LAKELAND, Fla. — A week before Thanksgiving, the New Testament Ministries food pantry was intentionally set on fire; all of their supplies were destroyed.
The destruction from the fire was almost too much for Founder and President Dais Abraham.
"I was having this feeling that we will not be able to give," Abraham said. "Then I prayed. And the next day, this thought came to my mind: you're going to do more than what you're doing."
Once reports about the arson hit the news, Abraham said people began reaching out.
"Metropolitan Ministries was the first to reach out," Abraham said. "And I got this email from Tim Marks, the CEO of Metropolitan Ministries. He sent me an email. I was like, Lord, that's a miracle. I just emailed him and said that'd be the best thing; wonderful."
On Tuesday, crews from Metropolitan Ministries showed up with 500 boxes filled with everything a family needs to prepare a Thanksgiving meal and 500 turkeys.
"My freezer is almost filled. I need another freezer, maybe," Abraham said with a smile.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office said Gordon Nelson was arrested after he was seen on surveillance footage lighting the building on fire. Abraham said he's served Nelson many times.
"We were devastated in seeing that this would happen to an organization in a food pantry looking to serve a community, especially the week of Thanksgiving," Rob Lake, Vice President of Operations and Facilities at Metropolitan Ministries, said. "At Metro Ministries, we always say nothing good happens for us without the support of the community. When I got here on site this morning, and I walked in, it just created volumes to a story as to how much the need is to make sure that we're dropping off this food. Because people were depending on them for a Thanksgiving meal. And there's nothing left at all."
As workers continued their tireless work to clear burnt debris inside the building, the donations piled up outside.
"We feel like the whole community came in right now," Abraham said. "We feel like all the ministries, all the people have come together on this one. And I think this is the best Thanksgiving."
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