The Prince of Peace (Palatine, Illinois) Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T.) members were asked by Dave Penner, Director of Care Ministry, to assist an elderly congregation member with trimming bushes, yard work, and outside painting. L.E.R.T. members Jim and Karen Beckley, and Richard and Bonnie Habegger spent a few hours helping the homeowner, who thanked all for their assistance.

It is good to see how the disaster response ministry is continuing to grow in the LCMS with volunteers willing to share the Mercy, Compassion, Presence, and Proclamation of Jesus in service to those suffering and in need.

Last week, Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response received a thank you card from a family in Crescent City, Illinois expressing their thanks for the work our LERT teams did on their property. The family had multiple trees downed due to 90 mph straight line winds that swept through Crescent City on May 23. The LERT teams were able to safely cut and remove the trees around their home. The homeowner also worked with our team hauling wood with his tractor. In the card sent, they wrote:

“Please thank the LERT volunteers for helping us after the storm damage took out nine trees on May 23. The work went really fast with so many! God bless all!”

In addition to the thank you card, the family also made a monetary donation to LCC to support future disaster response efforts.

Lutheran Church Charities LERT team members consider it a privilege and blessing to be able to serve in the name of Jesus Christ to those affected by a disaster.

This training was developed by LCC to teach experienced LERT team members how to assess homes that have been flooded to determine how volunteers can provide muck and gut services and mold remediation. It also covered how to assess tree and home damage after a storm, tornado, or hurricane to determine how volunteers can provide chainsaw services and possible roof tarping.

Through the presentation of various scenarios, LERT team members were shown how to complete LCC LERT work orders for volunteers with an accurate description of damage, equipment needed to safely and effectively complete work, and any other special instructions to pass along as jobs are assigned to teams during a deployment.

It was obvious to all that Pastor Sifuentes, his wife, Deaconess Elly Sifuentes, and their congregation members are very proud of their church and mission. They welcomed the team warmly and gave them a tour of the church and facilities with the organist insisting on playing their 150 year old mechanical pipe organ for all to hear. They also enjoyed a wonderful international meal of American hot dogs, Mexican tamales, and German potato salad with their staff.

One of the LERT team members summed it up best at the end of the work day saying, “I am so tired but it’s a good tired.”

“Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people.” Ephesians 6:7