HOUSTON – A local church is now forced to deal with the aftermath of thieves stealing copper and cutting off the power, leaving their place of worship without air conditioning and electricity.
Space City Church leaders in south Houston are now working to get the lights back on in time for Sunday’s church service.
“Any time you’re stolen from or you’re vandalized, you feel violated,” said Pastor Vaughn Walwyn.
Space City Church has only had one mission.
“Bring hope to the community. I grew up on this side of town, south Houston. I’m a Rice graduate. I’m an H-town guy, and I’m just trying to fill it with hope. So, for my wife and church members, it’s kind of disheartening when we’re trying to do something to uplift the community,” Walwyn said.
On Wednesday morning, Walwyn woke up to panic, uncertainty and buzzing.
“My phone was going off, something was going on at the church,” Walwyn said.
Coming to the church on Almeda Genoa Road, Walwyn said he spotted the unthinkable -- thieves had cut the power lines, broken the church’s piping and stole all the copper wire at the site.
“They came in, they ripped the door off and they cut all these wires,” Walwyn said. “There’s a ton of copper under the ground and they were able to pull all that out.”
Walwyn took KPRC2 into his now warm, dark church prayer room. Because the power lines were cut, he is now trying to figure out how to make repairs before Sunday’s 10:30 am service.
Walwyn reported the theft to the Harris County Constable’s Office.
“This is where we worship, and someone is trying to come and mess up what we’re doing,” Walwyn said.
Walwyn said things will work out.
“Just having a lot of hope, a lot of faith, and a lot of prayer,” Walwyn said.
Because even in the darkest of times, Walwyn said he knows who has the power.
“The first thing is anger and then you start thinking about, ‘man what is going through a person’s mind and heart and spirit to do something like this,’” Walwyn said. “God’s going to continue to use us, so regardless of what’s going on, we’re just trying to stay encouraged.”