KLTV 7 News Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville |East Texas Fire Truck Headed To Africa

East Texas Fire Truck Headed To Africa

It's a story of giving from East Texas to across the world. A few months ago a missionary had a chance meeting with an East Texas volunteer fireman and from there it all began.

About a year ago an orphanage in Fort Portal Uganda caught fire. Unfotunately the nearest fire station was four hours away in the capital city.

"An orphanage actually burned down and a lot of children didn't make it and the closest fire department was four hours away and the men in the church there decided this is a way to love our neighbor as ourselves," said Scott Brown, coordiates for Missionary Jeff Cash for Glenwood Church of Christ.

Jeff Cash, a missionary in Uganda, and the men in his church decided to start their own fire department in the town of 40,000.

A few months ago Jeff was in East Texas buying supplies and meeting with his sponsor church: Glenwood Church of Christ. While in town Jeff had a chance meeting with TJ Henshaw a local volunteer fire fighter.

"I was at a retail store trying to see the manager. And the manager was really busy helping Jeff load up stuff for Uganda. So as we were standing there talking Jeff saw that I was a fireman. He started telling me about them starting a fire department in Uganda and the whole story," said TJ."

So TJ convinced his department to do something for Jeff and the people in Fort Portal Uganda.

"Our people talked about it and we thought why don't we give him a truck. A lot of people helped us. We got a lot donated to us and we decided to pass it on, pay it forward," said TJ Henshaw, a volunteer fireman for Lake Fork Fire Department.

It will probably be at least a month to figure out shipping the truck over to Uganda. The Uganda Fire department has many more needs and many are asking local departments to help out.

Some of their needs include: bunker gear, jaws of life, breathing apparatus, hose, nossle, portable pumps, training materials like old videos, etc. They said any old gear would be so helpful to

If you would like to help out contact Scott Brown at Glenwood Church of Christ.

Danielle Capper, Reporting. dcapper@kltv.com