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Dear friends in Christ,

Lutheran Disaster Response (a cooperative ministry of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod)
continues its response to the major western fires.

IN ARIZONA Lutheran Social Ministry of the Southwest (Lynn Baker,
President) has named Traci Gruenberger the LDR coordinator to manage
efforts in response to Arizona fires.  LSM-SW is a new disaster responding
agency with LDR.  Presently needs are being assessed, and LSM-SW is working
to coordinate its efforts with the state VOAD (Voluntary Organizations
Active in Disaster) and Church World Service Response and Recovery Liaison,
Peter Van Hook

Arizona Fire Statistics as of July 10, 2002
    Fires Reported                1,551
    Acres Burned                619,688
    Homes Destroyed                 426

Current Situation:
    Rodeo/Chediski Complex fires are contained.

    Darnell fire on Coronado National Forest is 90% contained and has
    burned 5,942 acres.  The fire is estimated to be contained today.

IN COLORADO Lutheran Family Services of Colorado (Jim Barclay, President)
and Gene Thiemann (LDR Coordinator) met in the Durango area with Pastor Tim
Evers (St. Paul Lutheran Church, LC-MS) and Pastor Darin Johnson (Christ
The King Lutheran Church, ELCA).  Congregational members and the local
Presbyterian pastor joined them.  They began organizing the area's
long-term recovery needs.  Beginning with the Missionary Ridge fire in
Durango, LDR-CO will also develop responses to fires in Hayman (Woodland
Park), Coal Seam (Glenwood Springs) and other areas of significant need as
the long fire season continues.

LFS of Colorado has managed LDR responses to Ft. Collins floods (1997), the
trials of Oklahoma City bombers Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols
(1997-98), and school shootings at Columbine High School (1999).  Barclay
led LDR efforts to South Dakota blizzards, floods and tornadoes.  For over
twenty years Thiemann responded to international disasters with Church
World Service and served as LDR-CO coordinator in response to the 1997 Ft.
Collins flood.

LDR is bringing the Rev. Christine Iverson (Atchison, Kansas) to Durango to
train and implement a curriculum that enables children to express and deal
with feelings of fear and sadness related to evacuations, property loss and
the continuing crisis. Rev. Iverson is a special LDR consultant for
children's issues. She is employed by Lutheran Social Services of
Kansas/Oklahoma, and has been a primary responder to a variety of tornados,
floods, hurricanes, and the Oklahoma City bombing.  She will work with the
Vacation Bible School teaching staff of both Christ The King and St. Paul's
Churches.

LDR-CO also hopes to provide impetus for an Interfaith Committee of various
local denominations, to pool resources to meet unmet needs over the long
haul. Church World Service representatives are present to assist with this
effort.

Yesterday (July 10) Barclay met with Pastor Neal Grolling at Faith Lutheran
Church (LC-MS), Woodland Park, to organize the disaster response in that
area.  Faith is the only Lutheran church west of Colorado Springs for many
miles, and has provided support to evacuees from area homes as well as to
camp staff from nearby Lutheran Valley Ranch.

Colorado Fire Statistics as of July 10, 2002
    Fires Reported          1,068
    Acres Burned          364,322
    Homes Destroyed           340

Current Situation:
    Steuben (Grand Mesa-Uncompahgre-Gunnison National Forest): 550 acres at
    0 percent contained. This fire is 10 miles west of Gunnision. Fire
    activity was extreme and numerous residences and cabins are threatened.

    Spring Creek (White River national Forest): 8,007 acres at 53 percent
    contained. This fire is burning eight miles north of New Castle.
    Minimal fire activity was observed and containment is expected today.

    Missionary Ridge (San Juan National Forest): 70,662 acres at 95 percent
    contained. This fire is five miles northeast of Durango. Minimal fire
    activity was observed and containment is expected today

If you would like to make a financial contribution to help provide the
spiritual, emotional, physical, and financial support necessary for the
long-term recovery of thousands of people in Arizona and Colorado, please
send your contributions to:

ELCA Domestic Disaster Response "Western Fires"
PO Box 71764
Chicago, Illinois 60694-1764

    Credit card gift line:  1-800-638-3522
    Credit card gifts via the web: www.elca.org/disaster


LCMS World Relief   "Western Fires"
1333 South Kirkwood Road
St Louis 63122-7295

    Credit card gift line:  1-888-930-4438

Your generosity will be combined with that of concerned Lutherans across
the country, to supply local needs for the long haul.  Please continue to
pray for victims and caregivers alike, for the duration of this long fire
season.

Yours in Christ,
Gil Furst

GILBERT B. FURST (written on Thu, Jul 11, 2002, at  5:00 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.ldr.org