Dear friends in Christ,
A few years ago a local Chicago newscaster reported the good news that the missing baby Jesus had been found and could be seen in the downtown Daley Center Plaza. "How wonderful," I thought. "I only have to go to Deerborn Avenue and I can find Jesus!" The newscaster, of course, only was reporting that the Baby Jesus statue stolen from the manger scene was recovered and could be seen again.
I have just returned from several days of visits in southern Texas, accompanied by Mark Minick (LDR-Texas coordinator), Dan Zieschang (LSS-S Director of Community and Church Relations) and Dale and Jean Peercy (LDR construction coordinators). Lutheran Social Services of the South (Kurt Senske, president) is managing the response efforts on behalf of Lutheran Disaster Response (a cooperative ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod). What LDR is responding to is damage caused by three floods (the first one was in 2002), one tornado, and Hurricane Claudette.
Over a three-day period our LDR-TX group visited with disaster survivors, assessed damaged areas, and attended meetings of pastors and community leaders in Victoria County, Placios, Port Lavaca, Corups Christi, and Robstown. These are poor areas, generally overlooked by the media, with few resources and few helpers. In this wilderness of damaged and destroyed houses it is difficult to find the Baby Jesus.
At the Matagorda Interfaith the Program Director, Patricia Schaarschmidt, said a high level of need existed before the disasters struck. Twenty-seven house were destroyed in this little are, and eighty-six had major damage. It is estimated there are up to $1 million in needs here. The interfaith has $14,000 in hand. It's difficult to find the Baby Jesus.
We met Clara, who has lived in the same house since her parents built it in 1938. It is very small, and received a lot of wind damage from the hurricane. As we walked around the outside walls, it was apparent the wood had severe termite damage. There's not much sign of hope here.
In Port Lavaca June Cantrell, the Program Director, reported that there is more damage than they ever expected. Many are without insurance. The community has no housing for senior citizens. Many have an average income of under $10,000.
John the Baptist "was not the light, but he came to testify to the light" of the world. That's what you and I are called to do, too - to testify, clearly that the Word still becomes flesh and dwells among us, as Christ is born in our hearts and in our lives.
In Robstown we met Lucy, a woman whose house was flooded in 2002. She is struggling with challenging health issues, as is her son. But she had a huge smile and gave a big hug to Jean Peercy. Her house has been repaired, and she's back home again. "I'm thankful for everything you've done," she asked me to say to you. This is one of the houses LDR has worked on with Lutheran volunteers alongside of Mennonite, Presbyterian, and United Methodist volunteers. The LDR office here is located in El Redentor United Methodist Church. Lucy said, "I have seen the light of Jesus in my house."
So that Chicago announcer had it partly correct. In this hectic pre-Christmas time, Jesus can get lost in the wilderness of Santa and Rudolph, salad shooters, and shopping malls. But when when we reach out in Jesus' love - bringing hope and help to those feeling hopeless and helpless - to disaster survivors, to our next door neighbor, to a stranger, to loved ones - we are the Body of Christ, and Jesus is born in us, in our words, in our prayers, in our hugs, in our compassionate acts.
May God grant that you and I will bring the good news - the missing Baby Jesus has been found!
How can you help provide help and hope?
You can pray. As always, your prayers sustain and strengthen those in the midst of disaster chaos, as well as those attending meetings and strategizing recovery efforts.
You can volunteer. Volunteers in Texas can call 361-767-7608, Jean Peercy.
You can contribute, to sustain a long-term presence. Please send your contributions to:
ELCA DOMESTIC Disaster Response - "Texas Floods"
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 - "Texas Floods"
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 12/15/03, 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
Please visit our websites: www.ldr.org and www.elca.org/dcs/disaster
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