LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs in Oregon this Week to Bring Love and Support
to the Evacuees Affected by the Wildfires

Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort Dogs were invited by Pastor Gary Clark of St. John, Eagle Point, Oregon, to be with the evacuees of the Oregon wildfires in the Medford area who are displaced and staying in area churches, shelters and at fairgrounds.
 
More than 2,300 structures were ruined in only two days. Half of the town of Talent, Oregon, was destroyed with hundreds displaced.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Cubby (Redeemer - Fort Collins, Colorado), Isaac (Redeemer - Spokane Valley, Washington), and Ruthie (LCC Staff) deployed with their team members on Monday, September 21, to Medford, Oregon, to offer comfort and bring compassion. Yesterday, they met with over 200 displaced victims of the Alameda Fire.

California Wildfires Deployment Update

Last Thursday through Saturday, LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Micah (Light of the Valley - Elk Grove, California) spent several days at the SCQ Fire base camp in Porterville, California, to comfort the firefighters and support staff. 
 
Many remembered Micah from a different camp in Pleasanton, California, and were excited to see him again!

The Sequoia Complex Fire is a joint command of the U.S. Forest Service, Northern Rockies Incident Management Team, Cal Fire and National Park Service.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Aaron (St. John’s - Napa, California) and Lois (First Good Shepherd - Las Vegas, California) were requested to visit Pacific Gas & Electric workers as well as Cal Fire workers at their base camps in Tollhouse, California (near Fresno). 
 
They visited with hundreds of employees who are working tirelessly to control the fires and restore power to the areas affected. The teams attended early morning shift changes and visited the support staff at the camps throughout each day. They also visited a nearby hotel where evacuees were being housed.
 
With so many fires burning all over the west coast, we have our work cut out for us, but God continues to lead us to places where we can serve bringing the mercy, compassion, presence and proclamation of Jesus. 
 
Please pray for all of these heroes who sacrifice and risk so much! 

LCC never goes where we are not invited. The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry NEVER charges those we serve. We pick up all of our travel and meal costs. We put boots and paws on the ground within 24 hours (often fewer) from the time we get the invite.
 
Please consider a donation to the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry so that we may continue to show the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.

Your Donations Needed to Help During Long Recovery Efforts in Cedar Rapids, Iowa,
Helping Families Affected by August Storms

The same derecho that barreled through northern Illinois on August 10 also struck Cedar Rapids and surrounding towns in Iowa first, with 100 mph winds causing major destruction to homes, businesses, farms and crops.

Lutheran Church Charities Disaster Response L.E.R.T. teams have finished the first week of chainsaw work with heavy equipment out of King of Kings Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids. Ten LCC L.E.R.T. volunteers completed work for eight LCMS congregation members, including St. Stephens Lutheran Church and Pastor Doug Woldemath in Atkins, Iowa.
 
This week, Kathy O'Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response is continuing work with a team of 21 L.E.R.T. chainsaw and heavy equipment operators from Illinois and Jason Koepnick, King of Kings L.E.R.T. Team Leader for the Iowa East District and several of his L.E.R.T. volunteers. We intend to assist the Iowa East District through September 26th.

There is a lot of tree, crop and building damage on every street in Cedar Rapids. The Iowa District has done much work since the derecho occurred with local and out of state L.E.R.T. teams and other faith-based groups. However, they all left the area for the gulf coast to help in the aftermath of several hurricanes. The Iowa East District welcomes the assistance LCC Disaster Response can provide in their hard-hit community.

Kathy O'Day received the following note from a homeowner after the L.E.R.T. teams cut down one of the big trees on her property.
 
Dear Kathy,
 
Thank you for all the work you did at my home after the terrible storm in Cedar Rapids. Your workers were so wonderful! I'll never be able to repay them for all their work.
 
Thank you! Love you all in Jesus' name.
 
Homeowner, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Lutheran Church Charities Disaster Response L.E.R.T. teams are continuing to respond and serve with the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.

LCC never goes where we are not invited. We NEVER charge those we serve. We pick up all of our travel, lodging, and meal costs. We put boots on the ground within 24 hours (often fewer) from the time we get the invite.
 
Please consider a donation to the LCC Disaster Response General Fund or LCC Disaster Response 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.

Sheridan, 6th Grader
 
Sheridan is a very talented child, extremely funny, a very caring person always willing to help. She does very well in school and excels in playing the violin.
 
Sheridan’s mom is a hard working single mom who lost her job due to COVID-19 but was able to find another so she could continue support her family. Although she has a job, with the hardships inflicted by COVID-19, it is difficult to make ends meet for this family.
 
The experience that my daughter Sheridan had since being at Christ the King (she's been at the school since she was 4) has been one of the most rewarding experiences I could've ever asked for. The public school education system in Chicago often fails black youth and the staff at Christ the King go above and beyond for the kids, as they are their own. Sheridan has grown and continues to grow in a way that is astonishing and we owe a big part of her development to her time at Christ the King.
 
Stefanie, Sheridan's Mom

Mirahri, 4th Grader
 
Mirahri's dad, Milton, is a tailor and his business is a small shop on the Magnificent Mile where stores were looted and destroyed earlier this summer. They lost everything, even the chair and display cases along with their merchandise.
 
Mirahri has two older brothers who were Christ the King students. His brother Milan graduated this spring from Christ the King. 
 
The family is very involved at Christ the King School. Milton tailor-made the choir uniforms for each of the students, and donated them to the school.
 
My husband and I are looking forward to this upcoming school year. This year will be tougher than others dealing with the pandemic. Not only has income been cut in half in result of the shutdown order, our business was looted recently in Chicago's downtown area.
 
Our son Mirahri will be in the 4th grade attending Christ the King school this fall and is very excited about the different learning experience that is on the way. I'm writing this on behalf of my husband and I and most definitely Mirahri's much needed education. We really appreciate your benevolence and will maintain all necessary academic achievements with great success.
 
Terina, Mirahri's Mom

Your donations help children like Sheridan and Mirahri stay in the Christ-centered environment of Christ the King Lutheran Church and School in Chicago, Illinois.

Pastor John Brazeal, Principal Geri Brazeal, the school staff, and members of the congregation have been sharing the life-changing love and grace of God, in Jesus Christ and a quality education for the children of the families they serve for 47 years.
 
Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, many families have lost their jobs and are unable to pay the school tuition. As COVID-19 lingers on, the future of the children staying in school at Christ the King grows bleaker.

Please prayerfully consider donating now to the scholarship program to keep children like Sheridan and Mirahri in school and Christ the King serving their community.

The poorest country in the Western Hemisphere experienced its share of struggles in 2020. Already hit hard by the coronavirus, Hurricane Laura in August has wreaked havoc in this small country causing widespread devastation.
 
Thanks to your donations Lutheran Church Charities continues to send emergency relief funds to Haiti through our Haiti Mission Partners towards critical items.
 
The most needed is food for elderly and at risk families, mostly single parent families.
 
Due to a lack of good government financial policies and the international lock downs of COVID-19, inflation has become outrageous. Food that cost $10 US a year ago costs more than $30 now!

Helen Roenfeldt, Mission: Haiti, reports:
 
In the first 2 distributions we gave out food to 150 individuals/families, mostly elderly.
 
The pandemic and political and economic chaos in Haiti effects the elderly most profoundly. Many are past their ability to do work of any kind and if they have family, their resources are stretched beyond limits. We are so grateful for this opportunity to help more than 400 suffering elderly with food packages that will provide them each about 20 meals.

The lady in green asked our Field Director Lophane if the whole bag of food was for her, he said "yes" and she cried as she thanked him, telling him that she had not eaten for 2 days.
 
Thank you so very much for helping us help these precious souls in Haiti. There are many people who would not survive without this kind of assistance.
 
God bless LCC and all it’s wonderful donors!
 
Because of Christ!
Helen Roenfeldt

Please pray for LCC Haiti Mission partners and the Haitians as they recover from yet another disaster.
 
If you are so moved, please donate generously to help LCC support the recovery efforts in Haiti.

Radio in Haiti is a significant source for news, entertainment and information for most Haitians. Many Haitians don’t have electricity, yet alone televisions. Battery operated radios are popular with the majority of people and are listened to, day and night.

Radio Concordia is run by members of the church. Rev. Alex Moise, a recently ordained Pastor and President of the congregation, heads up the station.
 
Besides Alex, Emmanuel Michel, known to many missionaries from the U.S., has an informative Christian talk show on the station.
 
Other members of the church are Christian DJs at the station spreading the Good News both in words and music. Sunday church services are broadcast weekly. Special church events are also broadcast.

15 Students Needed Sponsors at $3,000 each for $45,000
Your Donations Helped to Raise $28,175
$16,825 Still Needed to Reach Goal

 Donate Today to Help Us Sponsor All of the Children

Thank You for Donations Received!

Mikel, 7th Grader
 
Mikel attended a public school for four years where he was bullied which affected his learning. He was recently diagnosed with a learning disability and is now in Christ the King's special education program with the help of Chicagoland Lutheran Educational Foundation (CLEF).
 
Mikel's mother sent the following letter to the school:
 
Since January 2020, I was unable to work full-time and most recently returned to work on August 3rd. As a single mother and head of the household, I have done my best to keep our family up and running with food, clothing, and shelter during this time.

Constantly focusing on the happiness and safety of my children, I was forced to remove my son from Chicago Public Schools (CPS) due to bullying. He was hospitalized after being injured from an encounter with a bully, which made me understand the severity of his experiences. I decided to place him in a private school at Christ the King in order to give him a better chance of being in a safe setting while getting the best education possible.
 
Mikel is an overcomer. With the help of tutors, he is back on track academically, and he is happy at his school.
 
As a caring mother, I want to do everything possible to keep my son at his school. With your financial contribution, we can positively impact the trajectory and outcome of his emotional, mental, physical, and academic stability.

In advance, I thank you so much for considering our family when determining how to disperse funds. I can assure you that it will be used properly to keep my son in the safest and most progressive environment possible.
 
Genuine appreciation,
Latonya

Your donations help children like Morgan and Mikel stay in the Christ-centered environment of Christ the King Lutheran Church and School in Chicago, Illinois.
 
Morgan is one of the students who was helped by donations from kind people who read the need for students' tuition in the LCC Making a Difference newsletter. We are very pleased that people are reaching out to help students whom they do not even know. Morgan has grown up in the classrooms of Christ the King. She has been with us since she was twelve weeks old. Her mom teaches here in the primary grades.
 
Thank you for the help we are receiving for families of Christ the King!
 
Geri Brazeal
Principal, Christ the King Lutheran School

The same derecho that barreled through northern Illinois on August 10 also struck Cedar Rapids and surrounding towns in Iowa first, with 100 mph winds causing major destruction to homes, businesses, farms and crops.

Lutheran Church Charities Director of Disaster Response, Kathy O’Day and Pete Springmire, Advanced Chainsaw Team Leader, spent two full days last week assessing damage at 45 homes in Cedar Rapids and surrounding small towns. Their work helps the LCMS Iowa East District identify sites that LCC Disaster Response will provide chainsaw assistance to, utilizing the boom lift and our heavy equipment.

We have been invited to assist by Jason Koepnick, King of Kings Lutheran Church L.E.R.T. Team Leader. Jason has been coordinating all volunteers for the Iowa East District to over a hundred sites since the derecho, spanning a wide area for the disaster response in Cedar Rapids.

Lutheran Church Charities Disaster Response L.E.R.T. teams have begun serving out of King of Kings Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids and working in and around there this week. We intend to assist the Iowa East District through September 26th.
 
The Iowa District has done much work over the last month with local and out of state L.E.R.T. teams and other faith-based groups. However, these groups left the area for the gulf coast to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura.
 
The Iowa L.E.R.T. teams welcome the assistance LCC Disaster Response can provide. On Tuesday, the L.E.R.T. volunteers completed work at Pastor Woldermath’s home and the church property in Atkins, Iowa. He is pastor of St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church.

Lutheran Church Charities Disaster Response L.E.R.T. teams are continuing to respond and serve with the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.

LCC never goes where we are not invited. We NEVER charge those we serve. We pick up all of our travel, lodging, and meal costs. We put boots on the ground within 24 hours (often fewer) from the time we get the invite.
 
Please consider a donation to the LCC Disaster Response General Fund or LCC Disaster Response 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.

Due to a lack of good government financial policies and the international lock downs of COVID-19, inflation has become outrageous. Food that cost $10 US a year ago costs more than $30 now!
 
Your donations make the difference between life and death for many of our Haitian brothers and sisters.
 
Please pray for LCC Haiti Mission partners and the Haitians as they recover from yet another disaster.
 
If you are so moved, please donate generously to help LCC support the recovery efforts in Haiti.

LCC received a request from Pastor Jeffrey Howell from St. Paul Lutheran Church in Chicago, Illinois, to assist one of his congregation members who is having financial challenges.
 
Felisha is an active member of our church who is having financial challenges. She is in need of assistance with the front porch of her home. It is showing signs of serious deterioration and is becoming dangerous for her or anyone coming to her home.

Felisha has osteoarthritis which limits her physical ability as she walks with a cane. Because of her condition, it is difficult for her to work. She is on a fixed income as she receives Social Security, assistance from the state to pay her utilities and SNAP benefits. She is unable to afford to get this work completed.
 
I am reaching out to Lutheran Church Charities in hope they can provide Felisha some assistance to help her.
 
In His Name
Rev. Jeffrey Howell