Abigail Miri | The Monarch Ranger
On December 23, Winter Storm Elliott sidetracked families traveling for Christmas. Hundreds were stuck at Grace Baptist Church until the storm cleared. What originally seemed like a Christmas nightmare turned into a lesson about the true meaning of Christmas.
"Strangers became like friends and family"
– Pastor Jeff Bartz
People taking refuge at the Grace Baptist Church were unable to make it to their destination for Christmas. However, this did not stop them from enjoying its festivities. Many of the children played games together. The families mingled, ate, talked, and enjoyed their time together.
Pastor Jeff Bartz of the church said, “Strangers became like friends and family; we genuinely enjoyed each other.”
When the community found out how many people were stranded, many donated food, cots, and blankets. One couple claimed they “grabbed all of our extra blankets, cereal and milk from home,” when they discovered the situation.
The winter storm could have made Christmas disappointing and frustrating for everyone stranded. However, the community united to experience the true meaning of Christmas despite the hardship.
When the storm ended, the travelers didn’t want to leave. Bartz said, “We hugged each other, cried together, exchanged contact information, and stuck around and took pictures together. We didn’t want what many called ‘the best Christmas ever’ to end.”
This is a great example of good-hearted people coming together to fix a bad situation. While some may see the storm as the ruin to their Christmas celebration, the people at Grace Baptist Church saw it as an opportunity to unite a community.
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