wfn.org | Lutheran Disaster Response in the Eye of 2008 Hurricane Season

[<NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

Title: Lutheran Disaster Response in the Eye of 2008 Hurricane Season
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

>September 2, 2008  

Lutheran Disaster Response in the Eye of 2008 Hurricane Season
08-151-FI

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America (ELCA) are responding in the aftermath of tropical
storms and hurricanes, waiting to assess the damage of Hurricane
Gustav and preparing for the remainder of the 2008 hurricane
season.  "We are in difficult days," said the Rev. Kevin A.
Massey, director, Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR).

"It is important for us all to stay in close communication
with each other, to remain deeply in prayer for the needs of
people both already affected and potentially affected, and
especially to consider giving to the work of Lutheran Disaster
Response," he said.  LDR is a collaborative ministry of the ELCA
and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

Hurricane Gustav made landfall Sept. 1 on the Louisiana Gulf
Coast.  "We appreciate Bishop Michael Rinehart and the leadership
of the ELCA Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod and Bishop Julian
Gordy and the ELCA Southeastern Synod for the excellent job they
are doing in responding to this disaster," Massey said.  The
synods have maintained communication with pastors and other
church leaders who evacuated their homes, he said.

"The good thing about many people getting out and being
evacuated is that they were safe.  It will take some time, as
they return slowly to their homes, for us to learn more and more
about the needs of the people in the Gulf area," Massey said.
"It may take many weeks before we are able to identify the ways
that volunteers will be able to help."

"Whether tropical storms or hurricanes, we're seeing an
incredible impact across the country," Massey said.  "It is a
reminder that we are all in this together.  The whole country is
being affected and, as we've done before, we will all work
together to respond."

Hurricane Dolly struck Texas on July 23.  "We're still
working in areas around there," Massey said.

"Tropical Storm Fay had a significant impact on parts of
Florida," he said.  "Lutheran Disaster Response Team Florida has
been doing a great job responding with our partners in Thrivent
Financial for Lutherans and the ELCA Florida-Bahamas Synod.
We've been helping coordinate production of flood buckets that
people are able to use to help clean out their own homes."

"Areas of Florida are very wet, and there is standing water
in many places," Massey said.  "With the threat of additional
storms, it is a very scary time."

Lutherans across the church are "very aware that many storms
can affect us in the days and weeks to come," he said.  "Tropical
Storm Hanna is expected to be a hurricane when it will reach the
eastern seaboard of the United States somewhere between Georgia
and the Carolinas, possibly as early as this Friday.  Tropical
Storms Ike and Josephine are forming in the Atlantic."

"There is great leadership in all of our synods, and we
appreciate the work they have already done in preparing," Massey
said.  LDR staff will continue to be in conversation with them
this week, he said.

"We will seek to provide help and healing to people affected
by these storms, and we ask for people to consider giving.
Please visit ELCA.org/disaster for information about giving to
help people affected by these storms," Massey said.
-- -- --

Audio of comments by the Rev. Kevin A. Massey is at
http://media.ELCA.org/audionews/080902a.mp3 and
http://media.ELCA.org/audionews/080902b.mp3 on the ELCA Web site.

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: http://www.ELCA.org/disaster

For information contact:

John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog