She was injured by her attacker and she says her attacker stopped when she started to pray.
The minister arrived at Upper Room Freewill Church to prepare the sanctuary for children's bible class. Tuesday, a stranger came in and startled her.
"His whole face was covered and he had a knife in his hand," the victim said.
He walked closely behind with his knife at her neck and her life on the line.
"And so I turned around and swiftly grabbed that hand and he pulled it, that's how the knife cut my finger," the victim said.
In her sanctuary, where she preaches her faith, and teaches the children, he forced her to the floor.
"And he wanted me to get up on my knees, I did that. He went under my dress, snatched my underwear and tore them up," the victim said.
But this minister simply leaned more solidly on her faith and started to pray out loud.
"Then, I could feel he was getting disturbed, but I continued to pray," the victim said.
He left her and eventually left the building. She was shaken, but only for a moment.
"I don't allow the enemy to put fear in me. If he did he could take advantage of me," the victim said.
The church's manager believes the suspect had probably been watching the minister's morning routine for some time and timed his attack before kids and parents arrived.
Police are looking for him.
"He may be on the run, but God has got his number and he will be caught," said Bertha Spatcher, the church's manager.
"I know God was here and would take care of me. And after he fled, I knew God did what he had to do," the victim said.
Newark Police Director Samuel DeMaio stated, "Over the course of my law enforcement career I have seen many incidents of vile criminal behavior that shock the conscientious. This incident certainly ranks among those that invoke the highest levels of anger and disgust. Our investigators will continue to work diligently to identify and arrest this suspect. I urge anyone with information to aid us in our efforts to remove this violent criminal from our streets before he violates another member of our community."
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