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Chicago (ELCA)-MR — Lutheran Disaster Response, a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), continues to help survivors recover from floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and other disasters across the United States.
"This year has brought an unprecedented number of disasters," said the Rev. Gilbert B. Furst, director, Lutheran Disaster Response. More than "400 tornadoes and 2,000 storms brought havoc and devastation to the mid- and lower United States," he said.
Lutheran Disaster Response organized and funded recovery work in 14 states and Guam, a U.S. territory. Typhoon Pongsona struck Guam in December 2002. Lutheran Disaster Response continues to support relief efforts on the island.
In February, ice storms produced floods in the south-central part of Ohio, and in March tornadoes struck Camilla, Ga., and Miami-Dade County, Fla. Tornadoes also struck Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Tennessee in May.
Disaster response also continues in West Virginia, after storms produced floods there in June; Arizona, after forest fires destroyed buildings in some small towns there in July; northeast Ohio, after storms produced floods there in July; and Texas, after Hurricane Claudette produced floods there in July.
The ELCA Domestic Disaster Response provided funds to Peace Lutheran Church, Paget, Bermuda, after Hurricane Fabian struck the territory this month. Funds will support the congregation's cleanup efforts and provide assistance to neighbors affected by the hurricane. Peace Lutheran Church is a congregation of the ELCA Metropolitan Washington, D.C., Synod.
Lutheran Disaster Response continues to assess damage in the northeast section of North Carolina and the southeast section of Virginia, after Tropical Storm Isabel struck these areas also this month.
"The third year of long-term response to the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, has begun," Furst said. Lutheran Disaster Response-New York coordinates multiple organizations providing assistance for "unmet needs. As of June, more than $1 million has been provided by Episcopalians, Lutherans and United Methodists," he said.
Lutheran Disaster Response continues to support members of Gustaf Adolph Lutheran Church, New Sweden, Maine. One member died and some other members became sick April 27 several hours after drinking coffee. The suspected cause of the illness is arsenic poisoning.
Response to a disaster is often carried out by a local team providing emergency supplies, offering pastoral care and counseling, coordinating volunteer efforts in relief and rebuilding, and providing grants to victims. This response is coordinated with other interfaith and community efforts.
"In some instances, communities that had begun cleanup efforts [after a storm] were affected by subsequent days of additional tornadoes and storms," Furst said.
For many of the disasters this year, no income was received, Furst said. "Yet the church was able to respond because [Lutherans] have provided undesignated support, funds 'to be used where they are most needed.'" Financial support "enables Lutheran Disaster Response to respond immediately when new needs arise. It enables Lutheran Disaster Response to continue responses when income designated for specific disasters falls short of what is needed," he said.
DOMESTIC DISASTERS:
Editors: When listing organizations receiving funds to aid survivors of
major disasters inside the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin
Islands, please include:
ELCA Domestic Disaster Response
P.O. Box 71764
Chicago, Illinois 60694-1764
Credit card gift line: 1-800-638-3522
Credit card gifts via Internet: www.elca.org/disaster