NEW ORLEANS – On Sunday afternoon, a charter bus burst into flames on the way to New Orleans for a mission trip.

The group could have been in big trouble if an earlier accident hadn’t caused them to pull off the interstate.

“We were driving south on 55,” Assistant Pastor Michael Cole said. “We actually had a flat tire and the driver called his boss and he said ‘we’re about two miles from the Tickfaw exit’.”

The flat tire forced the crew of 42 to pull over, and it’s a good thing they did.

About an hour and a half away from their destination, the church’s charter bus burst into vicious flames. The vehicle was totaled.

But the church was determined to repair their trip.

I asked church member Savanna Clardy if anyone thought about going home after the scare.

“I don’t think any of us did,” she said. “I think we were all just like ‘we’re gonna make this work cause whatever is tryna keep us from going– that just makes us feel like we need to go more. this is what we’re supposed to be doing.'”

Thankfully, the church had some assistance.

“They were able to get another bus here in a couple of hours. We just loaded up and came,” Cole said. “Other than showing up late, effecting our schedule so far this morning, it’s mission as usual. We were meant to go and do what we were supposed to do because nobody got hurt and most of our things were saved.”

Michael and 40 of his church members plan to pass out 120 supply kits before the week is over.