Floridians Pray Amid Tornado Wreckage
Feb. 4, 2007 — -- Some central Florida residents paused their cleanup work to pray after Friday's killer tornados -- gathering for a service Sunday morning at what's left of the Lady Lake Church of God.
The faithful pushed aside the twisted trees and debris to hold what felt like an old southern revival.
A gospel choir sang and clapped on a makeshift stage. A broken cross was propped up next to an American flag, under sunny skies.
Trisha Dalton, who attended the service, has faith about the future.
"This is the works of the Lord, and this Church will be rebuilt, and I see through their faith, everything will be accomplished," she said.
Even Florida's governor made sure he attended the special service.
The families there will most likely spend months rebuilding, which would take them right into the middle of hurricane season.
Rebuilding will not come easy. More than 1,500 homes were destroyed, there is hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. And repairs must withstand the worst hurricanes.
Carol Neal and Linda Mumm are neighbors. Both lost their homes and they say they're not worried about any more storms.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing that's going to happen to you," Neal said. "Now we've got it over with. We're alive and we're okay." Linda agreed, saying, "That's the main thing, we're alive and we're okay."
Their husbands were much more concerned.
"I asked Linda, 'Is she was ready for hurricane season.'" Stanley Neal said jokingly to Tom Mumm.
Mumm laughed and said, "I think this is enough for us."
Stanley Neal has already decided he's replacing the wood two-by-fours that support the house with stronger material. "Concrete block, cinder block, instead of the framed outside wall," Neal said. With that and God's help, the Neals hope to continue living there.
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