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Grand View, MO (KCTV/KSMO) — When someone stole an old van from the Southview Christian Church, pastor Tom Worstell and his congregation felt heartbroken.
After KCTV5 spoke with pastor Tom Worstell a week ago, the church received an outpouring of support throughout the metro.
“People were sharing, it posting about it,” he said. “People from all over the country were sharing it.”
A few days later, a local car dealer called with some good news – someone had bought a new van outright and donated it to the church.
“He said someone saw the story on the news and said your church needs a van,” Worstell said. “We weren’t sure exactly what to expect when we got there. It’s a new Ford 2017 van with all the bells and whistles.”
For a few days, Worstell kept the news to himself – until Sunday morning when he surprised the congregation with the news.
“They all came running out after church and it was pretty fun to see,” he said.
The church depended on their own van. This new one is a big improvement. The person who donated it wanted to remain anonymous.
Worstell said the church felt violated after their initial van was stolen.
“It was kind of like a slap in the face,” he said.
Police in Kansas City discovered the stolen van, which was abandoned by the crooks.
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