, Charles’ wife, shared, “He called and said, ‘guess what?’ I’m like, ‘what?’ He said ‘the air conditioning unit is gone’ and I’m like ‘oh no, no, no, no, no.'”
Donna then called her and Charles’ granddaughter.
Aneasia Young, the couple’s granddaughter, remembered asking, “What do you mean it’s took?”
Unfortunately, the neighbor’s dogs apparently weren’t outside to yell at the thieves.
“There’s no respect for God’s property,” stated church neighbor James King.
When Sunday rolled around, they held service despite the fire and brimstone temperatures.
“It got up to about 84, 85,” Charles said.
Donna added, “We had fans and we were doing our own fanning.”
A GoFundMe has been set up with hopes the community will step up just as they’ve stepped up for the community time and time again.
“This is a big financial blow for us though,” Charles said. “It ain’t like we got $4,000 or $5,000 saved up nowhere. We don’t.”
In the meantime, they’re choosing to use the incident as a lesson in forgiveness.
“I don’t mean any harm on them,” Donna shared. “I hope God forgives them.”
Aneasia agreed.
“Them being my grandparents, they’ve always taught me about forgiving others and they’ve never held a grudge, no matter the situation.”
Charles explained, “I can’t have unforgiveness in my heart for the people that did this because it only affects me.”
To view the church’s GoFundMe for a new air conditioning unit, click here.
