BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — At Mt. Hope Community Church on Buffalo's East Side, Pastor Charles Walker has opened his door to everyone.
The church is small with seven rows of padded green chairs surrounded by wood panels and bright red carpeting.
"We have a good time praising God because life is a test, it's what you do with the test," said Pastor Walker.
And in the past 15 months, Pastor Walker has been tested. The 2022 Christmas blizzard knocked out the church's heating system.
"We do what we can to stay afloat," said Pastor Walker. "I have to use torpedo heaters. We have church every Sunday and bible study every Wednesday. A new furnace would cost about $3,000. I don't have that kind of money."
And now another setback. A Wednesday morning fire destroyed a house behind the church. Pastor Walker was repairing it for the homeless.
"It's painful, very painful," he said. "Homeless people travel up and down. I wanted to let them stay in there while it was cold to get them out of this weather."
It's a setback for the shelter, but not for Pastor Walker's service.
"We do food and clothing giveaways, so I can't close," he said.
Resiliency is a theme for Pastor Walker who lost both his mother and wife in the last year. He keeps their chairs untouched at the church.
"Resilience. You got to stay on the battlefield," explained Pastor Walker. "You got to stay doing what you're doing because people are depending on you."
