(WWL.com)
Vice President Mike Pence arrives in Lafayette this afternoon and will visit Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, one of the three churches recently torched in St. Landry Parish. Pence will meet with community and church leaders. Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins believes the way law enforcement and the church community faced the situation stands out to the Vice President.
“I believe in my heart the Vice President is wishing to express his sincere appreciation and respect for the way this horror was handled,” said Higgins.
21-year-old Holden Matthews has been accused of setting the fires that burned down the churches. He faces arson and hate crime charges.
Pence, speaking at the White House during a National Day of Prayer event, says the world condemns the recent attacks at religious buildings.
“We live in a time when we have witnessed unspeakable attacks on people of faith, at a synagogue in California just a few short days ago, at mosques in New Zealand, at historically black churchs in Louisiana,” said Pence.
The churches have seen an outpouring of support with a GoFundMe page raising over $2 million in donations for the rebuilding efforts. Higgins credits the church communities faith as their greatest resource but says the churches can expect support on the federal level as well.
“The power that flows from that faith is far greater than anything man can provide, but every possible federal resource will be devoted and made available to these churches as they rebuild,” said Higgins.