For the last two weeks, LCC has deployed to Uvalde, Texas, approximately ten LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and their teams per week. On Monday, September 19, the third and final wave of nine LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and their teams from across the country arrived in Uvalde to continue their calming and comforting presence following the tragic Robb Elementary School shooting in May.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Abner (Bethany - Austin, Texas), Charity (Brookfield - Brookfield, Wisconsin), Gideon (St. Michael’s - Bloomington, Minnesota), Jael (Trinity - Hobart, Indiana), Martha (Bethany - Austin, Texas), Mary (St. Paul's - Janesville, Wisconsin), Miriam (Emmanuel - Kingfisher, Oklahoma), Peace (Trinity - Orlando, Florida), and Triton (Messiah - Plano, Texas) will be a continual presence sharing love and comfort with the children and staff at the Uvalde schools as they begin their third week of school.

This week was off to a great start! When the students saw a new LCC K-9 Comfort Dog for the first time, there was much joy and excitement. Throughout the week, students will start to open up more as they find comfort in the familiar faces.
 
“Some kids who remember the dogs [from the memorial, a few months back] are starting to talk to the dogs,” said Bonnie Fear, LCC K-9 Crisis Response Coordinator. The kids are laying beside the dogs, hugging and kissing them. “We’ve had kids who were distraught or teary-eyed in the morning, and by the time the dogs left, they have smiles on their faces,” she said.

Providing Unconditional Love and Encouragement During Second Week of School (September 12-16)

As the second wave of LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and their teams wrapped up their week in Uvalde, they were amazed by all the teachers, counselors, office staff, and principals in the Uvalde school district. These incredible educators have set their own fears and anxieties to the side as they put the children of Uvalde first.
 
“Our goal is to be present with those that are hurting and in need, and we show up and just be with them in whatever they’re feeling,” said Bonnie Fear.

LCC's K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry never goes where we are not invited and never charges those we serve as we bring the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need. We pick up all of our travel, hotel, and meal costs.
 
Please prayerfully consider donating to the LCC K-9 Comfort Travel Expense Fund so that we can continue serving the Uvalde community.

SELCU Pastors Serving Ukrainians

Since March 2022, Lutheran Church Charities has been working cooperatively with pastors of the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Ukraine (SELCU) to provide humanitarian relief which combines the clear proclamation of the gospel.

It is estimated that since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, more than half of Ukraine's 44 million populace has either left the country as refugees or become internally displaced persons within the country.

Congregations and pastors of the Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche (SELK), a partner church of the LCMS, have also been actively involved in supporting Ukrainian refugees and work in Ukraine.
 
The Bugenhagen Foundation in Berlin provided 30,000 Euros for the purchase of a VW van to assist SELCU Pastor Yura Timerkan in his parish and community work in Bashtanka, Ukraine. This past week, Pastor Timerkan completed a trip to Homberg, Germany, to fetch the van and visit his family, wife, four children, and his mother.
 
Pastor Christian Utpatel of the St. Peter Congregation in Homberg reported the following:

“I have no words to express my deep respect for this young brother, Yura Timerkan. He is not conscripted; he could have stayed here legally with his mother, wife, and children. But with great joy, bravery, realistic planning, a lot of trust in God, and encouragement for us who stayed behind, he left.
 
With him went three church members who were here somewhere in Germany and who are returning. And we stuffed all the empty seats and every conceivable crevice in the VW van - and actually managed to get everything in that needed to be taken with them.
 
There was a devotion with prayer and Ukrainian chants, and we all cried as I sobbed and laid my hands on him and commended him to the protection of our God.”

In Dnipro, Ukraine, and farther east, SELCU Pastor Sergey Bevz and his congregation members continue to travel widely and provide both humanitarian aid and the gospel message to those whose cities are being ravaged by the Russian invasion.
 
His most recent report includes this story:
 
“The atmosphere in Izumi is hard to describe in words. Broken city; no light, gas, internet, communication, enough groceries, meds, and much more. There are traces of death, destroyed houses, and bridges. People have put up with it all.
 
As soon as we stopped downtown, one woman asked if we had a ‘humanitarian.’ She was upset and says she didn't get enough from those who came before us. Goes home empty-handed. In a minute, she holds in her hands some of God's blessings. Crying, hugs ‘us’ and says, ‘I'm so happy to see you; how would you know how much!’ Of course, ‘us’ means ‘our people.’”

Please prayerfully consider donating to help Ukrainians by showing the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering and in need!
 
Thank You for your support in being the hands and feet of Jesus to those suffering!

In mid-August, I asked Lutheran Church Charities to assist in helping a grieving family of five children with another child on the way in Roselle through their challenging time. Their father died suddenly at the end of June, leaving the mother and children in need.
 
The response has been amazing! God is so good! The family is so grateful for the support received. Without your help, I can’t imagine where they would be.
 
The mother has not been able to work for the last month because of a work-related injury and is currently undergoing physical therapy. She is hoping to begin work again in November. The two older kids have started school, and the three younger children go to daycare.

They continue to grieve the absence of their father. Their need continues as the mother prepares for another child in March, and she may need to move into another home to accommodate the additional child. 
 
Your help enables the family to pay their bills, especially rent, transportation, and childcare expenses.
 
If God so leads you to give, please prayerfully consider partnering with those at Trinity, Roselle, to help the pregnant mother provide for her five children. 
 
Thank you for your kindness and the hope you are giving the family! 
 
Pastor Doug Warmann
Trinity Lutheran Church
Roselle, Illinois

Pastor Warren Schilf of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Palatine, Illinois, referred an elderly congregation member to the Palatine L.E.R.T. team for assistance with trimming overgrown shrubs, cutting hanging and dead tree limbs and weeding flower beds.
 
The following Palatine L.E.R.T. team members willingly served this past week:
 
Immanuel, Palatine - Steve and Marilyn Kosmella, Steve MacKay
Prince of Peace, Palatine - Jim and Karen Beckley, Richard and Bonnie Habegger, Tod and Kay Kruse
St. Peter, Arlington Heights - Lois Lehman
 
She was very grateful for their Christian care and help, as it is something she can no longer do for herself.
 
It truly was a blessing and privilege to serve!

LCC volunteer Bob Morris delivered a check with your donations to Pastor John Brazeal for the scholarship needs for the current school year.

Your generosity and commitment to helping Pastor John Brazeal and Principal Geri of Christ the King Lutheran Church and School in Chicago, Illinois, continue their 49-year ministry are appreciated.
 
Each week, we are closer to our scholarship goal!
 
Principal Geri and the teachers at Christ the King pour themselves into each student. Often bringing students who were falling behind in public schools, back up to speed and on track with their peers.
 
Offering small enrollment, providing the opportunity for more individual attention, violin class, dance class, a community garden, and an emphasis on serving others, Christ the King is an anchor of hope and light in their Chicago neighborhood.

Hello,
 
My name is Mark White Jr., and I am a new enrollee at Christ The King in 2nd grade. I came from a school with over 20 kids in a classroom to now a very small setting. Wow! This is going to be different but different in a good way because now my teacher knows me and what I may need to improve my errors. It also wouldn't be hard making friends, which I've already done. It looks like I'm over the butterflies I had before school started, and it didn't take long.
 
Mark White Jr.
 
Hi,
 
I'm Ebony White, Mark's mom. I was referred to Christ The King by a family who also attended there. It has only been a couple of weeks, and already, Mark has made improvements on things that I thought I only recognized. I can already see that I've made the right decision to enhance Mark's education. Thank you, Ms. Lloyd, for seeing what I may not see.
 
I'm looking forward to the upcoming years of more achievements and overcoming hurdles Mark may run into. Thank you, Christ The King, for being that new family we needed in education.
 
Thank you to all who are assisting with tuition relief for my son Mark.
 
Ebony White

Hello,
 
My name is Regina, and I graduated from Christ The King. I was a troubled kid, but Christ The King never gave up on me. They always pushed me to be my best and to do my best. And I'm so grateful for them and the guidance they have on me.
 
Now that I'm grown, I want the same for my two small children, but I can't afford to pay the tuition. Since COVID-19, it's been really hard to find a job. This had been challenging for me, and I'm also homeless and living with my grandmother. I'm thankful for all the things I have. And I just want my kids to go to school that will never give up on them, no matter what. Christ The King never gave up on me, and that's why I'm still here today.

Jaylen lives with his mom. They both have been working virtually from home for the past two years. Jaylen has been working very hard in his Zoom sessions with teachers at Christ the King. Since 2020 he has completed the curriculum for 5th, 6th and 7th grade. This year he began 8th grade in-person.
 
It will be a pleasure working with him again in person. Even though he reported weekly to have his assignments checked, he was missing the interaction with his classmates.
 
His mom is thankful that she still has employment, although her salary was cut. She is also looking forward to Jaylen graduating this year after skipping 7th grade; after great scores on his end-of-the-year exams. He looks forward to someday going into real estate investments.
 
We are proud of his success, he has been with us since Kindergarten, and he will always be a part of this family as he moves on in his educational pursuits. Pastor John and Principal Geri

Zion has been with Christ the King since second grade. He has seizures and suffers from severe asthma. He enjoys learning new things and likes his classmates. His favorite subject in school is science, and he likes "Generation Genius" because the experiments are great.
 
CTK has a special ed teacher who helps Zion once a week because they have problems getting him assistance from the Board of Education.
 
Zion likes working on IXL and helping his grandmother. His mom is a clerk at Home Depot who has been out of work a few times during the pandemic. He does not want to graduate this year because he wants to stay at Christ the King, where he feels "at home."

Donte is in 7th grade. He lives with his grandmother, who has been having problems this year because of an accident she had while cutting trees for the city last year. It set her back financially, and she is trying to catch up on her account.
 
She much appreciated the help she received last year from the friends of Lutheran Church Charities. She is paying what she can and has not asked for help, but her family is her main concern.
 
Donte loves to play the violin and does not want to leave Christ the King.

Please prayerfully consider sponsoring a child, $3,000 for a year of schooling, or donate as you are able, that they may have hope for their future!
 
Your generous donation will enable Christ the King to continue the ministry of Christ-changing lives through their dedicated staff.

Below is a letter from Terina, Mirahri's mom, who speaks to the importance and quality of education her children received at Christ the King:
 
My name is Terina, and I'm a mom of five. Mirahri is our baby boy that's currently enrolled in Christ the King as a 6th grader, and we would love for him to continue the outstanding education that this school offers.
 
Our son, Marquan, who's 20, graduated from Christ the King and is now a college student studying cyber security. Milan, who's 16, also graduated from Christ the King and is currently a junior with honors at Kenwood Academy High School. Torri is four years old and will soon be enrolled in Christ the King preschool program.
 
We are greatly appreciative of your support in helping us provide a life-changing education for our children. Thank you all in advance.
 
Terina

Cayman has been with Christ the King since Kindergarten. He comes from a single-parent home and is being raised by his mom. He lives across the street in a small apartment. The landlord is very kind, and if his mom gets behind on the rent, he allows her some time to catch up.
 
Cayman's mom has had difficulty paying tuition since COVID-19 started. She is a secretary but has worked from home for the past two years because the office was closed. She had to take a reduction in salary. Christ the King helps her through the food pantry.
 
"If it were not for the donors of Lutheran Church Charities, she would have had no way to meet her tuition obligation. We would like to see Cayman graduate from Christ the King. He is now a sixth grader who tries very hard and loves science. He wants to have good grades and perfect attendance so that he can be accepted at a good high school. He wants to have a good job so that he can take care of his mom when he grows up and finishes college." Geri Brazeal, Principal, Christ the King Lutheran School
 
"I have to work hard in school so that I can get a college scholarship," says Cayman.

Your Donations Make a Difference in Zayd's Life, 8th Grader

Zayd is 12 years old and will be entering 8th grade at CTK, his last year. Six years ago, his mother abandoned him at the airport, and he was found wandering around looking for her. When asked where he lived, he didn't know, but he remembered that he went to school at CTK and remembered Pastor Brazeal.
 
Through help from LCC, Pastor Brazeal, working with DCFS, was able to have Zayd's grandmother (who was in her 80s) be given full custody of her grandson. Grandma Kenny, now in her 90s, with the help of the Church community of CTK, the Brazeals, teacher TaAqua, and grandma Kenny's daughter, Zayd, has thrived in so many ways.
 
Over the past years, he has jumped the 1.5-grade level. A child age 12 would typically function in the later part of 6th or 7th grade. Academically Zayd can do 8th-grade work.
 
Zayd plays the violin, acolytes for worship services, and excels in math. When he enters high school, he wants to play on the high school baseball team. He plans to become a doctor when he grows up. Zayd has a servant's heart and is always willing to help other students. He helps Pastor Brazeal with the cleaning of the school, and when Pastor Brazeal goes to the tent cities, Zayd always goes with him to help.

Your Donations Make a Difference in Morgan's Life, 1st Grader

This school season Morgan will move to first grade. While in Kindergarten, Morgan was already reading at a 1st-grade level.
 
She's a voracious reader! She's also very artistic and inquisitive and loves to take pictures, especially of nature.
 
Morgan enjoys going on field trips and exploring the world around her.
 
She loves to help out Pastor John, Principal Geri, and her mom, a CTK teacher, around the school.

On Thursday, August 25, LCC staff member John Pejchl presented a check with your donations to Principal Geri Brazeal and had an opportunity to see firsthand your contributions at work, touring the Christ the King classrooms and meeting the teachers and some of the students.
 
One of them was Morgan, a 1st-grader, who sang “He’s Still Working on Me” accompanied by CTK music teacher, Jeanne.

Pastor John Brazeal and Principal Geri Brazeal, and Christ the King Lutheran Church and School in Chicago, Illinois, have been pillars of hope and life in the Bronzeville community for 49 years. Christ the King (CTK) Lutheran Church has been the only Lutheran presence in this gang-infested ghetto of Chicago since 1951.

The addition of the school in 1973, serving children from 3 years old through 8th grade, is a way to reach the future generation with the gospel of Jesus Christ and pave a path to better education and a way out of poverty. When the school opened, eight students were enrolled, and by the following year, that number increased to 60.

Over the past 49 years, John, Geri, and the staff of CTK have touched the lives of hundreds of children and their parents with the gospel of Christ's love and forgiveness, giving them hope, a purpose, and a future. Christ the King has a proven track record with students, who learned their worth in Jesus by keeping them on the straight path, focused on making a difference in the lives of others and staying away from an inner-city life, which could be so very easy to fall into.

As they prepare to begin a new school year, it is crucial that they can continue serving their community. Currently, Christ the King has only one full-time paid teacher, and the rest are volunteers. Out of her love for the students and commitment to the community, TaAqua voluntarily cut her salary in half and stayed to make sure the school would remain open. She supports herself and her daughter, Morgan, and is a caregiver for Zayd, both Christ the King students.