Unexpected blessing for East Bay church after turf stolen

HAYWARD, Calif. (KGO) -- An East Bay church got an unexpected blessing on Thursday after a story ABC7 News reported last week.

In the middle of the night, thieves had stolen artificial turf that was painstakingly put down by volunteers as part of an effort made by the church to save water.

On Thursday, some kind people who saw the story on ABC7 News have stepped up to make it right.

The green carpet was rolled out at the Bay Hills Community Church in Hayward.

"This is great. You know, it's a blessing for us," Pastor Raoul Robles said.

Call it a turf war, no fewer than five companies came forward. Each offered to replace all of the turf for free.

"We were just overwhelmed with the fact that so many people were interested in doing this," Robles said.

In the end, the church went with Clark's U-Save Rockery, the company that sold them their original lawn, with help from Miller's Synthetic Turf.

The workers donated their time.

"You know, you've got to give back to the community. This church here gives to the community. They give to the school down the street. They help the kids out at trick or treating time, and churches are very important in the community," Clark's U-Save Rockery installer Kyle Phillips said.

This time, the church isn't taking any chances. They're hammering one giant nail per foot, and a huge staple every inch. And that's not all.

After trimming the turf and fluffing it up, they'll pour in pound after pound of sand.

"So now you got 800 pounds of grass and 1,500 pounds of sand. It's not going to be that easy to walk away this time," Phillips said.

But beyond the staples and the nails, the church members have found something else has been reinforced -- their faith.

"To know that we are a strong church," one church member said.

Robles said, "There's a passage of scripture, Romans 8:28, that says God causes all things to work together for good for those who love him, and this is one of these good things happening, you know?"