Dear friends in Christ,

I know many of you are watching, praying, and hoping for all the people who have been affected by the massive tornadoes and storms earlier this week.  There were 72 tornadoes last Sunday, and over 200 severe storms across a thousand-mile weather front.  As I write this report, massive cleanup efforts and damage assessments continue in Alabama, Ohio, Mississippi, and Tennessee.  Church World Service reports the death toll remains at thirty-six - 17 confirmed in Tennessee, 12 in Alabama, 5 in Ohio, and one each in Pennsylvania and Mississippi.  Federal disaster declarations have been granted to Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

In Alabama, Eldon Zimmerman (LDR coordinator, Lutheran Ministries of Alabama) is working with the United Methodists to work with Lutheran volunteers and with the Baptists to arrange housing for over-night volunteers.  Early estimates indicate more than 600 homes have been affected, including more than 250 completely destroyed and more than 200 severely damaged.  The whole northwest corner of the state is affected with 29 counties eligible for federal assistance.

In Ohio, Jim Bosse and Mary Woodward (LDR coordinators, LSS of Mid-America and LSS of Central Ohio) report that 696 houses in 17 counties have been affected, with more than 75 homes were either totally destroyed or severely damaged.  Local volunteers to help with cleanup can call Mary Woodward at 740-838-5005.  LDR-Ohio is working with Paul Baumann (Ohio District, LCMS) and Kathy Lemmerbroch (Northwest Ohio Synod, ELCA) to coordinate Lutheran congregational efforts.

In Tennessee, John Sims (LDR coordinator, Lutheran Services in Tennessee) and Bob Tribble (LDR coordinator for the Southeast Synod, ELCA) report that 894 homes have been damaged, 37 destroyed, plus 16 mobile homes damaged and 40 destroyed.  Sixteen counties were granted presidential disaster declarations and are eligible for federal assistance.  Will Rabert (Church World Service) was in three affected communities this week.  In Mossy Grove, Rabert described seeing "at least 100 buildings that are either completely destroyed or severely damaged".  "This is a very small, very poor community and there's going to be a lot of underinsured folks here who've lost everything", he said.

In Mississippi, Hal Shope (LDR coordinator for Lutheran Social Ministries of Mississippi) is working with the Episcopal diocese.  Columbus was hard hit.  Early estimates indicate some 100 family homes have been completely destroyed and 100 more significantly damaged.  The Mississippi University for Women has sustained damage in the tens of millions.  Federal disaster declarations were granted to 5 counties.  LDR is working through GTCARES, a local interfaith that responded to a February 2001 tornado that struck Columbus.  The group was scheduled to finalize the completion of its long-term recovery at the Salvation Army office building the day the tornado ripped the roof off the building.

The magnitude of this disaster is difficult to grasp.  The clean-up efforts are enormous, the unmet needs will be massive, and the recovery efforts long term.  The numbers will continue to change.  The primary focus at this time is northwestern Alabama, east central Tennessee, northwestern Mississippi, and north central and northwest Ohio.  I will provide additional information as Lutheran Disaster Response and interfaith organizations develop recovery plans.  I will keep you posted as additional information becomes available and groups of volunteers can be utilized.

Your prayers, your volunteering, your financial support are and will be important ingredients for the church, through Lutheran Disaster Response (a cooperative ministry of the ELCA and the LCMS) to be present now in the emergency stages and for the long-term recovery efforts.

To contribute:

ELCA DOMESTIC Disaster Response - "Southeast Tornadoes"
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

LC-MS World Relief and Human Care - "Southeast Tornadoes"
P.O. Box 66861
St. Louis, MO 63166-9810

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

Yours in Christ,
Gil Furst

Gilbert B. Furst  (Written on 11/15/02, at 4:09 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 websites:      www.ldr.org    www.elca.org/dcs/disaster