Greg Thomas: The Man Who Experienced a Miracle While Repairing an Abandoned Church

The old church building.
The old church building. (Image: WAVY TV 10 via YouTube)

Greg Thomas is a man from Minnesota who experienced a miracle while trying to restore an abandoned church. Please find out the story of his journey and the gift that happened along the way. As a result, the Budejovice Church is now a beautiful place, and it’s all thanks to the hard work of Greg Thomas.

On one of his walks, Greg Thomas stumbled upon the Budejovice Church, an abandoned church built by Czech settlers in 1868. With the help of the local community, Greg Thomas was able to gain access to the church and began the process of restoring it. 

As he worked, Thomas experienced a miracle. Despite losing his beloved dog, Jenny, who was also battling cancer, Greg Thomas was determined to restore the church to its former glory. 

Read on to find out the inspiring story of Greg Thomas and the miracle he experienced while repairing an abandoned church.

Greg Thomas pictured sitting on the church’s steps with his dog.
Greg Thomas pictured sitting on the church’s steps with his dog. (Image: WAVY TV 10 via YouTube)

Greg Thomas: A man from Minnesota

Greg Thomas was a 57-year-old man from Minnesota who worked as a delivery person for propane. After being diagnosed with cancer, he lost his job and decided to take long walks through the rural Minnesota countryside accompanied by his dog, Jenny, a German shorthair pointer.

One of his long walks eventually led him to a decaying old church, which would later change his life. The church was called the Budejovice Church and was built by Czech settlers in rural Le Sueur County, Minnesota in 1868 who left for an extensive gear parish. It had not seen a congregation for over a century, and due to its beauty, Greg Thomas had an idea to spend his time trying to restore it.

Thomas’ mission to restore the church

The first thing the man had to do was to find a way to fix the church. Greg Thomas started by asking the neighbors where he needed to go or who he needed to talk to if he wanted to paint the church. The neighbors sent him to the treasurer of the foundation in charge of keeping up the church cemetery, Don Rynda.

Thomas said he wanted to fix the church, and Rynda could barely believe it. Finally, Thomas offered a deal to completely restore the church on the condition that he would get the materials needed and a key to the establishment so he could go in, and Rynda said yes.

Budejovice church in rural Le Sueur County post-restoration.
Budejovice church in rural Le Sueur County post-restoration. (Image: WAVY TV 10 via YouTube)

Greg Thomas started fixing up the churches peeling away 15 layers of paint that had been there for over 150 years. He could see that the 1860s interior was still intact and knew the results would be beautiful. Everyone was excited to see the church restored.

The miracle that Thomas experienced

Despite not having that much energy because of the radiation and chemotherapy, Thomas worked on fixing the church. During that time, Thomas also lost his teeth, and his saliva glands weren’t functioning normally. The Minnesota man was on a feeding tube for the last three years, but now, he just wanted to see the church restored.

After he finished working on the church’s exterior, Thomas knew that his cancer was in remission. He said it was a miracle and continued working on the abandoned church. Unfortunately, his dog Jenny passed away while battling cancer alongside Thomas.

The inspiring tale of Greg Thomas

The story of Greg Thomas is an inspiring tale of finding your passion even when you think it’s too late. Thomas just wanted to see the church restored to its former glory, and along the way, he found out that his cancer had disappeared. As a result, the Budejovice Church is now a beautiful place, and it’s all thanks to the hard work of Greg Thomas.

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  • Mike West

    Mike West is a tech/blockchain enthusiast that keeps an eye wide open to the world. He doesn't cower behind a desk but rides into the sunset in search of a way to better understand the world. Through his written works, he hopes to provide a deep dive into the beauty and intricacies of humanity emerging with a fascinating story to tell.

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