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Dear Christian friends,
"How much are the lunches?" asked a couple in Fort Collins, Colorado, when
members of Trinity Lutheran Church brought them food. On July 28, in less
than five hours, over eight inches of rain turned a little creek into a
raging river. The flash flood killed five persons, destroyed 90 mobile
homes, and damaged another 1,000 houses and 150 businesses.
Trinity Lutheran Church responded immediately. The first thought was to
serve meals at the church, but soon it became clear that the flood
survivors were too busy cleaning up their homes to come for food. So the
strategy changed, and volunteers began taking lunches and dinners directly
to peoples' homes.
Pastor Gene Thiemann, the local Lutheran Disaster Response coordinator,
reports that clean-up efforts are going well. An interfaith effort of
nearly sixty area congregations (called "Together in Faith Flood Relief")
has been formed to provide a coordinated response for the unmet needs that
arise after government and immediate emergency aid is finished. LDR is an
important partner in this recovery phase. Both Aid Association for
Lutherans and Lutheran Brotherhood have made matching funds available to
their local branches to support the flood recovery efforts. Dear Christian
Friends,
When Trinity Church volunteers reached one flood-damaged house with food, a
couple too tired to go get a bite to eat, asked the visitors: "How much
are the lunches?" When they found out the lunches were a gift, they said,
"You don't even know us. That's amazing!"
When Jesus was asked, "Who is my neighbor?", he did not say we had to know
our neighbor's name in order to respond to our neighbor's need. Your
prayers, your contributions, and your volunteer efforts for the survivors
of this disaster (and for so many others)-- most of whom you don't even
know -- provide the answer to that question.
Your contributions to help in disaster relief efforts may be sent to:
ELCA Domestic Disaster Response
PO Box 71764
Chicago, IL 60694-1764
May your love for God and for your neighbor continue to reach out to others
in amazing ways.
In Christ,
Gil Furst
GILBERT B. FURST (written on Sun, Sep 14, 1997, at 4:08 pm)
Associate Director, ELCA Domestic Disaster Response
Internet address: [log in to unmask]
For more information, click on our web site: www.elca.org/dcs/disaster
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