By Stacey Tinsley, Bossier Press-Tribune
A family of nine found themselves facing another difficult chapter after a fire destroyed the 18-wheeler they had been living in and using to make a living.
The fire happened Aug. 30 at the Pilot in Haughton. The Beckenbach family was traveling to South Carolina to drop a load when they stopped in Haughton. While at the Pilot, the family noticed smoke coming from their 18-wheeler.
Inside the truck were the parents, their six children, ranging in age from 9 years to 2 months, and their grandmother.
Everyone was able to get out safely, but the fire destroyed the truck, their belongings and the place they had been calling home.
The family was already facing difficult circumstances. They had lost their home about two months earlier. The father still had his job and his truck, so the family made the 18-wheeler their home while he worked and saved money to eventually return to their hometown and find another place to live.
Then the truck caught fire.
Haughton Mayor Hunter J. Timms said the incident was frightening for the family but also showed the character of the community.
“The incident was a frightening situation for this family, but it also showed the very best of Haughton,” Timms said. “I am extremely proud of our fire department for their quick response and the job they did containing the fire before it became worse.”
Haughton Fire Chief Jimmy Holland said firefighters arrived to find the commercial vehicle heavily involved in fire, while the family was safely outside.
“Our firefighters arrived to find a heavily involved commercial vehicle with a family who had fortunately made it out safely,” Holland said. “Our crews went to work quickly and were able to bring the fire under control and keep it from spreading beyond the vehicle.”
Holland said he was proud of the professionalism and teamwork shown by those who responded.
Once the fire was under control, another response began — this time from the Haughton community.
Leaonda Palmer, children’s and family minister at Eastwood Baptist Church, said she learned about the family after a church member and the pastor sent her a post from the Haughton Police Department.
Eastwood Baptist has a foster and community closet and food pantry. Palmer contacted the Pilot to find out where the family was staying and what they needed.
She was told the family was staying near the Arby’s and needed basic necessities. Palmer gathered diapers, wipes, formula and girls’ clothing before going to meet the family.
“The family was extremely overwhelmed,” Palmer said. “They were exhausted. They had not slept all night.”
Palmer said the family told her they never expected that, after watching their home go up in flames and losing nearly everything, they would be surrounded by kindness from people they did not know.
As word spread through social media and by word of mouth, churches, businesses and individuals began bringing donations.
Eastwood Baptist Church, First Baptist Haughton, First Baptist Princeton and the Pilot were among those who helped. Donations included cash, gift cards, clothing, diapers, wipes, shoes, hygiene products, toys, car seats, formula and blankets.
First Baptist Haughton also provided transportation for the family to a hotel.
Mark Hagerhjelm, missions and senior adult pastor at First Baptist Haughton, said he was proud to see the community come together to help.
“It was incredible to see the community come together and be the hands and feet of God,” Hagerhjelm said. “People saw a family in need and simply stepped up to help.”
For Palmer, the response was about more than providing basic necessities. It was an opportunity to show the family God’s love.
She spent time talking with the family’s oldest daughter, a 9-year-old girl, and told her that the kindness being shown to her family was because people wanted to demonstrate God’s love.
“I was able to share with her that the things they were receiving was because people wanted to show them kindness and God’s love,” Palmer said. “That even when she is sad, God always loves her.”
Palmer said the experience reminded her of Jesus’ command in Matthew 28:19-20 to go and make disciples. She said that calling does not always mean traveling to another country. Sometimes it means serving someone right in your own community.
“On that day God placed a sweet family of nine at the Pilot in Haughton,” Palmer said. “They could have been anywhere. They were on their way to South Carolina to drop a load. But God placed them right in Haughton for such a time as this. And His people responded.”
Palmer hopes the experience planted seeds of faith in the family and in those who witnessed the community’s response.
She also hopes it reminds residents that opportunities to help others can be found every day.
Whether it is a neighbor, a single parent, an elderly person, a child who is struggling or a stranger having a difficult day, Palmer said people never know what someone else may be facing.
“If we can do it for strangers, we can do it for our neighbors,” Palmer said.
Timms said the community response showed what Haughton is about.
“This is what Haughton does — we come together, we take care of people, and we help when it’s needed most,” Timms said. “I could not be prouder of our first responders and our community.”
For Palmer, the message is simple: kindness matters, and every day provides an opportunity to make a difference.
“Choose to be kind, choose to go and tell God’s love, choose to be the hands and feet of Jesus,” she said.
The Beckenbach family’s experience also showed that a small town can make a big impact when people are willing to step forward and help.
Palmer’s hope is that the community will continue to look for opportunities to serve others — not only during times of crisis, but in the everyday moments when someone needs a helping hand, a kind word or simply to know they are not alone.
“Haughton, don’t stop,” Palmer said. “Keep allowing God to allow you to be a part of sharing His love.”