GASTONIA, N.C. — It was a rude awakening for organizers at Faith, Hope & Love Ministries in Gastonia, finding a brick smashed through its window.
Pastor Moses Colbert was the first to notice the shattered glass.
"They just took what they wanted," Colbert said of the thieves. "And they went through, and took the supply of food that we had set up for the next day, just a lot of this stuff is like, something, like kids would do.”
The criminals stole food from the kitchen and even did drugs inside the church, according to Colbert.
“They had been in the kitchen, smoking meth in the kitchen, going rapidly through all the foods," Colbert shared.
The church and its organizers play a key role in the community, serving food to those in need. For years, the area near the church had been the site of a large encampment for unhoused people in the county. After that was shut down, they’re still serving the less fortunate meals and, more importantly, hope.
News of the break-in hurt Chelsea Macias. She is currently battling homelessness and comes to the church frequently for meals.
"I was upset and surprised about hearing it earlier," Macias said.
Organizers refused to shut down its operation, but rather, find a way to keep their mission going.
“Our job is to keep feeling uplifted and seen, and the food is good, too, for doing that,” Colbert explained.
Colbert said he sees this break-in as a test of their faith and a life lesson on how to deal with and overcome challenges.
"We have to just stay positive," Colbert said. "You have to stay positive. We can't let one little bad incident determine the outcome of all of these people, you know, because it's just not it's just not fair to them.”
Authorities have not released a description of the suspects at this time.
Contact Myles Harris at mharris5@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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