Pastor tells truck driver who wrecked his church that he loves him

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — A truck rammed into the side of a church in Gaston County on Saturday, and the pastor responded with faith and forgiveness,.

The driver of that truck ran off Highway 321 Saturday morning and slammed into the side of Iglesia Pentecostal. When Channel 9′s Ken Lemon went to the church to speak with the pastor, he saw pews tossed everywhere.

Bienvenido Alegria told Lemon how the destructive morning went from his perspective.

“I was impacted in my soul,” he said. “I feel real, real sad.”

He was home about 300 yards away when he heard the impact. He came over and was heartbroken by what he saw.

>>> SEE PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE FROM THE CRASH

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After the crash, he looked at the driver, who was still stunned, and helped him get out of the truck.

Police said the driver had a revoked license and no insurance.

Instead of getting angry, Alegria imagined the stunned driver was his own family.

“I say, maybe my son or my nephew or somebody else,” he said.

Later, he told the man who wrecked his church, “I love you.”

The church is now deemed unsafe, and a pastor nearby let them use their church for Sunday service.

He doesn’t know where he will hold Bible study on Tuesday night and has faith the church will be rebuilt.

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