Life for Kentuckians in Somerset and London was thrown into chaos after an EF-4 tornado ripped through their communities on Friday evening, killing 19. Local Kentucky Baptists are helping their neighbors pick up the pieces.
‘Like a war zone’
Anthony Lovett, pastor of Victory Baptist Church, was working in Somerset when the tornado hit. He made it back to London around 1 a.m.
“It’s dark, raining, but it was devastating,” Lovett said. “I mean, I don’t know how else to describe it … like a war zone, from a physical standpoint.”
Gary Kirby, who pastors Lick Fork Missionary Baptist Church, has deep roots in Laurel County where he grew up a preacher’s kid. He said the damage was unbelievable.
“I know that here in the United States of America, we’re foreign to what a war zone looks like, but it couldn’t be much worse than what that neighborhood [near the airport] and the Sunshine Hills neighborhood and other places look like.”
“If you’ve been down here, it’s just unlike anything I’ve ever seen in my life. And I’ve seen tornadoes. But not like this,” said Julie Lovett, wife to Anthony Lovett.
“It’s very said,” said Kim Gregory, a member of Hart Baptist Church. “You’re standing there, and there’s no roof on the house. And you just can’t imagine what these people are going through and what they are dealing with, with the loss. But, you know, they’re all so thankful for being alive.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Tessa Redmond and originally published by Kentucky Today, the news service of the Kentucky Baptist Convention.
