TOLEDO, Ohio —
A central Toledo church was broken into on Sunday and had several large items stolen.
The Back2Life Deliverance Center, off Dorr Street, had a television, two generators, speakers, microphones, a soundboard and more taken, according to a report from the Toledo Police Department.
Pastor Andre Cranford and his wife Stacye Cranford are not letting this stop them from completing their mission of giving back.
"This comes as a setback, but our faith says it's a setup for something greater," Andre said.
The elder for the church was going to prepare the building for Sunday services, when he noticed an open door and items missing, according to the police report.
The elder then called the Cranfords, telling them someone had broken in.
"Maybe there was somebody, it was somebody that was cold and so thank God they were able to get in and get some warmth," Stacye said. "That's what we were thinking at first."
In reality, the back door had been pried into and the stage that once had speakers, microphones and instruments was now barren.
"Wow, why and who, you know what I'm saying?," Stacye said. "It's just really frustrating, overwhelming."
After filing a report, the couple spent the day adding doors and locks to keep the building safe.
The couple has dedicated their lives to giving, having two church locations. The other location is in Michigan. The Cranfords also have two free thrift stores, where everything is donated and given away for no cost. The Toledo location is on West Sylvania Avenue.
A roadblock like this is just a setup to keep going, the Cranfords said.
"We know if we weren't doing good then the devil wouldn't come this way," Andre said. "He only comes this way because we're doing good, and so if anything, I'm encouraged."
According to the police report, the incident is still pending an investigation.
Whether the items are found or not, the Cranfords said they feel no malice toward whoever did this.
"I've already forgiven them," Andre said.
Andre said if whoever took the items came up and said "I did this" to him or that they needed the items, he wouldn't be angry.
"I wouldn't jump on him and beat him up," Andre said. "I would just hug him and tell him, brother, you know, there's a better way."
The couple is hoping to get replacement items to be able to continue providing community help and holding services, but a lack of speakers and a soundboard is not stopping them.
"We ain't going nowhere," Andre said. "We're going to be here. God's going to bless us here. This is where he set us."
This is not the first challenge the church has faced. Two of the church's vans were set on fire and there are bullet holes inside the church.
The Cranfords are planning to have services resume this upcoming Sunday.