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Pastor Joe Marolla prayed to God to help him through devastating Ingham floods

When the water started to rise around Pastor Joe Marolla’s home on the outskirts of Ingham, he began to pray and didn’t stop for days. WATCH.

'If Jesus can walk on water': Pastor tells of flood drama

When the heavens opened and the torrent began above the skies of Ingham one resident knew someone was watching over him.

Pastor Joe Marolla lives in on the outskirts on Ingham in Skinner Street and at the flood’s peak had water lapping at his top step nearly two meters above the cement floor underneath his home.

Wednesday February 13. Heavy rain causes flooding in North Queensland. Clean up after flooding in Ingham. Rural firefighters from southern Queensland and NSW help clean up Pastor Joe Marolla's home in Skinner Street. Pastor Marolla. Picture: Evan Morgan
Wednesday February 13. Heavy rain causes flooding in North Queensland. Clean up after flooding in Ingham. Rural firefighters from southern Queensland and NSW help clean up Pastor Joe Marolla's home in Skinner Street. Pastor Marolla. Picture: Evan Morgan

He was trapped in his home for three days, without power and then unable to contact family or friends when his phone eventually ran out of charge.

But the pastor kept one line of communication open – he prayed.

Wednesday February 13. Heavy rain causes flooding in North Queensland. Clean up after flooding in Ingham. Rural firefighters from southern Queensland and NSW help clean up Pastor Joe Marolla's home in Skinner Street. Pastor Marolla. Picture: Evan Morgan
Wednesday February 13. Heavy rain causes flooding in North Queensland. Clean up after flooding in Ingham. Rural firefighters from southern Queensland and NSW help clean up Pastor Joe Marolla's home in Skinner Street. Pastor Marolla. Picture: Evan Morgan

Eventually concerned friends helped him to evacuate but once the water receded he was back home to begin the big clean up

But he remains upbeat about his experience.

“It (the water) was there for two, three days – I couldn’t move – stuck in the house, no power, no nothing,” he said.

Wednesday February 13. Heavy rain causes flooding in North Queensland. Clean up after flooding in Ingham. Rural firefighters from southern Queensland and NSW help clean up Pastor Joe Marolla's home in Skinner Street. Picture: Evan Morgan
Wednesday February 13. Heavy rain causes flooding in North Queensland. Clean up after flooding in Ingham. Rural firefighters from southern Queensland and NSW help clean up Pastor Joe Marolla's home in Skinner Street. Picture: Evan Morgan

“I prayed a lot, unbelievable how much I prayed.

“But other than that, my friends were trying to ring me, but the phone was run out because I had no power to charge the phone. So then they come and evacuated me,” the pastor said.

“They took me to evacuation centre, but it was so full. My brother lives around the corner, and he’s a pastor, too, Pastor, Nino Marolla, so I went to save his place for the night.

“Then I had to come back to this when the water is low enough for me to come back and start tidying up.

“Now the sun’s out, so hopefully it’s over. Oh, praise the Lord.

“If Jesus could walk off water, I can go through water anytime,” the pastor said.

Originally published as Pastor Joe Marolla prayed to God to help him through devastating Ingham floods

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/townsville/pastor-joe-marolla-prayed-to-god-to-help-him-through-devastating-ingham-floods/news-story/85620a58dc2cbcc5a1fe1c20f6d69bfe