Dear editor,

On Sept. 25, our daughter, her husband and their four small children were involved in a terrible auto accident just outside of Selma. Our daughter was airlifted to UAB and the other five were taken to the hospital in Selma. We got there just as quick as we could, but by the time we arrived, three staff members from Selma’s Crosspoint Christian Church were already there.

We had never met them before in our lives, but as soon as we walked into the ER, senior Pastor Alan Yarbrough and administrative Pastor Mark Andrews met us and gave us a quick synopsis on everyone’s condition that was at the ER. Our 8-year-old granddaughter was being prepped to be flown to Children’s in Birmingham. Our 6-year-old grandson was in an exam room of his own, and in a separate exam room we found the 4-year-old and the 2-year-old being entertained by Crosspoint children Pastor Annette Andrews, who is Mark’s wife. She was reading them books, playing games, giving them candy and keeping them calm. The kids were all smiles when we walked in. This allowed our son-in-law to bounce between exam rooms to check on everyone.

As parents and grandparents, words can’t express how thankful we were that they were there as a pure expression of God’s love and a calming influence and were not in the crisis frame of mind that all of us were.

After other family members arrived, the CCC staff assured us over and over that they were not going to leave until we had a plan. They set aside their personal needs and schedules to stay with a family of strangers to help in any way they could, and what a help they were!

While we jumped back in our car to head to Birmingham, the CCC staff gave other family members directions to the wrecker yard to get the car seats and a few of their belongings so they could take the three little ones home with them. Then the CCC staff stayed at the hospital until our son-in-law was checked out and discharged. They drove him to their church and gave him the keys to a church van and said he could use it as long as necessary. Then they led him to the wrecker yard to get the rest of their possessions out of the wrecked car and into the church van, so he could be on his way to Birmingham. Lastly, they exchanged contact info with everyone in case we needed anything after we all left.

Our daughter was injured quite severely in the accident and is just in the beginning stages of a lengthy recovery, but we just wanted to publicly thank the CCC staff for “walking the walk” and reaching out to complete strangers with love, compassion and grace.

They did not have to be there, but we are so grateful for a church that backs up words with actions! Glory be to God for the local church! They represented Selma well!

Chris and Brenda Jane

Opelika