Janice Riley removed her shoe, initially suspecting a rock was trapped inside while she was volunteering in flood-ravaged Kerrville, Texas. To her surprise, she discovered a bent nail embedded in the sole, mere centimeters from her foot.
“It reminds me of the verse that says, ‘How beautiful are the feet that bring good news’, she said while laughing.”
Riley was engaged in cleanup efforts along the Guadalupe River, yet the presence of that nail didn’t deter her from restoring mud-filled homes and helping to rebuild shattered lives.
As she walked into each house, she saw the aftermath of the flood marked by water stains several feet high on the wall.
Witnessing the destruction in Kerrville, Aguillen realized that despite the generosity of donations, the survivors had minimal resources. This reflection only strengthened her resolve to make a substantial impact.
Aguillen knew she could rely on contacts from her insurance company, Texas United Insurance Services, LLC, for donations for a cause bigger than herself.
“I came to the office this week and started calling every business owner in my book,” she said.
So far, she has raised $5,000 and plans to drive back down to Kerrville and hand it out to people in need. Although she feels it may not be a lot of money, she says every bit counts.
“I want to see these people go to the bank and cash and have cash in hand,” she said. “I can bless several, several families with $500 a piece, and that’s what I intend on doing.”
Lisa Aguillen visiting Kerrville with Bud Bolton to preach and hand out money raised for victims in July 2025. (Fox News Digital/Sophia Leone)
Although the volunteers, Riley, Annette and Aguillen faced hardship while spending hours putting themselves through hard work, they realized their service had in their community and brought power to the lives of those they were serving.
Annette summed it up in one word.
“Time,” she said. “It is our most valuable commodity, and what makes it so valuable is that we can’t make more of it. So how we decide to spend it speaks so much more than just donating.”
