The Surprise Inside This Envelope Was a 'Dream Come True' for One Pastor and His Church

A staff member at a Virginia church was stunned when she opened an envelope and discovered that someone had slipped a $52,000 check inside — money that was given to help the house of worship pay off its mortgage.

Pastor Peter Chege of Africa Lighthouse Baptist Temple in Charlottesville, Virginia, said that a church spokeswoman recently found the surprise inside what she thought was a mere Christmas card, according to WVIR-TV.

"She opened it up, thinking it was just a regular Christmas card, and in the middle she found a check," he told the outlet. "And it was not just a check for $1,000 or $2,000. but a check for $52,000."

The gift is significant due to the fact that the church moved to its current location one year ago, subsequently launching a $100,000 fundraising campaign to help pay off the mortgage; the church had raised $70,000 before the check arrived.

"This is a dream come true. It's beyond my wildest imagination," Chege told Newsplex. "I knew God was somehow going to do it, but I didn't know how long it was going to take and sometimes doubts creep in, but it is such a joy. I still pinch myself thinking 'Is this really true that it did happen?'"

Now that the church has surpassed its goal, the pastor says that it can elevate its community outreach.

Africa Lighthouse Baptist Temple helps African immigrants with getting cell phones, cars, learning English and applying for jobs, among other life skills. With new resources in hand and the goal met, Chege said that the future is exciting.

"We want to have a homeless shelter, we want to have a lot of things that we want to do just for the community, he told WVIR-TV.

The donor wishes to remain anonymous.

(H/T: Christian Today)

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