ELK, Wash. — When the Oregon Road Fire sparked Friday, torching homes and forcing people out of Elk, there was a place many turned to.
Now, Country Church of the Open Bible pastor Jose' Ng and his church have transformed into a refuge center thanks to mostly donations.
"But, we got through that a little bit realizing people weren't going to be able to go home, so we said we're going to stay open 24/7," Jose' said.
They're providing not only a shelter, but a one-stop shop for anything evacuees may have left behind or lost completely, serving people every way they can.
"Nobody's going to go hungry around here," Jose' said.
Volunteers turned the church kitchen into an assembly line, cranking out meals for the masses. That line is headed by Sandy Coelho and an answer to a prayer.
"The little voice behind me said 'what are you good at?' and 'you know what you're good at, go do it,'" Sandy said. "And this is what I'm good at."
Nightly dinners nourish a bit of comfort for those who need it most.
"My husband and I personally have quite a few friends who have no home," Sandy said. "Everything is gone. No house, no barn, no tractors. They got out with nothing and so we're serving them. And that's the heart of it."
While the church has changed significantly, it is still a sanctuary.
"I've met people I've never seen before and they're just like, 'I don't know what to do, I don't know where to go. I don't even know if I have a home.'" Jose said. "And we're like 'it's okay, we're gonna help you out.' We're gonna go through this with them and not just for a few days. We're open 24/7 for as long as it's gonna take."
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