Lutheran Church Charities President/CEO Rev. Chris Singer joined Pastor Eddie Hosch (pictured) and Emmanuel Lutheran Kahului, Hawaii, to lead a service of prayer and remembrance on August, 8, one year after the fires that burned Lahaina and parts of Maui and took 102 lives. 

Situated against the Hearts of Mercy & Compassion memorial site at Hokiokio Place in Lahaina, attendees found comfort in the reading of Scripture, singing of hymns, and observing 102 seconds of silence in honor of the victims. Attending the service were local residents, as well as Pastor Mitch Gowan, Our Savior Aiea, Hawaii; Pastor Christian Rasmussen, Our Redeemer Honolulu; and Pastor Milton Fricke, who had served Emmanuel Kahului for 40 years.

“How is your heart today? Is it still broken? Numb?” Pastor Hosch asked during his sermon, which also was streamed via Facebook Live. “The promises of Christ outweigh every burden, every pain. As our Savior said in the Gospel of John, ‘Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me.’

“God mends broken hearts. God transforms hurting hearts.”

In closing remarks, Rev. Singer invited attendees to take time to find ways to express words of comfort and peace to the community — and to themselves.

“If ever there was a time that we need to look to Jesus to be reminded of our blessed hope, it is now,” Singer said. “He is our hope, especially in times of sorrow. These Hearts of Mercy and Compassion are a symbol of that hope.”

As the service ended, attendees placed new leis on each heart and cross.

Throughout the day, other guests paid their respects at the HMC memorial site, including personnel from the Department of Homeland Security, various fire chiefs, and a crew from Hawaiian Airlines.

The HMC memorial site will remain on Maui for residents and visitors to sign words of encouragement and hope.

A year after the tragedy, sadness remains. But amid the sorrow, Pastor Hosch sees hope amid suffering.

During the service, Hosch read from two Old Testament passages of God’s care for His people in times of anguish.

“‘God is our Refuge and Strength, a very present Help in trouble,’” he said, reading from Psalm 46. “‘Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way.’”

Rev. Singer read from the prophet Isaiah: “He will swallow up death forever; and the LORD God will wipe away tears from all faces.”
 
Attendees also sang stanzas from “Amazing Grace” and “It Is Well With My Soul.”

After pausing 102 seconds in silence, service attendees spoke together the words of the Lord’s Prayer and lifted their voices to “Doxology” in native Hawaiian.

Recovery and healing will continue for years, Hosch said after the service.

Lahaina residents and the island-wide Maui community are slowly progressing through grit and resilience. Many are still displaced, and the rebuilding continues for many. It could take 3 to 5 years to recover, some estimate.

LCC thanks you for your faithful prayers and support as the ministry continues to assist the Maui communities affected by the wildfires in their long recovery process.

Each of the children was very excited to have a bedroom personalized with their wishes. They feel truly blessed by the physical, spiritual, and emotional assistance and care given to them and know they can now move forward in dealing with the aftermath of this tragic fire.

The Makai Foundation and Lutheran Church Charities have covered the construction rebuilding costs of approximately $9,000. Maui Rapid Response and other trades helped rebuild the damaged house so this family could have a safe and permanent home for some time. Emmanuel Lutheran Church also purchased and delivered some of the supplies needed for this build.

Please prayerfully consider donating to help provide affordable housing options for families that lost everything. Your support can make a huge difference in the lives of those affected by these devastating fires. By providing affordable housing, we can help families get back on their feet and rebuild their lives.

Join us in this mission to support the Maui community and provide hope for those who have lost everything. Together, we can make a difference!

Posted: January 23, 2024

The recent wildfires in Maui have caused widespread devastation, displacing approximately 12,000 people and leading to the loss of over 3,000 homes, businesses, and land. The impact of these fires goes beyond just physical damage, as they have also caused a loss of identity and heritage, and a loss of ohana (family) for the affected communities.
 
With over 15,000 applications for assistance filed with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and SBA (Small Business Administration), it is clear that the people of Maui are in dire need of support. The fires have also worsened the existing housing crisis on the island, which was already a major issue before the disaster struck. This crisis has been exacerbated by the loss of affordable housing and jobs due to the fires, leaving many families struggling to make ends meet. It is clear that the people of Maui need our help and support during these difficult times.

A Multi-Generation Family Struggles to Find Affordable Housing

Lutheran Church Charities and Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Kahului are beginning to work with Rebekah Uccellini from the Makai Foundation to help meet the unmet needs of survivors.
 
Rebekah stated, "In the wake of the disaster, everyone and their brother wanted to help Maui. We knew that it was important for us to pause and listen for the invitation (kahea) of trust. We understood that there would likely be gaps in the system. We chose to observe and identify those gaps in order to ensure that we weren't going in with just best of intentions. We wanted to ensure we had a process in place to effectively catch those who were falling through the cracks in the system."

Exploring "Outside the Box" Options to Provide Affordable Housing for Families in Need

The Makai Foundation is looking into other “outside the box” options to provide affordable housing for families in need. Many properties on the island are in disrepair that, if fixed up, could house families. There is an opportunity for this family to create stability for themselves and return to nature and their cultural traditions on the magical western shores of Maui in Kahakuloa Valley.
 
Rebekah was introduced to another local family who has sixteen acres of land that’s been in their family for generations. They have watched as many of the homes on their homestead have fallen into disrepair but they haven’t had the resources to do the proper upgrades. It has been painful for them to watch these homes fall into disrepair.
 
Their hearts have been wanting to help Lahaina families and to share what they have, so they have been providing spaces on the land since the fires - free of charge. Last week they showed Rebekah two homes on their land that they would be willing to provide, rent-free for a year, if the Makai Foundation could help them fix them up. The land is quite literally a little slice of heaven on earth.
 
Rebekah brought these families together to see if it would be a good match. The families found out they knew the same people from Lahainaluna, shared stories about the pastor of the church they had gone to, and many tears were shed between them. Since the father of the displaced family is also a landscaper, he offered to help tend to the land, which was music to the owner’s ears. Rebekah states, "I️ watched as the children played on the land, and everyone came to life."

A Dream Land for Displaced Families

The land is an absolute dream and a prayer come true, knowing that by helping local families fix up their homes, they, in exchange, will be providing refuge for fire-affected families in need. Rebekah states, "There is much potential to provide more opportunities and affordable housing on the island for these families for the long haul with the help of willing partners, like Lutheran Church Charities and Emmanuel Lutheran Church."

Please prayerfully consider donating to help provide affordable housing options for this family in need. Your support can make a huge difference in the lives of those affected by these devastating fires. By providing affordable housing, we can help families get back on their feet and rebuild their lives. Join us in this mission to support the Maui community and provide hope for those who have lost everything. Together, we can make a difference!

Spiritual and Emotional Care Needs for Survivors

Emmanuel leadership is also exploring options to provide a dinner for survivors followed by a meeting place for adults to receive support and children to play and explore art therapy, which has been well-received in the community recovery centers that will be closing at the end of the month.
 
Lutheran Church Charities continues to support and encourage Emmanuel Lutheran Church leaders as they navigate the next phase of this long-term recovery process and minister to those affected by the devastating fire. Emmanuel Lutheran School has also continued to provide requested items needed to the community distribution points for survivors in Lahaina and Kula. The congregation of Emmanuel and the people they have met and minister to extend heartfelt "Mahalo nui" for prayers and financial support sent on their behalf.

About the Makai Foundation

The Makai Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity focused on rebuilding Maui after the deadly wildfires of 2023. Their goal is to:
 

• Help with immediate needs like water, food, and shelter
• Bridge the gap where insurance falls short
• Coordinate and collaborate with local charities on the ground
• Search for affordable housing
• Get local businesses back up and running
• Keep generational lands in generational hands
• Move quickly around red tape to get things done
  

They do this by partnering with local businesses, organizations, churches, and individuals who can provide assistance for survivors, especially those who fall between the cracks, and without the red tape many government and other agencies may have.

They do this by publishing brief stories about the survivor with unmet needs and the amount requested to meet these needs for the donors/partners to see if they could help. This is where Emmanuel Lutheran Church and LCC will assist in meeting these identified and vetted unmet needs of families and individuals.

Unity Walk Rallies Lahaina Community

We invite you to watch the broadcast from The Unity Walk that took place along LCC's Hearts of Mercy & Compassion and crosses at the memorial site.

Thank you for your generous support and for BEING THERE with LCC to show the love and presence of Jesus to the people of Maui.
 
Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) and Emmanuel Lutheran Church and School in Kahului have come together to assist with service planning and establishing a new memorial site in Maui for the victims of the recent wildfires.
 
With the support of our generous donors and the hard work of our volunteers, we were able to create a beautiful and meaningful tribute to those who lost their lives in the fire.

Emmanuel worked with LCC President/CEO Rev. Chris Singer and Project Manager Tim Laabs to prepare, assemble, and place 98 Hearts of Mercy & Compassion at the memorial site, located off Hokiokio Place, just one block from the entrance into the Lahaina community, which is currently restricted for resident access only. Hearts of Mercy & Compassion for two more victims, whose names were released yesterday, will be added to the memorial.
 
The team of volunteers gathered at the memorial site last Saturday morning for scripture, song, prayers, and a moment of silence in remembrance of each heart bearing the name of a person who died in the fire, as well as Psalm 34:18, "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."

Several community members found the heart with their loved one's name and signed a message of love onto the heart.
 
"To see this long row of Hearts and Crosses creates a deep impression of both the magnitude of life lost and yet also the hope that we have in Jesus," Rev. Chris Singer shared.
 
"Listening to the stories from family members of those lost in this fire was an incredible experience. It was heartwarming to hear their words of thanks for honoring their loved ones and to feel our love and care for them," Tim Laabs said.

The memorial site serves as a reminder of the love and presence of Jesus in times of tragedy.
 
We thank you for your faithful prayers and support as we continue to assist the Maui communities affected by the wildfires in their long recovery process.

LCC President/CEO, Rev. Chris Singer, along with HMC Project Manager, Tim Laabs, have arrived in Maui to work with Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Kahului to prepare and place 99 Hearts of Mercy & Compassion at a memorial site uniquely chosen for this purpose in Lahaina

Leif Sjostrand (Congregational President), Russell Wilson (Head Elder), and Diane Wilson (Church Secretary) from Emmanuel have arranged for volunteers and newly trained Maui LERT team members to assemble the crosses and add names to the hearts for those who lost their lives in the Maui wildfires. Friday morning, volunteers will move the hearts and crosses to the memorial site located on Hokiokio Place in Lahaina, between the Lahaina Bypass and Honoapiilani Hwy.
 
Saturday morning, November 11th, volunteers specifically trained to offer comfort and hope to those visiting the site will return to the memorial site with Pastor Singer. The Dedication Ceremony honoring the lives lost will take place at 10:00 a.m. Attendees are invited to write messages of hope and healing on the hearts, which will then be presented to the families.

Thank you for your faithful prayers and support for all of the communities affected by the wildfires who are now facing the long process of recovery. BE THERE with LCC to show them the love and presence of Jesus!

Thank you for your prayers! Yesterday, after traveling over 4,000 miles, 120 hearts and crosses arrived safely at Kahului Harbor in Maui and will be transported to Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Kahului, Maui.

Lutheran Church Charities Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry and Redeemer Lutheran Church, Fort Collins, Colorado, delivered the hearts and crosses to the Orphan Grain Train ministry in Norfolk, Nebraska.

Last week, Lutheran Church Charities Hearts of Mercy & Compassion Ministry delivered 120 hearts and crosses to the Orphan Grain Train ministry in Norfolk, Nebraska, which are now on their way to Maui. 
 
LCC will return to Maui to partner with Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Maui, and Our Savior Aiea, Hawaii, during the week of November 5th, when they will prepare the Hearts of Mercy & Compassion with the names of those deceased, followed by deploying a group bringing the hearts, along with comfort and care, to this community. Please pray for the successful arrival of these 120 hearts and crosses to our partners in Maui.

Additionally, as the island re-opens to tourism, many of those displaced have received notice that they must vacate current government-sponsored hotel locations. Many are moving in with extended family and friends or will be relocating off the island. This situation will create a greater need for human services in other areas throughout the island.

Lutheran Church Charities continues to partner with the California-Nevada-Hawaii District of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod and Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Maui to identify and direct all support to these needs.
 
Thank you for your faithful prayers and support for all of the communities affected by the wildfires during the long recovery process. BE THERE with LCC to show them the love and presence of Jesus!

Rev. Chris Singer, LCC President/CEO, and Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response, continue to work with Emmanuel Lutheran Church leaders as they navigate the Maui wildfire recovery process and minister to those affected. They meet weekly on Zoom with church and school leaders.
 
Last week, the leaders reported that they are continuing to supply the community distribution sites in Lahaina and Kula based on specific requests. They have also been able to provide gift card assistance to eight teachers from Main Prep Academy in Lahaina who totally lost their homes, as well as other families referred to them from the family assistance center

Through a strong partnership with Orphan Grain Train, LCC will be sending 120 Hearts of Mercy & Compassion (HMC) to Maui.
 
Thank you to Tim Laabs, HMC Project Manager, and our HMC volunteers and partners who cut wood, painted, glued, packed, and are driving the hearts and markers to Orphan Grain Train’s facility in Norfolk, Nebraska, from Fort Collins, Colorado, and from Northbrook, Illinois.
 
More updates to come once they arrive in Maui. Please pray for clear shipping channels and delivery to Emmanuel Lutheran Church and School.

Lutheran Church Charities is continuing to support Emmanuel Lutheran Church leaders as they navigate this recovery process and minister to those affected by this devastating fire.
 
Becky Soppe, MS, LMHP, a GracePoint team counselor from Omaha, Nebraska, specializing in family and youth ministry, is now in Maui, providing spiritual and emotional care on behalf of Emmanuel Lutheran Church at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The Hawaii VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) assigned this shelter to Emmanuel to serve families staying there.

Becky led spiritual and emotional care training to Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T.) certified volunteers so they would be knowledgeable and comfortable ministering to survivors. She has also been available to meet with Emmanuel students and staff as requested. She arrived last Wednesday and will be available until this Friday. Her expertise has been invaluable to Emmanuel and survivors.

Lutheran Church Charities is providing tuition assistance for Emmanuel Lutheran School families that are now struggling to make their payments due to loss of income from the fire destroying their place of business.
 
In addition, many families have taken in and are supporting other family members who have lost everything, increasing their household size and expenses. Emmanuel did not want to lose any family at a time when they need the most support.
 
Your generous donations make it possible for the school to operate effectively, providing continued education and ministry to struggling and hurting families.
 
Emmanuel Lutheran School has also continued to provide requested items needed to the community distribution points for survivors in Lahaina and Kula, Hawaii.

The congregation of Emmanuel and the people we have met and minister to extend heartfelt “Mahalo nui” for prayers and financial support sent on their behalf.
 
The greatest need is for financial donations to help the people of Maui. They do not have the ability to take in any more donations of items. If you are so moved by this disaster, please donate generously so that we can help survivors with this unfathomable loss.

Thank you for your faithful prayers and support for all of the communities affected by these wildfires as well as for the local first responders, LCC staff, and volunteers that help during the long recovery process. Be there with LCC to show them the love and presence of Jesus!
 
Lutheran Church Charities is ready to show the Mercy, Compassion, Presence, and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering and in need. We only go where we are invited and we never charge those we serve.

LCC works in coordination with LCMS Disaster Response national and local districts of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

Authorities are continuing to search the community by grids and the harbor waters for remains. This is the deadliest United States wildfire in more than 100 years. 3,000+ homes, businesses, schools, government, and cultural centers are destroyed.

An estimated 12,000 people are displaced. This wildfire caused more than a loss of homes and land, but a loss of identity, loss of heritage, and a loss of ohana (family) as known here. These fires have affected everyone on the Island of Maui directly or indirectly, and all are suffering and mourning their losses. With businesses destroyed, there is also a massive loss of jobs, income, and tourism.

Lutheran Church Charities received an invite from Rev. Michael Lange of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod California Nevada Hawaii (CNH) District, CNH District Disaster Response Coordinator (DDRC) Phil Zabell, and Leif Sjostrand, Congregational President from Emmanuel Lutheran Church & School in Kahului on Maui to assist this congregation in how to respond effectively in their community from this devastating disaster.
 
Rev. Chris Singer, LCC President/CEO, Jeanette Singer, and Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response, have been serving in Maui. In the last two weeks, they have met with Russell Wilson, Head Elder, Diane Wilson, Church Secretary, and Josh Rempfer, Emmanuel Lutheran School Principal, many times to assist them in determining the best way to help their community in the recovery process.
 
Lutheran Church Charities and Emmanuel Lutheran Church were invited by the Hawaii VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) to provide spiritual, emotional, and trauma care to displaced residents staying in hotels. Rev. Rod Hall, Licensed Counselor, and Rev. Mark Hannemann, President/CEO of GracePoint Institute for Relational Health, have continued to minister to these displaced residents. This ministry will continue with professional counselors provided by GracePoint Institute for Relational Health at the request of the CNH District.

This week, Kathy O’Day was able to minister to a service technician who came to the home she was being housed at for this deployment. He shared that he has three adult married sons. One son, his wife, and four children lost their entire home and all their belongings in Lahaina. His son was not at home when the fire broke out and was trying desperately to get back to his family, as his wife does not drive. She eventually found a ride out with another family in a very crowded car. His son was very grateful but is now very silent and feels lost.
 
Another son lost his belongings in a rental in Lahaina. They are now all living with their parents. His third son is a police officer who has been searching for remains and then notifying relatives of their loss, affecting him greatly. He is very worried for all of his family but trusts that God will provide.
 
Kathy gave him gift cards and offered a word of prayer. Overcome with emotion, he expressed his gratitude with a big hug. Emmanuel members will continue to follow up with this family.

After meeting the first week with food pantry leaders from Emmanuel and Wailuku Union Churches and a community distribution site in Lahaina, the first shipment of requested goods arrived from Orphan Grain Train (OGT), a Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS) Recognized Service Organization led by Rev. Ralph Schmidt on the Island of Maui.
 
Within 24 hours of its arrival, Emmanuel Lutheran Church members divided the cargo and delivered everything to three distribution sites. Another large shipment will be arriving in the coming weeks to help serve families in need.

Lutheran Church Charities is providing tuition assistance for Emmanuel Lutheran School families that are now struggling to make their payments due to loss of income from the fire destroying their place of business.
 
In addition, many families have taken in and are supporting other family members who have lost everything, increasing their household size and expenses. Emmanuel did not want to lose any family at a time when they need the most support.
 
Your generous donations make it possible for the school to operate effectively, providing continued education and ministry to struggling and hurting families.

The congregation of Emmanuel and the people we have met and minister to extend heartfelt “Mahalo nui” for prayers and financial support sent on their behalf.
 
The greatest need is for financial donations to help the people of Maui. They do not have the ability to take in any more donations of items. If you are so moved by this disaster, please donate generously so that we can help survivors with this unfathomable loss.

Thank you for your faithful prayers and support for all of the communities affected by these wildfires as well as for the local first responders, LCC staff, and volunteers that help during the long recovery process. Be there with LCC to show them the love and presence of Jesus!
 
Lutheran Church Charities is ready to show the Mercy, Compassion, Presence, and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering and in need. We only go where we are invited and we never charge those we serve.

LCC works in coordination with LCMS Disaster Response national and local districts of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

A local family shared, “Hawaiian cultural belief is that the land is not ours. God gives us the land to take care of it, and if we do, it will take care of us. Lahaina was the original capital and where all of the original Hawaiian culture was preserved. Family, or Ohana, is everything, and all share what they have, tend the land carefully, and preserve our history by passing it down through generations.”
 
This wildfire caused more than a loss of homes and land, but a loss of identity, loss of heritage, and a loss of ohana as known here. Everyone on the Island of Maui has been affected directly or indirectly by these fires, and all are suffering and mourning their losses.
 
An estimated 12,000 people are displaced, with people in shelters that will be closing soon, placed in hotels by the American Red Cross for the next 45 days, or living in their vehicles, tents in the park, on the street, or with family and friends. With businesses destroyed, there is also a massive loss of jobs, income, and tourism

Lutheran Church Charities received an invite from Rev. Michael Lange of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod California Nevada Hawaii (CNH) District, CNH District Disaster Response Coordinator (DDRC) Phil Zabell, and Leif Sjostrand, Congregational President from Emmanuel Lutheran Church & School in Kahului on Maui to assist this congregation in how to respond effectively in their community from this devastating disaster.
 
Rev. Chris Singer, LCC President/CEO, Jeanette Singer, and Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response, arrived in Maui on Thursday, August 17. They immediately met with Russell Wilson, Head Elder, Diane Wilson, Church Secretary, and Josh Rempfer, Emmanuel Lutheran School Principal, to discuss what they were experiencing and hoping to accomplish during our stay.

“I want to thank you for helping LCC ‘Be There’ with those who were suffering and in need from the wildfires in Maui. The loss and grief was described as a dark cloud hanging over Maui,” shared Rev. Singer.
 
“I heard stories of survival from displaced residents receiving free meals who lost their properties. One adult son who had been visiting his parents raced to their home with the fire bearing down onto their neighborhood. His parents were not in the house and, with just mere minutes, he grabbed a few photos that he could carry and ran to a safe distance onto the beach and watched his parents’ home burn. His mother and father recounted the details to me through tears. A hotel worker shared that their home was burned to the ground and that his wife and children were now being housed at the hotel where he worked.
 
There were so many stories shared with our ministry team, who sat with each person in their grief. Our very presence alone brought so much comfort. Each person was moved to gratitude that could only be expressed by tears as we told them of the outpouring of financial support, the hundreds of prayers being lifted on their behalf, and LCC’s commitment to continue to be there through ongoing support of their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.”

On Friday, we met with the school staff. Rev. Singer led devotions and explained LCC’s role and partnership with Emmanuel. Rev. Rod Hall and Jeanette Singer, Licensed Counselors, offered individual emotional and spiritual care opportunities to them and their students. Pastor Rod and Jeanette were invited to visit and talk to students in three classrooms. The children expressed many things they had heard from their parents and were reassured to “have faith in God.” Several staff members were also ministered to privately.

Last week we also met with food pantry leaders from Emmanuel and Wailuku Union Churches and a community distribution site in Lahaina to discuss how to get the needed food, hygiene, and paper products to distribution sites for survivors in need.
 
Orphan Grain Train (OGT), a Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS) Recognized Service Organization led by Rev. Ralph Schmidt on the Island of Maui, will be partnering with Emmanuel Lutheran Church to provide requested items to designated sites. A shipment will arrive in Maui this week for those in need.
 
Tears of gratitude appeared on cheeks as all discussed the deeper ministry that occurs through relationships started through meeting one’s basic physical needs.

Lutheran Church Charities and Emmanuel Lutheran Church were invited by the Hawaii VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) to provide spiritual, emotional, and trauma care to displaced residents staying in hotels. Rev. Rod Hall and Rev. Mark Hannemann, President/CEO GracePoint Institute for Relational Health, have been ministering to these displaced residents.
 
This entire team of servants has been ministering to those affected by this disaster at distribution and feeding centers, hotels, and other community businesses and sites, as well as first responders and National Guard soldiers.

On Sunday, Reverends Chris Singer, Rod Hall, Mark Hannemann, and Ralph Schmidt led the worship services at Emmanuel. Rev. Singer delivered a message of hope to those assembled. When asked to consider what Jesus might be asking them, the congregation shared: "Do you trust Me?, Do you believe in Me?, Do you love Me?"
 
Rev. Singer shared Matthew 15:21-28 and Jesus’ recognition of a faith that is trusting even when the “WHY” is not answered and God appears silent. During Bible Study, Pastor Mark Hannemann leaned into this as he instructed on Christian Care and the fact that the “WHY” question should be replaced with “WHAT” does Jesus want for us through this.

Rev. Singer was inspired by the faith demonstrated by so many as each one actively worked to care for the other. Emmanuel Lutheran School’s principal shared a story that inspired him the most as it came from the heart of an elementary student during Sunday school.
 
“Me and my brother went to Lahaina to go help out the people stuck there. All you could smell was smoke if you rolled down your windows or through the AC vents, it was tragic. We gave water to all the people who were living on the beach. We gave them water to drink and to shower, and we gave them food to eat, but the one thing they were looking for was hope and happiness, which is what we did. We had made them so happy that they cried tears, and they were hugging us so hard that it was hard to breathe. After that, we went home and we prayed for them so they hopefully could rebuild what they had lost.”
 
“What amazing faith,” shared Rev. Singer. “May each of us have our eyes and hearts open to the grief around us and respond with the mercy, compassion, presence and proclamation of Jesus!”

Sunday afternoon, Deaconess Kathy O’Day provided LCMS Basic Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T.) training to twenty congregation members and school staff from Emmanuel. They learned what they could do as church L.E.R.T. volunteers to assist their community during the immediate and long-term recovery process, and received spiritual and emotional caregiving ideas. Deaconess O’Day will lead another Basic L.E.R.T. training at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Aiea on the Island of Oahu on Saturday.

he congregation of Emmanuel and the people we have met and minster to extend heartfelt “Mahalo nui” for prayers and financial support sent on their behalf.
 
The greatest need is for financial donations to help the people of Maui. They do not have the ability to take in any more donations of items. If you are so moved by this disaster, please donate generously so that we can help survivors with this unfathomable loss.

Thank you for your faithful prayers and support for all of the communities affected by these wildfires as well as for the local first responders, LCC staff, and volunteers that help during the long recovery process. Be there with LCC to show them the love and presence of Jesus!
 
Lutheran Church Charities is ready to show the Mercy, Compassion, Presence, and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering and in need. We only go where we are invited and we never charge those we serve.

LCC works in coordination with LCMS Disaster Response national and local districts of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

As of late Monday, the death toll from the Maui wildfires climbed to at least 99, with expectations that it will reach in the hundreds.
 
This is the deadliest United States wildfire in more than 100 years, as authorities work to identify the victims and sift through the burned communities of western Maui. 3,000+ homes, businesses, schools, government, and cultural centers are destroyed.
 
An estimated 12,000 people are displaced, with people sleeping in shelters, vehicles, stores, on the street, or with family and friends. With businesses destroyed, there is a massive loss of jobs.

“Our hearts break with Maui at the loss of life and the destruction brought on by this natural disaster. Yet our hearts are full with the hope of Jesus’ mercy and compassion,” shared Rev. Singer. “Together with your support, LCC will be there to provide the help, comfort, and encouragement needed right now.”

Rev. Singer, his wife Jeanette, and Kathy arrive in Maui to minister to this community suffering and in great need. Emmanuel Lutheran Church is currently without a pastor as they await for an answer to a call they have issued. Pastor Singer has been asked to preach at Emmanuel Lutheran Church on Sunday, August 20. The school principal, head elder, and congregational president have all asked for leadership assistance from LCC in addition to the invite from the CNH District President and DDRC.

Kathy will conduct Lutheran Early Response Team (L.E.R.T.) training and advise the church leaders on how best to work with FEMA and national and community voluntary organizations active in disaster (VOAD) for long-term recovery. Rev. Singer and Jeanette, as a certified coach and ministry partner volunteer, will focus on care ministry in shelters, congregational preparedness training for disasters, and food ministry through the church alongside two other congregations. Follow-up trips are expected to provide on-going spiritual care, and all LCC Ministries are on standby and ready to serve as needed.

The devastation is catastrophic, and there is a tremendous need for spiritual, emotional, and trauma care for everyone impacted and the first responders who are heroically dealing with the remaining wildfires, conducting search and rescue operations, and recovering lives lost.

The greatest need is for financial donations to help the people of Maui. They do not have the ability to take in any more donations of items. If you are so moved by this disaster, please donate generously so that we can help survivors with this unfathomable loss.

Thank you for your faithful prayers and support for all of the communities affected by these wildfires as well as for the local first responders, LCC staff, and volunteers that help during the long recovery process. Be there with LCC to show them the love and presence of Jesus!
 
Lutheran Church Charities is ready to show the Mercy, Compassion, Presence, and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering and in need. We only go where we are invited and we never charge those we serve.

LCC works in coordination with LCMS Disaster Response national and local districts of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.