Dear friends in Christ,

The sound of school children echoed in the Lutheran church halls.  They were attending after-school classes.  We were standing in the church kitchen, talking about possible job training.  "We need only a little flour to make a lot of bread for the people," Henry Ye said as he described possibilities.  Henry directs the immigrant services of Lutheran Family and Community Services "New Life Center."

"New Life Center" opened in December to help an underserved ethnic population in New York City dramatically affected by 9/11/01.  It was established in Chinatown by Lutheran Social Services-Metropolitan New York and Lutheran Disaster Response-New York (John Scibilia, Coordinator).

"New Life Center" was created to meet the needs of the Fujianese, an ethnic group from the Fujian Province of China.  Many were affected by the 9/11/01 when either their homes or workplaces were impacted.  Most could not qualify for assistance because they lived beyond strict geographical guidelines of many responding agencies.  According to Chris Connell, director of LSS-MNY Disaster Relief, the Fujianese "are some of the most underserved people, especially in regard to 9/11 assistance."  Compounding the problem, most 9/11 language assistance is only available in Cantonese and Chinese, leaving the Fujianese population without adequate translation and disaster support services.  "They really have no place to turn for help in understanding and navigating through the public assistance system, "said Connell.

The Center is housed in the True Light Lutheran Church (LCMS), church home for many Chinese Lutherans.  Wendy Wang, LSS-MNY (who is Fujianese), coordinates the center, which is staffed with care managers who speak Fujianese.  "We projected working with 100 families in the first year," Henry said.  "Since December 12 we have already worked with 85 families!"  Wendy said, "We see ourselves as a bridge to serve an underserved community.  People trust a church-based agency."  Services offered include an after-school program for Fujianese youth; counseling services for individuals and/or families; pro-bono attorney consultations; emergency assistance; "English as a Second Language" classes; and health education.

John Scibilia and I met with Ramon Nieves (United Methodist Committee on Relief-NYC) and Peter Gudaitis (Episcopal Charities).  Lutherans, Methodists, and Episcopalians have distributed over $500,000 at the Unmet Needs Table, helping people who lost loved ones, homes, or jobs get their lives back on track.

LDR has completed its 2002 fiscal year, so I want to give an accounting of how your generous gifts are being used.  Contributions to the "September 11: Comfort and Renew" funds are used with extraordinary care and safeguards.

Since 9/11/01, Lutheran Disaster Response has granted $6,914,915.85 to 9/11 responses in New York, New Jersey, and Washington D.C.  There are over 150 separate programmatic budget lines.  Here are some of the larger 2002 expenditures:

* Direct emergency assistance - $735,000
* "Project LIFE" (work with directly affected individuals/families)- $726,615
* "Camp New Ground" (weeklong day camps for children traumatized by 9/11 (3,000 who lost parents) - $423,223
* Counseling and support groups - $422,055
* Lutheran Schools (tuition support, counseling and intervention for 21,000 students, 42 who lost parents) - $426,000
* Working with immigrant/undocumented persons - advocacy - $65,000
* Respite care for rostered church leaders - $120,000
* Salaam Lutheran Church Arabic Counselor and Intern - $40,000
* Ministry with leaders/individuals/unmet needs/immigrants (New Jersey) - $208,022
* Ministry with leaders/individuals (Washington D.C.) and two agencies working with economically impacted - $208,000

Some fiscal year 2003 budget projections are:

* Direct emergency assistance - $600,000
* "Project LIFE"- $720,000
* "Camp New Ground" - $450,000
* Counseling and support groups - $477,000
* Lutheran Schools - $697,000
* Working with immigrant/undocumented persons - $244,000
* Respite care for rostered church leaders - $60,000
* Salaam Lutheran Church Arabic Counselor - $30,000
* Ministry with leaders/individuals/African immigrant services (New Jersey) - $282,000

Ken Curtain, FEMA Voluntary Agency Liaison, shared some grim statistics.  There are over 14,500 body parts still not identified from the World Trade Center ruins.  Of 2,795 people reported missing, only 1,439 have been identified through DNA testing, dental records, x-rays, tattoos, and personal effects.

Caregivers are deeply affected by this situation.  Bishop Roy Riley (New Jersey Synod) reports several of his strongest pastors are having difficulty serving in 9/11-affected communities.  Bishop Stephen Bouman (Metropolitan New York Synod) said pastors are "exhibiting signs of stress."  Two of his best pastors are moving closer to family homes and relatives.  It is especially difficult for pastors who continue to minister directly with widows, and now have members reporting for military duty.  "We're frazzled," Bishop Bouman said, "It still registers so deeply."

The major LDR foci for 2003:
* to serve the hungry and the homeless
* to serve the grieving and emotionally distressed
" to serve the caregivers, rescue workers, and disaster responders
* to serve the stranger, the voiceless, the powerless

The 9/11 response, like all disaster responses, changes day by day.  New needs (like the Fujianese ministry) and new dynamics continually arise.  We can only anticipate what will be needed next year and ahead, and how world situations will affect us all.  But God has gifted our church with social ministry organizations, synods and districts, congregations and members, wonderfully linked and networked to provide compassionate ministries.  LDR has the experience and credibility to provide cutting-edge leadership in this and other responses.

"Lutheran Disaster Response has impacted a lot of family lives," said Henry Ye.  "People are getting help.  LDR has eased some of the pain of this community."

Lutheran Disaster Response (a cooperative ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod) will continue its mission of bringing together the resources and efforts of Lutherans to people in need, and reaching out to others with Gospel hope and help.

Yours in Christ, Gil Furst

GILBERT B. FURST (written on Fri, February 7, 2003, at 4:47 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 and www.elca.org/dcs/disaster