Bronx residents with close ties to Puerto Rico prayed at a vigil for the safety of the island's residents as Hurricane Maria approached.

They gathered at the Church of God of Castle Hill Tuesday night, where they said they would seek God and pray for a miracle.

They said they also had the other islands that fell within Maria's path on their minds. The major hurricane slammed Barbuda soon after Hurricane Irma decimated the island.

"If we pray he will listen to us," church member Eric Mendez said. "He will hear us, so we just pray. We know that the storm is going there, but we just want minimal damage, we want it to be as minimal as possible."

The church says it will begin collecting donations once the recovery process begins.