HUGHES SPRINGS, Texas — A small East Texas community was hit by a tornado Friday night. The storm destroyed homes and businesses, leaving residents in the community without power, food and running water.
Once the storm's damage was revealed the next morning, the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Hughes Springs took swift action to help those affected.
"A lot of property damage and automobile damage but all of that can be replaced," said FBC Pastor Joseph Adams. "Our church along with the other churches in town have stepped to feed shelter and cloth and it's been good to be out in the community."
Sunday morning, nearly every seat at First Baptist was filled with hands folded in prayer and Bibles open in search of hope.
"The storm was bad, but God is good, we felt like now more than ever people needed that sense of community, belonging and faith just something greater than ourselves," Adams added. "We like to think of our church as not just a church but a collective family."
For former residents, like Tammy Edwards who now resides in Dallas, the pain was hard to bear when she saw her childhood home torn apart.
"It’s heartbreaking, it really is," Edwards said. "It’s my childhood that's been here for so long. This home is 200-years old, I lived in it growing up since the 6th grade, just pure shock."
A few miles down the road, the home of a church member also sustained significant damage.
"I peeped out the window and saw that my roof was completely torn off," said Chuck Vaughn.
Vaughan and his family were at their neighbor's house when the storms came through. He says hearing the sounds of the tornado's destructive winds was frightening.
“It sounded like a freight train fixing to come through the house and that’s when both of us said we better get to the closet," Vaughn said.
Vaughn's home suffered severe roof damage to nearly every room, leading to interior and exterior home damage. Despite the devastation, he says he's fortunate he and his family were left unharmed.
"I'm feeling relieved that my wife and kids were safe and just thankful for all the people that have come out and helped us," Vaughn added. "Church friends, family, it's a good community to be in and we could always build back and build back better."
The pastor of First Baptist Church says they will continue to help those in need by supplying daily lunches for those without power and food. The church will also be used as a disaster assistance assembly center open to anyone in need Monday at 9 a.m.