Dear friends in Christ,

The voices of children are echoing this summer throughout Lutheran church
halls in New York and New Jersey.  The children are attending "Camp New
Ground," a program of Lutheran Disaster Response designed to assist children
completing kindergarten through eight grades to deal with issues of trauma
associated with the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.  In its second
year, "New Ground" is overseen by Camp Koinonia NYC and directed by the Rev.
Ann Tiemeyer.  Professional counselors and trained staff engage children in
conversation and activities that allow them to think and talk about their
feelings.  Church settings are places where children can bring their fears
and joys.

This year Camp New Ground began on Monday, July 7, at Bethlehem, Baldwin;
Bethlehem, Brooklyn; Epiphany, Bronx; Holy Trinity, Bellrose; Our Savior's,
Brooklyn, Transfiguration, Bronx; and Trinity, Brooklyn.  A visit by reporter
Wendy Healy to Holy Trinity, on July 8 and found 36 happy campers. How are
the children doing after 9/11? "They're doing just great," said Stella
Woodroffe, a credentialed school counselor who is the on-site mental health
professional through New Ground's association with the Lutheran Counseling
Center. "The fact that so many of them came back from last summer means that
they're having a great time," said Woodroffe.

A very fine article about Camp New Ground was written recently by May Ann
Bourbeau, Staff Writer for The Home News Tribune of New Brunswick, New Jersey
(www.thnt.com).  In her copywriten report, published 7/23/03, she writes,

EAST BRUNSWICK: Though it happened nearly two years ago, many children are
still affected by the events of Sept. 11, 2001. The New Ground Day Camp at
Nativity Evangelical Lutheran Church last week offered to give those children
an outlet to discuss their lingering feelings.

It's all done in a fun way. The 24 children who enrolled spent last week at
the church learning about God and themselves, while at the same time making
crafts, singing songs, performing skits and playing games.

"Last year, the kids were having nightmares," said Marie Segal, a church
member who is also a child and adolescent psychologist. "Research shows that
many children have probably moved from nightmares to a sense of loneliness.
We don't know what they're feeling because their feelings have moved inward.
It's naive to think that the world we're living in today does not affect
them.''

Segal, an East Brunswick resident and Kean University professor, took a
week's vacation to counsel the children at the camp. She helped the children
in kindergarten through eighth grade discuss issues that have affected them
more recently, such as the war in Iraq and school lockdown drills.

"The program helps them understand their feelings, helps them grow and take
control over their world," she said. "We help them build a sense of
confidence, let them know that adults are here to support them, and so is the
spiritual world. Why wouldn't I take a vacation for that? It's the best
present you can give a child.''

The participants attended a morning worship service each day, followed by a
craft, some games and a Bible discussion. Each then met with an adviser.

"The program gave the children tools to deal with their traumatic thoughts
and feelings," said Pastor Jill Ellen Collict. "They learned to develop the
skills to cope. It's important because they still live with the fear that
something will happen again.''

The campers made a collage of things that are important to them, such as
favorite foods, words and pictures of family. Then they discussed why they
put each item on the collage. They sang interactive songs with fun delivery,
such as a prayer that was put to the "Superman" theme.

"It gives them the opportunity to come here, establish friendships and feel
comfortable," said Connie Kurpgeweit of Nebraska, team coordinator for Camp
Koinonia, a Lutheran Christian camp in Highland Lake, N.Y. "It's not hard to
open up to the right person, and Marie is the right person.''

The program is sponsored by the Lutheran Disaster Response of New York. The
curriculum was created by Camp Koinonia. Adult and high school youth members
also assisted in the program.

Nancy Oberwanowicz, site coordinator for the congregation, was on the 48th
floor of Building Two of the World Trade Center when the first plane hit.

"At times, it's still hard for me to talk about it," she said.

She not only had to deal with her own feelings about the life-altering
incident, but those of her now 9-year-old daughter, Hope.

"It hit her hard," Oberwanowicz said. "Sometimes she still has anxiety
issues when we're separated.''

Though Hope wasn't thrilled with the idea of going to Bible camp last
summer, she gave it a try.

"I didn't want to be there on my birthday," she said. "I didn't think it
would be any fun. But they surprised me with a cake. I made a lot of friends
last year and some of them came back this year.''

Hope said she had a lot of fun but also learned a lot in the program.

"They helped me handle my problems and stress about that day," she said.
"After a while, it wasn't a problem anymore. Everyone has to move on in life.
Sometimes, I still get kind of scared when my mother leaves the house because
I think something will happen to her. But the counselor is really nice and
she helped me so much. And I learned that the Holy Spirit is always with you
just because you don't see it, doesn't mean it's not there.''

<<<< end of article >>>>

Your generosity has made the development of "New Ground Day Camp" as a
Lutheran gift to children traumatized by the September 11, 2001 acts of
terrorism.  Your continuing prayers and contributions enable this gift to be
continued again this year and in future years.

To contribute to the on-going efforts in response to 9/11/01:

ELCA DOMESTIC Disaster Response - "9/11: Comfort and Renew"
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 - "9/11: Comfort and Renew"
P.O. Box 66861
St. Louis, MO 63166-9810

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

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 Wed, July 30, 2003, at 10:15 a.m.).  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