Hurricane Ian, one of the most powerful storms ever to strike the US mainland, battered southwest Florida with high winds, rain, and storm surges as it moved inland. Lutheran Church Charities Disaster Response Director Kathy O'Day and Ed Boerman, Northern Illinois District Disaster Response Coordinators, are working with the LCMS Disaster Response and District Disaster Response Coordinator Jay Wendland from the Florida-Georgia District.

As of Sunday, October 16, twenty-four LCC Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T.) volunteers are in Florida with chainsaws, heavy equipment, and servant-hearts to continue the massive recovery effort in our designated communities of Venice, Port Charlotte, and Englewood, as well as North Port, Punta Gorda, and Rotunda West until the end of October.

These communities were in the eye of a slow-moving hurricane, with residents enduring nine hours of sheltering in place while 125+mph winds and multiple tornadoes passed over their homes. Additional L.E.R.T. volunteers continue to arrive throughout the deployment.

Pastor David Dahlke – Lakeside Lutheran Church

Pastor David Dahlke from LCC’s host church Lakeside Lutheran Church in Venice, Florida, shares, “One of the life lessons we learn early from the Bible is Love your neighbor … what do we do next. And God's hands send the people of L.E.R.T.” He continues, “Help them, serve them and care for them … God calls his church together – hand to hand, life to life, soul to soul – to touch people’s lives and bring them that peace that can only come from the hands of God.” Pastor Dahlke and his congregation are being the hands of Christ to the L.E.R.T. volunteers and to the community. They are so grateful that “God would send Samaritans to not only help them but to pray with them.”

Since our arrival, LCC has completed eighty-two property assessments of tree damage which requires chainsaw and heavy equipment assistance. We are also assessing for debris removal or helping homeowners salvage their belongings from heavily damaged or destroyed homes. Additional assessments will continue throughout the three-week deployment.

During their first week in Florida, L.E.R.T. volunteers completed twenty-three tree-damaged property sites and seven property sites with debris removal or salvaging assistance. The teams worked at four churches, two pastor homes, eight church worker or congregational staff homes, and many community residents. Several properties were multi-day sites, including tree removal from rooftops.

Most of all, L.E.R.T. volunteers are present to provide spiritual and emotional care with those they serve.

Bringing Emotional and Spiritual Support to a Young Family Who Lost Everything

During the LCC Disaster Response deployment to aid those devastated by Hurricane Ian, staff and volunteers were blessed to meet Mrs. S and hear her family's story. The family are members at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Englewood, Florida. When LCC staff arrived at the family home to assess the property, it became clear that the need for emotional and spiritual support was as great as the need for help with physical damage.

"I'm tired of having to be strong," Mrs. S confessed with tears in her eyes. She and her husband had saved for years to purchase their first home. One year ago, they finally bought a home, which was a dream come true. Now that home is unlivable. During the hurricane, the ceiling collapsed. Water got into the home, which created harmful mold and damaged nearly all of their possessions. Mrs. S described the emotional process of throwing away precious items from her childhood that she had passed down to her own children. Beyond the physical losses, Mrs. S is concerned for her beloved children.

Mrs. S told us about her family, who is staying with her mother as they search for housing. They have four children, ages 3, 6, 9, and 12. Two of the children have special needs challenges. The stress of losing their home and getting out of regular routines has been incredibly hard for the children. After years of therapy and progression for her children with special needs, she fears that they are back to square one. Please keep this family in your prayers as they navigate this difficult and heartbreaking chapter in their lives.

“We Need Help” Shares a Husband and Wife Who Sheltered in Place

Robert and his wife sheltered in place for nine hours while the eye of the storm passed over their house. Protecting his wife with a mattress and his own body in a closet, they relied on their strong faith as they read Psalms and prayed for their safety. The Lord heard their prayers!

If you are so moved, please donate to the LCC Disaster Response 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 pray for the residents in the impacted communities and all of the LCC Disaster Response volunteers and staff during our deployment to the hardest-hit areas of Florida to help during the long recovery process.

Tuesday, October 18, was a day to make new friends. LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Moriah (St. Luke's – Oviedo, Florida) and Peace (Trinity - Orlando, Florida) traveled to spend time with the students at Redeemer Lutheran School in Englewood as they returned to school after the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian. 

It was a day for the students to share their stories, loss, fears and other feelings they are experiencing. Some had no damage, some had neighbors who lost their homes, and one child moved in with his grandma as they couldn’t stay in their house after the storm. The K-9s and their handlers were present to love, listen, and comfort them as they returned to school.

LCC received an update from Pastor Doug Warmann, Trinity Lutheran Church, Roselle, Illinois, on the widowed mom of five with a sixth baby on the way that the church is assisting.

This past month has been a time of dealing with changes and challenges for the grieving family of five children with another on the way. Getting through the month is truly a blessing of God, and they wouldn’t have made it without your help. 
 
The mother continues going to physical therapy for a work injury and still plans to get back to work in November. We are still trying to figure out how to make it happen. The reality of her partner’s loss is setting in as she went to receive his death certificate and medical report. The two older kids have begun adjusting to going back to school. The three youngest children have been attending daycare. 
 
However, they all became sick with a virus (not Covid). The middle child received good news as she was accepted into school and has just started attending. She is very excited to start school. However, it is difficult for the mother with her children in three different locations.
 
The new baby is coming in March. Your help has enabled the family to get out of debt, pay their current bills, and have some hope for the future. 
 
If God so leads, please prayerfully consider partnering with those at Trinity, Roselle, to continue to help the pregnant mother provide for her five children. 
 
Thank you for your generous support to them! 
 
Pastor Doug Warmann,
Trinity Lutheran Church, Roselle, Illinois

LCC Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T.) chainsaw team volunteers helped St. Paul Lutheran Church in Chicago Heights, Illinois, remove two damaged trees on their property. One tree was leaning towards the church, and another large pine tree on the property was dead and at risk of falling. They carved a cross in the stump of the pine tree so that members and visitors see that God is always present in their lives.
 
We thank the following L.E.R.T. team members for their faithful service:
 
Good Shepherd, Frankfort: Joe Powless and Curt Murff
St. Paul, Matteson: Dennis Pieper

On Saturday, October 15, LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Gideon (St. Michael’s - Bloomington, Minnesota), and his handler made the trip to Fargo, North Dakota, to attend Yellow Ribbon Post Deployment Event for the Air Force National Guard, and bring comfort to those returning from deployment.

During their visit, they met a young lady who was in Texas for a year for her initial training.  As she petted Gideon, she shared how hard it was to come home and realize that life at home had not stopped and waited for her to return, and the work she had to do to catch up with things at home. 

The team had a great time meeting some of the men and women who serve our country at home and abroad. It was an honor to serve those who serve.

Last weekend the following LCC K-9 Ministry teams from the Southwest Region traveled to Messiah Lutheran Church in Plano, Texas, for a regional gathering:

LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Abner & Martha (Bethany - Austin, Texas)
LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Damaris (Memorial - Katy, Texas)
LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Elijah (Our Redeemer - Wichita Falls, Texas)
LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Gabriel (Messiah - Houston, Texas)
LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Joy (Gloria Dei - Houston, Texas)
LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Miriam (Emmanuel - Kingfisher, Oklahoma)
LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Pax & Phoebe (St. Paul - Fort Worth, Texas)
LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Triton (Messiah - Plano, Texas)

Teams from across Texas, Oklahoma and LCC staff gathered together for worship, fellowship, training, speakers, breakouts, and a service event.

The teams left inspired by the theme “Let your Light Shine.”

The LCC K-9 Ministry Regional Gatherings are important to the teams as they get to be together sharing the same mission "sharing the mercy, compassion, presence and proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering and in need." Seeing how the ministry has grown over the years and how God has connected us as one family is incredible. The regional gatherings remind us how we are not alone but are a family in Christ.