Criswell News

Criswell students help Dallas church damaged by tornado

Kendall Lyons |October 21, 2019

Criswell College students, along with President Barry Creamer and Vice President of Advancement Joe Wooddell, worked together to help Primera Iglesia Bautista Mexicana with clean-up in the aftermath of a tornado that left the church destroyed.

On Sunday evening, October 20, an EF-3 tornado tore apart the main sanctuary and did extensive damage to the rest of the church, causing a total loss for the sanctuary. The congregation is temporarily meeting at Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas.

Luis Juárez, director of student services at Criswell, decided to reach out to Criswell students, faculty, and staff after talking with the pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista, Ricardo Brambila.

“I called the pastor the next day and let him know that we’re praying for him and we want to do something and let us know what we can do,” Juárez said. “Pastor Brambila said there would be different opportunities of service throughout the year, and I told him that we want to help now. So he said every Saturday they have different volunteers come and pick up debris.”

Juárez said the attitude of the students who volunteered was outstanding.

15 students grabbed a pair of gloves, rolled up their sleeves, and helped throw away heavy debris and damaged items from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“I was encouraged to have our top executive leadership there, beginning with Dr. Creamer but also Dr. Wooddell,” Juarez said, “For me that was a representation that Criswell is headed in a great direction, a direction that shows commitment to its students but also commitment to the community, and I think that’s vital. Criswell has a priority to invest in the community, and that’s crucial to our future.”

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