LCC President / CEO Tim Hetzner in Florida to See Firsthand the Devastation from Hurricane Michael10/16/2018
There are five Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS) churches located in the panhandle that were hit by Hurricane Michael; 3 have been totally destroyed and the other 2 have sustained considerable damage. Pastor Robert Lydick from Redemption Lutheran in Panama City shares that the damage to the church is so great that it is a total loss. Tim talks to Pastor Randal Ehrichs from Good Shepherd in Callaway about the devastation in their community. CLICK HERE to watch testimony from Pastor Ehrichs. LCC has given financial assistance to all three pastors to help them, their members and the community who have the greatest need. The damage sustained in Mexico City, Florida, community is unimaginable - devastation as far as you can see.
Currently, the greatest need is financial assistance to help families with the very basic need of food and lodging. As needs continue to be assessed, we will be sending a special update later this week on how you can help this devastated and hurting community! LCC LERT teams have been asked by the LCMS to be on standby to deploy to provide chainsaw and debris removal assistance. Please pray for the churches, individuals, and families affected by Hurricane Michael, as well as all first responders and volunteers who tirelessly help during this long-term recovery effort. Your generous donations will help us to share the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.
LCC LERT Teams Help Families Affected by Hurricane Florence in Wilmington, North Carolina10/16/2018
This week, Kathy O'Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response, and 25 LCC LERT chainsaw team members, returned home from their deployment to Messiah Lutheran Church in Wilmington, North Carolina, at the invitation of the South Eastern District (SED) to assist those with downed and damaged trees. Of the 36 sites that were assessed, the LERT teams were able to complete work at 29 homes and at the church before the arrival of Hurricane Michael. The team met many homeowners, listened to their stories, prayed with them, and helped clean up their properties. They feel blessed they were able to make a difference in the lives they touched. One of these homeowners has been living in their damaged home since Hurricane Florence hit with no power due to an insurance battle. They are struggling financially, have medical disabilities, and are exhausted physically and emotionally. The team was able to secure a generator, gas, oil, and non-perishable food for them, as well as point them to the church for spiritual and emotional care.
LCC received the following Disaster Update on Saturday, October 13, from Deaconess Sally Hiller, LCMS Southeastern District’s Disaster Response Coordinator: Serving in Times of Disaster Dear Ministry Partners, Even as the horrific damage of Hurricane Michael is being discovered, folks are hard at work cutting trees, mucking out houses, and helping to rebuild in the Carolinas. Your contributions are making this happen. Your willingness to serve on a team restores hope to a family. Your prayers continue to lift up all of God’s children is encouraging. Appeal for Immediate Help There is a great need for volunteers to help with recovery in Wilmington and Havelock, North Carolina. If you are able to come and help this next week with tree removal and or mucking out homes, please let us know by completing the form HERE The stories in the paragraphs below are from three different people involved in the recovery efforts this past week. A message from Tina McGuffey is from Our Savior, Laurel, Maryland Tina was a part of a team last week in Wilmington, North Carolina Still reflecting on a day where our team worked on 3 houses in one neighborhood, all flooded with 2-4 feet of standing water for 2 weeks. We helped finish the gutting of one, moved to the next and started clearing debris when the homeowner said: “no more, please stop.” We moved to the 3rd house which broke my heart, a 91-year old widow who had lived in her house for 47 years was now living in a shelter. We carefully went through her things, salvaging what we could before beginning the gutting process. I had to toss at least 10 beautiful knit scarves which had been neatly folded in a bottom drawer now drenched in sewer water and infiltrated with mold. When I asked her if she wanted to try to get them cleaned, she said “no, just throw them out, I made those for me, I’ll just make some more.” Much of a lifetime of memories now sits in a rubbish pile on the edge of the street, along with that of her neighbors. Please pray for Mrs. J and all the others impacted here in the Carolinas and thank God for the hundreds of volunteers from all over the country who are serving here and honoring and respecting the survivors. Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) and Lutheran Early Response Teams (LERT) from 3 states arrive in North Carolina LCC Director of Disaster Response Kathy O'Day, and twenty five LERT chainsaw team members from 12 churches and 3 states, deployed to Messiah Lutheran Church in Wilmington, North Carolina, to assist those with downed and damaged trees as a result of Hurricane Florence. The chainsaw team completed work at 17 Messiah Lutheran Church member homes in the 3 days. They have several other homes in Wilmington to assess and complete before they leave. Several of these jobs have involved use of heavy equipment, such as tractor, bobcats and the boom lift. Everyone assisted is very appreciative for the professional work done and Christian focus of the team members. From Lars Helland and the Response Team at Eternal Shepherd, Seneca, South Carolina Betty lives in Lumberton and is one of many residents who have experienced the effects of 2 major hurricanes within 2 years. Below is a picture of the Eternal Shepherd’s Disaster Relief Team #709. The team number is always the combined age of the team. Betty is the home owner and very thankful for the help. Lord God, we pray for an extra measure of comfort on those who stand again in the midst of disaster. Strengthen them as they build anew. |
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