As another tragic school shooting in the United States took innocent lives, residents of the deeply religious Santa Fe community in Texas sought refuge in its churches.
The faithful, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, flocked to various churches to attend Sunday services to pray for the victims, their family and the community after a young student open fired on his schoolmates at the Santa Fe High School that killed 10 and injured 13 people.
Pamela Pannell, who attends services at the Arcadia First Baptist Church, told NPR that she almost lost her grandson in the attack. He was supposed to be in the art class the shooter targeted but he was in the next room that day to take an Academic Placement test. Nevertheless, Pannell is in mourning and in pain just like his peers.
Pastor Del Toler, who leads services at the Calvary Crossroads Church, reminded the faithful during the service that they can still do something about the spate of mass killings in America.
"I think the church is a focal point," the pastor said. "Guns helped shape America. Guns have insured our freedom," he added. "It's the heart in a man that steers him to do wrong."
The first memorial service for one of the victims, 17-year-old Pakistani exchange student scholar Sabika Sheikh, took place some 35 miles away from the Arcadia First Baptist Church that Sunday as well. Members of the Islamic Society for Greater Houston arranged her memorial as Sheikh had no family in the U.S. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner was in attendance. Her body will be flown back to her family in Pakistan.
In an unexpected sign of hope though, members of the First Baptist Church of Santa Fe saw a rainbow during the Sunday morning service. Even the local media commented on what appeared in the Texas sky.
"A rainbow directly over the church," reporter Pooja Lodhia said in her report to CNN. "It actually looks like it's coming from Santa Fe High School."
