LA VILLA, TX (July 24, 2008) \u2013 Hurricane Dolly damaged the roof of Iglesia Evangelica Misionera and caused light to severe damage to the homes of several church members and other residents of the community, Covenant News Service has learned.
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\nPastor Allan Serrano said the church roof was \u201cdamaged pretty bad\u201d with tree limbs inside the church, but he did not know the extent of the damage because the storm continued for up to eight hours after he last inspected the building on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Dolly battered the area with winds that reached 80 miles per hour and dropped hail and rain. \u201cTrees were taken up out of the ground,\u201d Serrano said.<\/p>\n
As he drove around town to check on congregation members this morning, Serrano saw water that reached as high as three feet on the outside of many buildings. \u201cSeveral of our families\u2019 homes have been severely damaged,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
La Villa is roughly 30 miles from Brownsville, Texas, where the eye of the storm struck.
\nThe community remains without power at a time when the National Weather Service predicted temperatures were to reach 85 degrees with a heat index of 101 degrees due to the humidity.<\/p>\n
Serrano and others prayed together in his home as the storm passed through. \u201cIt was scary,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
No other churches in the area have reported damage.<\/p>\n
Serrano sees the storm as an opening to share the gospel. \u201cNow we have a great opportunity to show the community we care for them,\u201d Serrrano said.<\/p>\n
The church has been undergoing a revival in the past four months. Attendance has grown from 65 people to as many as 115, Serrano said. \u201cGod is just blessing this church.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last week, the church held its first-ever rally for local youth that attracted 250 people, including parents, in the community of 1,300. \u201cThat\u2019s unprecedented for the area,\u201d said Midsouth Conference Superintendent Garth Bolinder.<\/p>\n