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Dear friends in Christ,

I apologize for the delay in sending you these updates.  I just returned
from Puerto Rico, where I had limited telephone access and no electricity.

VIRGIN ISLANDS: 25 September 1998
"What can the Virgin Islands do to help Puerto Rico?" were the first words
Bishop Francisco Sosa (ELCA Caribbean Synod) and I heard in St. Croix when
we met Chris Finch (President, Lutheran Social Services of the Virgin
Islands).  "We have been miraculously spared from the major destruction of
Hurricane Georges, and we want to do what we can to support Puerto Rico."
Indeed, as we traveled through St. Croix, from Frederiksted through the
mountains, there was very little visible damage other than broken trees,
shrubs, and traffic lights.  We met with Pastor Daniel Swanson, and saw
some roof damage at Christus Victor Church.  On the entire island, first
reports are of 20 destroyed houses, 50 with damage.

"The hurricane took a nap when he came to the Virgin Islands," Delfine
Lewis said at Frederik Lutheran Church, St. Thomas.  "We are grateful."  We
visited Pastor Stephan Kienberger (Frederik Church) and Pastor Judith
Spindt (Reformation Church), and heard again, "What can we do for Puerto
Rico" and "we have been spared any damage in St. Thomas."  Driving through
Charlotte Amalie and over the surrounding mountains, it was amazing to see
life at a normal pace - and gratifying to see the roofs LDR volunteers
built on houses after Hurricane Marilyn fully intact.  Reports from Pastor
Carlyle Samson (Nazareth Church, St. John Island) indicated no major
problems, just a little water in the parsonage.

"What can we do to help Puerto Rico" is, of course, a good question for
Lutherans to ask about a totally different situation.

PUERTO RICO: 26 September 1998
Yesterday (Saturday) Bishop Sosa and I traveled into the countryside to
visit pastors and survivors.  As we drove through twisted broken trees and
encountered chaos at highway intersections (electricity and water are still
being restored), we saw many things:  people everywhere cleaning debris and
making piles along curbs; long lines at ice and water distribution centers,
and at restaurants with generators; badly damaged or destroyed wood houses;
fields still filled with flood waters; trees, crops, and vegetation turning
brown from the salty ocean water spray.

At church Camp Edvardo Roig, Pastor Raphael Malpica (ELCA Division for
Global Mission) joined the director and his crew in operating chain saws
and clearing downed trees.  This camp will serve as the base for our LDR
operations when volunteers from outside Puerto Rico can be put into the
relief and recovery efforts.

In the afternoon we held a meeting for ELCA and LCMS pastors.  Seventeen
came prepared with assessments of damaged houses, parsonages, church
buildings, and communities.  One after another told of members and
neighbors who lost everything to the hurricane, and of and minor damage
elsewhere.  For everyone there was a sense of gratitude for God's active
presence.  Chris Finch (LSS-VI) and Brooke Burkey (who served as LDR
construction manager in the Virgin islands) offered practical suggestions
and continued support.

"What can we do to help our brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico?"  An
initial LDR grant of $76,000 has been made for: direct and immediate
assistance to survivors; a fund for distribution to Lutheran families and
neighbors following case management and needs assessment; psychological,
spiritual, and financial support for Lutheran pastors and church
professional leaders; purchase and distribution of emergency supplies;
cleaning and restoring Camp Edvardo Roig.  Ms. Lynn Askew (LDR Response
Team) will arrive this week to help set up our response, identify a local
coordinator, and work with the Church World Service interfaith efforts and
with FEMA and Red Cross; Brooke Burkey will arrive from St. Croix on
Tuesday, to oversee damage assessment and coordination of volunteers in
cleanup and repair efforts.  In addition to working with our Lutheran
members and congregations, LDR will focus efforts into the Dorado area,
where needs are great and resources minimal.

What can we do?"
-- Prayer is essential as we hold up the survivors (and those yet to be
affected by the on-going destruction of Georges).  -- Initially, only local
volunteers will be utilized while housing is prepared for "off islanders."
I will notify you as soon as volunteers can be received and efforts
coordinated.  -- Your contributions will help the church to sustain a
long-term response.  Please send your financial support to:

To contribute:


ELCA Domestic Disaster Response
PO Box 71764
Chicago, Illinois 60694-1764

 Credit card gift line:  1-800-638-3522

LCMS World Relief
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 Sun, Sep 27, 1998, at  9:34 pm)
Director, ELCA Domestic Disaster Response (Division for Church in Society),
Lutheran Disaster Response (A cooperative ministry of the ELCA and LCMS)
8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago 60631  PHONE: 773-380-2822  FAX: 773-380-2493
Visit our website:  www.elca.org/dcs/disaster