Kind Words for LCC

LCC received the following Disaster Update on Saturday, October 13, from Deaconess Sally Hiller, LCMS Southeastern District’s Disaster Response Coordinator:

Serving in Times of Disaster

Dear Ministry Partners,

Even as the horrific damage of Hurricane Michael is being discovered, folks are hard at work cutting trees, mucking out houses, and helping to rebuild in the Carolinas. Your contributions are making this happen. Your willingness to serve on a team restores hope to a family. Your prayers continue to lift up all of God’s children is encouraging.

Appeal for Immediate Help
There is a great need for volunteers to help with recovery in Wilmington and Havelock, North Carolina. If you are able to come and help this next week with tree removal and or mucking out homes, please let us know by completing the form HERE

The stories in the paragraphs below are from three different people involved in the recovery efforts this past week.

A message from Tina McGuffey is from Our Savior, Laurel, Maryland
Tina was a part of a team last week in Wilmington, North Carolina

Still reflecting on a day where our team worked on 3 houses in one neighborhood, all flooded with 2-4 feet of standing water for 2 weeks. We helped finish the gutting of one, moved to the next and started clearing debris when the homeowner said: “no more, please stop.” We moved to the 3rd house which broke my heart, a 91-year old widow who had lived in her house for 47 years was now living in a shelter. We carefully went through her things, salvaging what we could before beginning the gutting process. I had to toss at least 10 beautiful knit scarves which had been neatly folded in a bottom drawer now drenched in sewer water and infiltrated with mold. When I asked her if she wanted to try to get them cleaned, she said “no, just throw them out, I made those for me, I’ll just make some more.” Much of a lifetime of memories now sits in a rubbish pile on the edge of the street, along with that of her neighbors.

Please pray for Mrs. J and all the others impacted here in the Carolinas and thank God for the hundreds of volunteers from all over the country who are serving here and honoring and respecting the survivors.

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Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) and Lutheran Early Response Teams (LERT) from 3 states arrive in North Carolina

LCC Director of Disaster Response Kathy O'Day, and twenty five LERT chainsaw team members from 12 churches and 3 states, deployed to Messiah Lutheran Church in Wilmington, North Carolina, to assist those with downed and damaged trees as a result of Hurricane Florence.

The chainsaw team completed work at 17 Messiah Lutheran Church member homes in the 3 days. They have several other homes in Wilmington to assess and complete before they leave. Several of these jobs have involved use of heavy equipment, such as tractor, bobcats and the boom lift. Everyone assisted is very appreciative for the professional work done and Christian focus of the team members.

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From Lars Helland and the Response Team at Eternal Shepherd, Seneca, South Carolina

Betty lives in Lumberton and is one of many residents who have experienced the effects of 2 major hurricanes within 2 years. Below is a picture of the Eternal Shepherd’s Disaster Relief Team #709. The team number is always the combined age of the team. Betty is the home owner and very thankful for the help.

Lord God, we pray for an extra measure of comfort on those who stand again in the midst of disaster. Strengthen them as they build anew.

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