wfn.org | "Journey Through Disaster in Red River Valley"

[Brenda Williams <BRENDAW@elca.org>]

Reply-To: ElcaNews <ELCANEWS@ELCASCO.ELCA.ORG>
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

April 2, 1998

"JOURNEY THROUGH DISASTER IN RED RIVER VALLEY"
98-078-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "I spent the first day of spring doing what I did
the first day of spring last year, looking at 245 miles of fence posts as I
drove from Fargo to Sioux Falls along Interstate 29.  The contrast between
this day and last year was dramatic," said the Rev. Gilbert B. Furst,
associate director for Lutheran Disaster Response, a ministry of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS).
     "Last year record-breaking, devastating blizzards were killing
hundreds of thousands of cattle in North and South Dakota.  The serene Red
River rose three feet above the bridge connecting Grand Forks, N.D., and
East Grand Forks, Minn., destroying hundreds of homes in these communities
and causing the evacuation of more than 50,000 people," said Furst.
     "This year across the fence posts I saw a thin snow cover atop the
fields and in most places the rich black Dakota soil was exposed to the
sun," said Furst.  "I saw cattle out in the fields pushing their noses into
muddy ground, and farm buildings had no collapsed roofs or 14-foot
snowdrifts against them.  The temperature was near 40 degrees and the sky
clear and blue, but this fine spring day was deceptive," he said.  "The
disaster caused by last year's blizzards and spring floods is not done
yet."
     Karen Griffith, a Lutheran Disaster Response worker, told Furst:
"People still live in houses with crumbling foundations, broken windows,
collapsed roofs and sagging ceilings.  Many are still paying off last
year's bills.  Respiratory infections caused by mold and mildew affect the
elderly and children.  Family tensions are high, and suicide and domestic
violence are on the rise.  Ranchers who never shed a tear now weep at the
drop of a hat."
     "It isn't over," said the Rev. Richard J. Foss, bishop for the ELCA's
Eastern North Dakota Synod.  "In the Devils Lake Basin, North Dakota,
things are still getting worse.  Some of the northern farming communities
are still reeling.  The recovery and reconstruction from the worst of the
flooding will go on for years," he said.
     "Even though we are at very different stages, we are all on the same
journey throughout the area, a journey from victim to survivor to
resource," said Foss.
     "Many of our people were victims of these natural disasters, and it
is painful to be a victim.  The experts who help us through the suffering
speak of the journey from victim to survivor, wherein we begin to regain
our strength, hope and perspective.  I like to think of a third step,
resource to others.  I pray that we will all arrive at that place on the
journey.  The most powerful healing comes when we are able to use the
experience of our own suffering to help others," said Foss.
     "Every year churches of the ELCA are asked what they're going to give
to support their synod and the larger church," said the Rev. Charles R.
Lane, assistant to the bishop for the ELCA's Northwestern Minnesota Synod,
in an interview.  "I discovered to my amazement and joy that every one of
the 32 flood-damaged churches in northwestern Minnesota met or exceeded
their financial support by the end of last year.  That is remarkable news
since many church members lost their homes and jobs," he said.
      "These congregations were in a position to keep up their support
because they have been so lovingly embraced by our church," Lane said.
"Congregations included Grace Lutheran Church, Ada, Minn., which lost most
of its education and fellowship space; Nora Lutheran Church, Perley, Minn.,
which looked like a church built in the middle of a lake, and Breckenridge
Lutheran Church in Breckenridge, Minn., the first hit by the flood, where
members sandbagged in a blizzard in an unsuccessful attempt to hold back
the waters," he said.  "Also included are all four ELCA congregations in
and around East Grand Forks, Minn., a community of over 2,000 homes where
only eight escaped flood damage."
     Lutheran Disaster Response has been involved from the very beginning
of this record-shattering disaster, said Furst.  "Working with Lutheran
Social Services of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, the church has
been active through the emergency and relief stages and continues to
respond in this long recovery period," he said.
     "Lutheran Disaster Response and its partners have rebuilt 80 flood-damaged homes from
Watertown to Webster using 3,800 volunteer hours, and
provided more than 2,100 hours of free counseling and mental health
services.  We have distributed nearly $300,000 to 350 households to cover
outstanding fuel, feed and snow removal bills, and to repair fences and
buildings.  Twenty semi-trailer loads of meat, clothing and building
supplies were donated to more than 50 South Dakota communities," said
Furst.
     The Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the ELCA and the
Rev. Alvin L. Barry, president of the LCMS, have declared April 19, 1998,
"a day to commemorate Lutheran Disaster Response and the Midwest Disaster
of 1997."  Congregations are encouraged to remember their "sisters and
brothers who have suffered and are suffering from disaster" and to continue
working to "rebuild lives, homes, congregations and communities" throughout
1998.
     "The month of April 1997 was the most traumatic month North Dakota
has ever seen," said Foss.   "The winter's worth of blizzards culminated in
the April 6 Sunday storm that canceled worship services in all 257
congregations in the ELCA Eastern North Dakota Synod," he said.
     "The 1998 commemoration will be a singular occurrence," said the Rev.
Charles S. Miller, executive director of the ELCA's Division for Church and
Society.  "The idea for a  commemoration had its genesis in a January
meeting of Lutheran Disaster Response representatives in the upper
Midwest," he said.
     "The 1997 floods no longer capture the attention of public media.
However, Lutheran Disaster Response continues its presence and will remain
there for many months to come," said Miller.
     Two resources will be given to congregations of the ELCA and the LCMS
to support the day of commemoration.  One is the joint declaration of a Day
of Commemoration for Lutheran Disaster Response and the other is a bulletin
insert and litany to be used on April 19, according to Miller.
     The insert reminds ELCA members that "your help is still needed" and
"enormous needs remain.  The work of rebuilding lives, homes, congregations
and communities will continue throughout 1998.  Financial support and
volunteers are desperately needed."
     The ELCA has also produced a special worship service called
"Benediction for a House Lost in a Disaster" for use by families whose
homes were or must be destroyed because of a disaster.

For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html