Being the Hands and Feet of Jesus with First Responders, Families, and the Community of Surfside, Florida

7/21/2021

LCC K-9 Ministry Teams and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Bring Comfort and
a Healing Presence During Recovery Efforts

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18

The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry were honored and blessed to be in Surfside, Florida, serving this hurting community after the Champlain Towers South condominium collapse.

Your donations helped Lutheran Church Charities and our ministry teams be present during the recovery efforts for an unimaginable tragedy. Click each video to hear how your prayers and support continue to touch our ministry teams and those we serve!

Hearts of Mercy and Compassion
Bringing Compassion and Closure to
a Hurting Community

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs
Bringing Mercy and Compassion to
a Grieving Community

God directed our deployed LCC K-9 Ministry team to be at the right place and the right time every step of the way. The nine LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs with their gentle hearts, loving eyes, and calming presence were there to serve the grieving friends and family, and the first responders working long and difficult hours to find each loved one lost in the collapse. The handlers were present to listen, love, and pray for each person they met during this difficult time.

Holy Cross Lutheran Church and Pastor Dennis Bartels of North Miami, Florida, have continued this mission by placing thirty-six additional Hearts of Mercy and Compassion markers as the names of those lost were recovered and identified. To date, there are ninety-seven Hearts of Mercy and Compassion markers placed along the Memorial Wall, including one marker with three names on it as requested by the family. The families, friends, and visitors are able to write messages and prayers on the markers as they continue to grieve those lost.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Peace (Trinity – Orlando, Florida) and Lizzie (Trinity – Savannah, Georgia) and their ministry teams will make return visits to Surfside, Florida, as invited to give additional comfort, love, and presence to those in need, to the first responders, and all recovery staff.

LCC extends a heartfelt thank you to the following LCC K-9 Ministry teams who deployed to Surfside to share the love and hope of Jesus Christ with everyone they met:

Charity (Brookfield – Brookfield, Wisconsin)
Hope (Faith – Marietta, Georgia)
Jewel (Christ Our Savior – Loudon, Tennessee)
Lizzie (Trinity – Savannah, Georgia)
Mary (St. Paul's – Janesville, Wisconsin)
Peace (Trinity – Orlando, Florida)
Seth (Eternal Shepherd – Seneca, South Carolina)
Tobias (Lord of Glory – Grayslake, Illinois)
Zoara (Island Lutheran – Hilton Head Island, South Carolina)

LCC also extends a gracious thank you to Pastor Bartels and the members of Holy Cross Lutheran Church for inviting and hosting both the LCC K-9 Ministry and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry to help you continue to be present and serve the community.

We continue to pray for all the families and friends of those who lost a loved one in the collapse, for the community, and for the recovery team in Surfside.

LCC's K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry never charge those we serve. Please prayerfully consider a donation to the LCC K-9 Travel and Hearts of Mercy & Compassion, Crosses for Losses Funds so that we may continue to show the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.

DONATE - LCC K-9 TRAVEL FUND

DONATE - HEARTS OF MERCY & COMPASSION