LERT Team Leader from Trinity – Lisle, Illinois Reflects on Recovery Efforts in Florida

With mixed emotions, Jan Boerman, Trinity – Lisle, Illinois team leader recently reflected on time spent in Florida as LERT teams continue to assist devastated areas in the recovery from Hurricane Irma. Through this experience, Jan realized there are many opportunities to receive God’s blessings in serving others in need or to give a blessing to those who may not know the love of Jesus. 
 
During recent LERT deployments to Florida, Jan went with Kathy O’Day, LCC Director of Disaster Response, to meet Pastor Glander, Director of the Amigos Center in Immokalee. Kathy and Jan became aware of a community of migrant workers who support the agriculture industry in Florida. Pre-existing horrible living conditions and added storm damage caused some of the most deplorable living conditions that Jan had ever seen. Her heart was and is saddened as there isn’t anywhere else for these people to go. They will continue to live in their condemned homes until help arrives. 
 
Under the coordination of Lutheran Church Charities, Jan asked the Trinity - Lisle LERT team and church to support the Amigos Center families with donations to purchase needed beds, bedding and appliances. And they responded very generously! Don and Barb Iehl recently joined Ed and Jan as they went back to Florida. While there, they helped to purchase, sort, and distribute all of these items to the families the church had adopted, as well as many others Kathy O'Day, who was also there, was purchasing for.
 
Everyone worked together all week to assist as many families as possible, and it was heartwarming to know we made a difference and were able to touch many lives with the love of Christ.

---