LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry Teams Continue to Support Those Suffering and In Need in Wake of Tragedies

3/19/2024

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)

The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry is one of presence. When the Lord calls, we must go and serve Him.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry teams continue to respond with dedication, love, and compassion to those suffering and in need in the wake of tragedies. Their unwavering dedication to being present for those experiencing loss or pain exemplifies the compassion and empathy that define our organization.

We are blessed to have such dedicated teams of volunteers who are making a difference in the lives of those in need. Thank you for your support and for helping us to continue this important work.

Thanks to Your Generous Support, They Were Able to BE THERE for Those Suffering and in Need

LEARN MORE & DONATE - LCC K-9 COMFORT DOG MINISTRY

School Bus Accident in Rushville, Illinois

A horrible tragedy happened on Monday, March 11, in Rushville, Illinois, when a school bus with three preschool students collided with a truck on the way to school. The accident took the lives of five precious and loved people: David Coufal (72), Noah Driscoll (3), siblings Andrew Miller (3) and Maria Miller (5), and Angela Spiker (57).

The small community of 3,000 was deeply affected by the loss of David, Noah, Andrew, Maria, and Angela. School was canceled until Thursday to give the students and staff time to process the shock of this tragedy.

The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry was invited by Michelle Miller from Schuyler-Industry Schools to be at the schools on Thursday as the students and staff returned. LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Dinah (Trinity - Auburn, Illinois), Esther & Jordan (Holy Cross - Collinsville, Illinois), and Noah (Timothy - St. Louis, Missouri) and their dedicated teams replied, "Here am I, send me," when they learned of this request to be there for the preschool, teachers, high school, and middle school students.

Michelle and the Schuyler-Industry Schools staff were thankful that the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog teams would support the students and staff as they returned to school. They did not feel alone in their grief and sadness after losing three young preschool students, their bus driver, and the grandfather of one of the students.

The over 2-hour drive to Rushville was not an easy one for the teams, as they faced numerous challenges along the way. Despite the storms, strong winds, and debris on the road, the teams persevered and made it to their destination safely. With God's protection, they were able to overcome adversity and arrive in Rushville ready to tackle whatever challenges lay ahead. Their resilience is a testament to their commitment and dedication to their mission to share the mercy, compassion, presence, and proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering and in need.

Their day was filled with the Comfort Dogs meeting new friends and providing the children a safe place to process the tragedy, even though they may not have the words to express how they felt about it. An example was when two girls came to see the Comfort Dogs.

One girl was very distraught, and the second was consoling her. The second girl brought her friend into the room and had her sit down next to Noah Comfort Dog. She explained to her that "the dogs were there to help them and to provide comfort." She encouraged her friend to pet Noah as she talked. Her words were empathetic and reflected an understanding past her age. After a while, they left, but the first girl returned by herself and sat by Esther Comfort Dog.

Esther's handler joined her on the floor, and after some comforting words and quiet time petting Esther, the girl seemed happier and was excited to have Esther do the "lap" command and hold Esther close to her.

A quiet high school student was brought in to visit with Jordan Comfort Dog and was reluctant even to look up, much less converse. Two other students then joined her. They were having a hard time dealing with their pain. Being with Jordan and her caring handlers gave the students a safe place to feel at ease, loved, and not alone. Jordan even coaxed a smile from them. Jordan's handlers and the students had a great conversation and witnessed genuine caring among the three students.

One middle school student shared about her young preschool student niece, who was sick on Monday but would have otherwise been on that bus. Clearly, the "what if" thoughts were profoundly affecting her. She stayed with the dogs all day.

On receiving Jordan's Comfort Dog card, one of the high school students noticed it had a Bible verse, Deuteronomy 31:6. Later in the conversation when everyone had fallen silent for a moment, he read the verse aloud. "Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." They all agreed it was a good verse for the day.

The children and counselors found comfort in signing the LCC Hearts of Mercy & Compassion, one for each person killed. They filled the hearts with messages of love and support. At the vigil, the night before school resumed, the Mayor said, “When a tragedy hits like this… we come out and help…we get stronger.”

The students spent time coloring in the LCC K-9 Ministry Coloring Books that LCC sent for the students and staff. Mini Stuffed LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and the Comfort Dog cards for Dinah, Esther, Jordan, and Noah were left in the school office for the school to give out when needed.

The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog teams made many new friends during this visit, which significantly impacted all of the handlers since every person the team met was affected by this tragedy.

At the end of the day, Michelle Miller became emotional as she told the handlers how much it meant to her that the teams were there. She said she had a wonderful day, which surprised her because she dreaded it so much.

We hold in our hearts and prayers the families of those killed and for the community as they continue to grieve the loss of these five precious children of God. We pray they feel the hope, comfort, and strength only God can provide.

LEARN MORE & DONATE - LCC K-9 COMFORT DOG MINISTRY

LEARN MORE & DONATE - HEARTS OF MERCY & COMPASSION

Concordia University - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Our friends at Concordia University in Ann Arbor, Michigan, have had some difficult news to process, making for some uncertain times. The students and staff requested to be surrounded by golden love with the help of LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Claudia (Trinity - Toledo, Ohio), Damascus (St. Paul - Napoleon, Ohio), and Dove (Peace - Fremont, Indiana), who traveled over two hours to be there with them.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry teams were invited by Carissa Blount and the Counseling and Psychological Services team at Concordia to visit the campus.

The Comfort Dogs and their handlers made new friends as they spent time with students from many different parts of the country. Whatever the future holds, we pray for the Concordia Ann Arbor students and staff to trust God’s guidance and strength to help them through their recent struggles.

Loss of Two Elementary School Students in Texas

In February, LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Triton (Messiah - Plano, Texas) visited the Bush Elementary Kindergarten class in St. Paul, Texas, to comfort students after the passing of their classmate, Finley, from cancer on Valentine's Day. Along with four counselors and the principal, Triton provided love and compassion as the students shared their feelings and expressed their sadness. The visit provided a powerful reminder of the healing power of love and the importance of support during difficult times.

One month after the loss of Finley, Triton and his team were called upon to provide comfort and support to the grieving third-grade class at Atkin Elementary School in Wylie, Texas, in the wake of the tragic loss of nine-year-old Max.

The kids were able to express their emotions and find solace in the presence of Triton, who provided love and affection as they petted and interacted with him. The team was able to make a positive difference in the lives of these young students, as evidenced by the smiles on their faces when they left.

Support for the Family of Rev. Michael Scholz

On Saturday, March 16, five LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs, Esther & Jordan (Holy Cross - Collinsville, Illinois), Mercy (Our Savior - Louisville, Kentucky), Noah (Timothy - St. Louis, Missouri), Tabby (St. Paul’s - Des Peres, Missouri), and their teams were there to support the family of Rev. Michael Scholz with comfort, warmth, and love.

Rev. Scholz and his wife, Amy, have been wonderful supporters of the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry for many years. It was with much love that the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog teams wanted to be there for the Scholz family and their friends.

In December 2023, Rev. Scholz retired from the pastoral office and made the move to St. Louis, Missouri, where he and Amy planned to start a new chapter in their lives. Sadly, that plan was cut short earlier this month when, due to a fall, Mike was called home to be with our Lord.

We lift up in prayer Amy and her family as they move forward on a new journey. We pray for God’s strength, renewal, and love to lift them up and carry them through.

We are incredibly thankful for your support, which makes it possible for us to BE THERE where we are needed most. Your donations are making a tangible difference in the lives of the people our dedicated teams of volunteers are able to help during tragedies like these. The love, healing, and comfort we are able to provide are a direct result of your generosity.

LEARN MORE & DONATE - LCC K-9 COMFORT DOG MINISTRY