Being the Hands and Feet of Jesus with Firefighters Battling Dixie Fire in Chico, California7/28/2021
 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." Isaiah 43:2 The LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and their ministry teams were invited by Shawna Powell at Cal Fire to come to Silver Dollar Fair Grounds in Chico, California, to comfort the courageous firefighters tirelessly battling the Dixie Fire. Shawna is working the Dixie Fire as the Employee Support Staff (ESS) Battalion Chief for that fire (Team 1). The Dixie Fire, California’s largest wildfire this year, continues to chew through thousands of acres of rough terrain this week, prompting evacuation orders and threatening communities in a region scarred by the memory of the 2018 Camp Fire, the deadliest in the state’s history. More than 5,400 firefighters are battling the Dixie Fire, which merged over the weekend with another nearby blaze, the Fly Fire, and had burned through about 200,000 acres, according to Cal Fire, the state’s fire agency.  Beginning Saturday, July 24, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Aaron & Gomer (St. John’s - Napa, California), Micah (Light of the Valley - Elk Grove, California), Rahab (St. Andrews - Stockton, California), and Reuben (First Lutheran - Yuba City, California) will be rotating throughout the coming weeks to serve the California firefighters at their base camps. These are very long hard days for these brave men and women fighting these fires. The conditions of heat, smoke, and continuous fires make each day a challenge. Having the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and their teams there gave the firefighters a break from their stress and the loneliness of being away from their families. The K-9s were happy to be near and give unconditional love to the firefighters, pilots, and ground crew as their handlers and ministry partners embraced these men and women and prayed with them. Comment of the day: “Best thing that has happened to them since they got here.”
 Many of the brave men and women fighting these fires in California have family and friends at home who worry for their safety. The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog teams are happy they could be with them today and throughout the coming weeks to bring much-needed comfort, love, and smiles. "May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other." Genesis 31:49 Please keep the firefighters working tirelessly to control these fires and the communities affected in your prayers for God’s safety and strength. LCC's K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry never charges those we serve. Please prayerfully consider a donation to the LCC K-9 Travel Fund so that we may continue to show the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.
LCC Hearts of Mercy & Compassion and Holy Cross Lutheran Church in North Miami, Florida, placed hearts and markers at the memorial site in Surfside, Florida. One was placed for each life lost as a result of this horrific tragedy. Visitors to the memorial site signed and left condolence messages. The K-9 Ministry teams were present to share love and compassion to help everyone who visited process the grief they are experiencing. Watch the video for a tribute to all those who lost their lives in the Champlain Tower Collapse.  “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God." Isaiah 40:1 LCC's Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry never charges those we serve. Please prayerfully consider a donation to the 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.
 Lutheran Church Charities has been present and serving the hard-hit communities of Woodridge, Naperville, and Downers Grove after an EF-3 tornado struck on June 20, 2021 through Trinity Lutheran Church in Lisle, Illinois. As of today, we have met with 118 homeowners to assess their property damage and have identified and completed 81 total sites that we can assist with. Helping Homeowner with Tree Damage to Uninhabitable Home and Property Mr. P was one of the last homes we helped complete chainsaw work at this past week. He had several broken trees around his home that is now uninhabitable after the tornado collapsed his attached garage and part of his kitchen wall. He appreciated the assistance and felt relieved that it was finally done. He was thankful that we took care of the tree damage clean-up at no cost to him. He enjoyed watching and talking with the large group of volunteers and told all that we were a blessing to him and his neighbors that we had also served over the last few weeks.
Mayor Cunningham of Woodridge Extends Heartfelt Thank You for Serving Her Community Mayor Gina Cunningham sent another beautiful note of thanks on Sunday to Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response, to share with all the L.E.R.T. team members that have so willingly served in their community: Woke up early this morning and decided to take a drive around Woodridge. I truly can’t believe the difference 4 to 5 weeks makes. And, as I was driving, tears ran down my face. Immediately my thoughts went to ALL of the incredible helping hands that came from NEAR AND FAR to our rescue. Some I have had the pleasure to meet and talk with, but most I may not meet, nor THANK, for being a shining light of Hope and Compassion. I would like to share that they truly rescued a devastated, heartbroken, stunned, and hurting community (right after the June 20th EF-3 tornado). Woodridge is a good, kind, and welcoming community. I know that there are not enough words to convey the gratitude we have for all the help/helpers. Lutheran Church Charities also extends many thanks for the 75 volunteers that have served over these last five weeks. They have come from the following 18 Lutheran churches in Illinois and Alabama:
The LCC Disaster Response Ministry never charges those we serve. Please donate to the LCC Disaster Response General 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.
Your prayers, support, and involvement help Make A Difference – in the name of Jesus to those in need. Urgent Help Is Needed to Feed Haitian Adults & Children and Provide Life-Saving Hygiene Stations7/28/2021
 Your Donations Are Saving Vulnerable Haitian Lives Every Day! Haiti is the only country in the Americas that has yet to roll out a coronavirus vaccination campaign. It is difficult for medical and other supplies to enter the country. Haiti’s airports are still closed to commercial traffic and dangerous protests continue every week. Your Donations Are Making A Difference in Haiti! Each and every day, our Haiti mission partner, Lophane Laurent, makes the difficult and often dangerous journey to remote parts of Haiti to deliver life-saving supplies to individuals and families. Watch the video to see Lophane deliver items to a mother and her young children at their home.  Because of your donations, LCC has been able to send money to Haiti to purchase food and Hygiene Stations. We received a recent update from Lophane Laurent in Haiti:
Blessings to you, my friends! This is a little tent city where more than 5000 people live in bad conditions. I am working with a small church that mission Haiti used as a clinic for them. And I can tell how happy they were to receive the hygiene kits and some food. It was a great gift, like they told me. May God bless your families and the LCC Ministries! Please continue to help LCC and Lophane serve the most vulnerable – those who are suffering and have nowhere else to turn to for help. The need is still great, and your donations are desperately needed to help individuals and families in Haiti. The LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry was invited to participate in the Air National Guard Yellow Ribbon Event for pre and post deployed service members and their families. Veterans Robert Berquist with LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry Dog Jael (Trinity - Hobart, Indiana), Keith Buchmueller, Bruce Kothe with LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry Dog Tabby (St. Paul’s - Des Peres, Missouri) and Jeff Schulman with LCC Kare 9 Military Ministry Dog Samson (Zion - Marengo, Illinois) were honored to spend the weekend with military service members and their families to bring a sense of joy and comfort to all. Some families were welcoming home their loved ones from deployment, while others had to say good-bye as mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters prepared to deploy with the Air National Guard. "The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. He is my refuge, my savior, the One who saves me from violence. I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and He saved me from my enemies." 2 Samuel 22:2-4
 LCC received a request from Dave Penner, Director of Care at Prince of Peace, Palatine, Illinois, to help a single mother with a financial burden.
The daughter in the family suffers from an untreatable genetic blood disorder and chronic Lyme disease. She has developed hypersensitivities to chemicals, mold, and electronically controlled equipment which has kept her mostly homebound for many years. NICOR, Illinois natural gas provider has new gas consumption technology which will greatly impact the health and wellbeing of the daughter. Due to her hypersensitivities, the gas meter, which is currently outside her bedroom, must be moved. After court proceedings and much effort from this concerned mother to have NICOR move the gas meter, NICOR said they are willing to move it at the homeowner's expense. The health and wellbeing of the daughter are of the utmost importance. Unfortunately, the mother is faced with a very short window of time to gather the funds. She must pay the full fee for the meter to be moved before the work being done. The cost to move the gas meter is $4,320. Please prayerfully consider donating to support this single mother so that she can provide a healthy and safe environment for her daughter. In early March of this year, LCC received a call from Janet Gehlbach, the Chairperson for the 26th Biennial convention and 50th Anniversary of the International Lutheran Deaf Association. This is also the 125th Anniversary of the Deaf Ministry in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS). The International Lutheran Deaf Association is a group of LCMS deaf members, pastors (deaf and hearing), and church workers. To celebrate all these milestones in Deaf Ministry, the conference planners planned a special mission event. On Friday afternoon, conference attendees assembled 50 Blessing Bags to give to LCC. Each Blessing Bag contained travel-size toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, body bar soap lotion, deodorant, hand sanitizer, travel wipes, Kleenex, and snack like cookies, chips, rice crispy bars, etc.).
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