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Dear friends in Christ,

"Thank God for the Lutherans.  Thank God for Lutheran Social Services."
These were Maria's parting words to Chris Finch (executive director,
LSS-Virgin Islands), Brooke Burkey (disaster response coordinator), and me.
Her home in Campo Rica, near Fredricksted, St. Croix, was one of five we
visited last week.

Today, June 1, is the first day of the hurricane season.  I have just
returned from a visit to the Virgin Islands, which predictions indicate may
be heavily affected this year.  I was in St. Croix, because the ELCA
Domestic Disaster Response is helping to prepare for this new hurricane
season, in several new ways.

First, small grants have been provided to key LSS employees who must spend
the days immediately prior to a hurricane preparing human care facilities,
and to be at work during and after an actual storm.  These grants enable
them to purchase emergency supplies, tools, or mitigation devices that will
strengthen their homes.

Second, every Lutheran pastor on the three Virgin Islands will receive hand
held short-wave radios and training.  This will enable economical and
reliable communication and coordination in case a major hurricane disrupts
telephone communications.

Third, in cooperation with FEMA's "Project Impact," a comprehensive family
disaster manual is being prepared.  Approximately 20,000 copies will be
distributed to the Virgin Islanders, covering such subjects as protection
of buildings and grounds, mental health tips, childcare, health care,
stockpiling supplies, and getting assistance.  "Project Impact" is paying
the compiling, writing, illustrating, and editing.  The Lutherans will pay
for the printing.

Fourth, a pilot program is being tried on St. Croix, to improve hurricane
readiness for existing private residences, primarily for people who are low
income, elderly, physically and mentally impaired, and single parent
families.  This retrofit program fastens roofs to walls and rafters, and
studs to foundations.  There are also small repairs of damages from
previous hurricanes, focusing on safe and dry issues.  Brooke Burkey has
been hired to work with local young men to accomplish this.  So far sixteen
homes have been mitigated.

I was able to visit five of them, and talk with their owners.  Maria
proudly showed us her simple home.  The rainwater that used to come through
her roof and destroy her furniture no longer is a problem.

Elacia, an 80-year-old woman, welcomed us into her home, where she cares
for her 90-year-old bedridden husband.  She has not had running water in
her home for the past two years, and used a bucket on a rope to pull water
out of her cistern.  Because of this program, her plumbing is repaired, her
cistern cleaned, her house is more secure.

Rosalind, at 57, is raising her two grandchildren because of the tragic
loss of their parents.  Her damaged roof has been repaired, and its
strapping is nearly complete.  Her spirits were high as she showed us the
simple repairs that may save this roof when the next hurricane blows
through.

So yes, "Thank God for the Lutherans.  Thank God for Lutheran Social
Services."  As this year's hurricane season begins, let us remember those
who are still recovering from last year's storms.  Let us hold in our
prayers those who may be affected this year.  And let us continue to reach
out to our brothers and sisters in their times of need, even as God has
reached out in love to us.

Thank God for your continuing support of the church's disaster response
ministries...for your prayers, for your volunteering, for your generous
contributions.

Yours in Christ,
Gil Furst


GILBERT B. FURST (written on Thu, Jun  1, 2000, 9:44 pm).  Director for
  ELCA DOMESTIC DISASTER RESPONSE (Division for Church in Society) and
  LUTHERAN DISASTER RESPONSE (a cooperative ministry of the ELCA and LC-MS)
  8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago 60631  PHONE: 773-380-2822 FAX: 773-380-2493
Please visit our website:  www.elca.org/dcs/disaster