On Friday, January 7, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Barnabas and Jael (Trinity - Hobart, Indiana) and LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry Dog Nigel (LCC Staff) visited Rickover Junior High School. Before they visited the students, they met the superintendent, her assistant, and other staff members.

The staff told us that many of the students come from challenging backgrounds, and some have even lost a parent. Most of the students have a pet at home, but they all mentioned that none of them were as soft, fluffy, and calm as the Comfort Dogs. Kare 9 Nigel made a very good connection with one girl and laid his head in her lap for quite some time.

On Saturday, January 8, an LCC team of volunteers, Bob Vossel, Bob Desiron, Fred Vanstrom, Rich Habegger (not pictured Bonnie Habegger, the photographer), picked up a recliner and a lift chair which will be given to low-income patients in a rehab center. They also picked up a large chair and wooden rocker, which are available through the newsletter Items Free for the Asking.
 
That same day LCC received the following note from the donor:
 
I just want to express my sincere thanks to you and the volunteers that came today to pick up the four chairs. They were careful and kind and worked very fast. I appreciate the fast pick-up and wish you all God’s blessings now and throughout this new year. Again, thank you.
 
Sincerely,
Joyce

The Colorado Marshall Fire has burned more than 6,000 acres and spread east across Superior, Louisville, and unincorporated Boulder County last week, destroying over 1,100 homes and businesses. The fire is the most destructive wildfire in state history. Currently, two people are still reported missing.

On Tuesday, January 4, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Cubby and Devorah (Redeemer – Fort Collins, Colorado) and their teams were invited by Ascent Community Church in Louisville and were present on Tuesday evening with displaced families as they learned if their home had survived or was destroyed by the fires. Ascent Community Church is one of the designated resource centers supporting families affected by this tragedy. Many tears are being shed as people are realizing the extent of the damage and all that they have lost.

The LCC K-9 Ministry teams will be present in Louisville the rest of this week to bring comfort, love, hope, and reassurance that they are not alone. They will continue to serve this hurting community as the requests come in for the Comfort Dogs and their handlers to be present.
 
The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry NEVER charges those we serve as we bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need. We know that comfort is needed to help this shocked and devastated community and the first responders who serve them.

The week after Christmas, Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response, Jamie Miller, LCC Staff, and the second LCC Disaster Response team arrived at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Paducah, Kentucky, to work in surrounding tornado affected towns. They will be returning with a third team this week to continue to assess damages and serve in hard-hit communities.

Last week, the LCC Lutheran Early Response Teams (L.E.R.T.) volunteers again worked in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. This community was in the direct path of the EF-3 & EF-4, 270-mile long tornado which at times was 1-1/2 miles wide. The damage is devastating with many of the homes completely leveled or severely damaged. There are many uprooted trees everywhere, landing on property, homes, and cars. The tornado was so fierce that some trees literally pierced through homes.

The LCC L.E.R.T. team completed chainsaw work at another eight homes this week. We were able to show the mercy and presence of Jesus Christ and that people could be trusted to do what we said we would with no cost. Several of these sites were large two-day projects.

Each of the homeowners was thankful that the following LCC Disaster Response team volunteers had come from so far to help them in their time of need:

Illinois
Good Shepherd, Frankfort – Joel and Lori Posless
Immanuel, Dundee – Matt Flynn
Lord of Life, LaFox – Nicole Karabetsos, Jeff Straughn
Messiah, Sterling – Jacob Beets
St. John, Wheaton – Marty Johnson, Anna Piro
 
Iowa
Trinity, Davenport – Ken Stotmeister

Building Trust and Giving Hope to Homeowner
 
Mr. Stan and his family lost their home during the tornado and are now living in his damaged business. He had multiple trees down all around his business and on his attached land housing cattle and pigs. Shortly after the tornado, his business was broken into, so he had been very reluctant to ask for any assistance or trust that someone would not steal what he had left. He watched us work at other homes around him before he approached us to ask for help. Our team spent two days clearing trees from both properties, and he was very grateful.

Mr. H is a young man with a family who was in the process of building a home on his parent’s 55-acre ranch property. He is an excellent woodworker and has his own mill. The tornado destroyed his home, barns, tools, workshop, and vehicles. He and his father had 70 head of cattle and now have only 20 left. Mr. H. told us he is still regaining his strength after an extended hospitalization and rehab from COVID-19.
 
He is overwhelmed and sometimes emotional about the many losses he, his family, and friends have now experienced, but he has a strong faith that God is with him. He was very appreciative to have fellow brothers and sisters in Christ come to his help. He knows that with the number of trees down, it will take months to clear his land and put fencing back up so they can return to raising cattle and other animals as they did before. As Mr. H stated, “any assistance the teams can give will get him further down the road to recovery.”

The LCC Disaster Response Ministry never charges those we serve. Please donate to the LCC Disaster Response General Fund or LCC Equipment Maintenance & Fuel Expense Fund so that we may continue to show the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.
 
Please keep the church and the families affected by the tornadoes in your prayers, including all of the LCC Disaster Response volunteers and staff as we deploy to the hardest-hit areas of Kentucky to help during the long recovery process.

On Monday, January 3, LCC held a Basic LCMS L.E.R.T. Training for new members at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Paducah, Kentucky, led by Deaconess Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response. This is the church that L.E.R.T. teams from around the country are working out of to serve those affected by the multiple tornadoes in Kentucky in December.

The 13 new L.E.R.T. volunteers are from the following churches:
 
Kentucky
St. John, Lexington
St. Paul, Paducah
 
Tennessee
Grace, Murfreesboro
Shepherd of the Hills, Crossville
 
It is good to see how the disaster response ministry is continuing to grow with volunteers willing to share the mercy, compassion, presence, and proclamation of Jesus Christ in service to those suffering and in need.

On Sunday, January 2, LCC staff member Dianna Bonfield delivered a check with your donations to St. Peter, Schaumburg, Illinois, that is assisting a family in need.
 
A family from Missouri is relocating to Illinois due to the medical needs of the father, who, after having survived COVID-19, needed a double lung transplant which he received in September at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. As a surgery requirement, he and his two caregivers must be within 50 miles of the hospital for one year.
 
His wife and 18-year-old daughter, his caregivers, are moving to Chicago on January 15th. Matthew will be discharged on January 19th from the rehab facility. LCC is assisting St. Peter, Schaumburg, in finding a two-bedroom place and raising money to help with the family's rent and everyday living expenses.
 
If you have or know of a place that falls within the family's needs, please email Nikki Deacon at ndeacon@Lutheranchurchcharities.org or prayerfully consider donating to help this family in need.

LCC received the following requests from Pastor Hesham Shehab, Salam Christian Fellowship, Lombard, Illinois:

Dear Friends,
 
We need assistance with windshield repairs for a convert from Islam. It was the Grace of God that Paul did not lose control when a sharp flying object broke his windshield while going 65 on the highway.
 
Paul uses this car to help new immigrants and refugees drive. He has been a faithful servant of God who returns the favor that Salam offered him when he first arrived in the USA.
 
Please show the love of Christ by donating generously to this cause. The cost is $400.
 
In God's Peace,
 
Pastor Hesham Shehab
Salam Christian Fellowship
Lombard, Illinois

On Wednesday, December 29, the Rockford Disabled American Veterans and the Scott Haugh Memorial Fund made a generous donation to the LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry. Scott Haugh’s widow, Louann Coates, presented the two checks to LCC Kare 9 veteran handlers Keith Stanton and Dale Sasse with their wives and ministry helpers Judy and Joyce.

Also present were two of the original LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry Dogs, Britta (veteran handler Dale), and Butch (veteran handler Keith). Scott and Louann have been long-time generous supporters of the LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry. LCC thanks the Lord for friends like Scott and Louann.