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Dear Christian friends,
I just returned from southwest Texas, where these past three days it has
rained steadily, often torrentially. Last month, on October 17th,
extensive flooding caused the fourth federally-declared Texas disaster
since May. Over 1,350 square miles are affected with half a billion
dollars in damage. In some places, due to continuing rainfall, roads still
are closed, and housing - especially low-income homes - has been
devastated. Lutheran Disaster Response is responding though Lutheran
Social Services of the South, where Pastor Norman Hein serves as Disaster
Response Coordinator, and coordinated with the Texas District (Lutheran
Church Missouri Synod) and The Southwestern Synod (Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America).
Here are some statistics:
-- In the Seguin/LaVernia area: 962 houses/mobile homes destroyed,
1,326 sustained major damage;
-- In the New Braunfels area: 369 houses/mobile homes destroyed,
567 sustained major damage;
-- In the Cuero area, 43 percent of the houses were flooded:
528 houses/mobile homes destroyed,
539 sustained major damage;
-- There have been at least 29 fatalities.
On Thursday I toured the Seguin area, and saw large areas of the community
flooded by the Guadalupe River. Soggy household items were piled on curbs,
and mud was everywhere. That evening I met with 25 pastors and spouses.
On Friday I visited the Cuero area, where widespread parts of less affluent
neighborhoods were destroyed. Here I saw the effects of flash flooding:
houses washed away, piled atop cars, or moved off foundations. Last
evening I met with 8 pastors and spouses in rural Nordheim. I learned in
both gatherings that most Lutheran congregations had substantial numbers of
members who lost their homes and/or possessions - 315 families at present
count. Over $150,000 (from LDR, the Southwestern Synod, and the Texas
District) has been distributed to the affected communities to provide
immediate assistance. Resources for children and pastoral care are also
being provided. Aid Association for Lutherans and Lutheran Brotherhood are
adding matching funds.
Yesterday during the morning chapel service at Texas Lutheran University in
Seguin, students were asked to help with the clean-up efforts. So far over
700 TLU students have given their time and energy to participate in a
caring and loving Lutheran response.
How can you participate in a caring and loving Lutheran response? Remember
in your personal and congregational prayers the thousands whose lives are
saturated with painful chaos and loss. "Self-contained" volunteers are
needed to help with the extensive clean-up. And financial contributions
are necessary to sustain our ability to support and continue a Lutheran
disaster ministry.
To volunteer: Contact Karen Ashorn (LSS of the South),1-800-938-5777
To contribute: ELCA DOMESTIC Disaster Response - "Texas floods"
PO Box 71764
Chicago, IL 60694-1764
Credit card contributions: 1-800-638-3522.
LCMS World Relief
P.O. Box 66861
St. Louis, MO 63166-9810
Credit card gift line: 1-888-930-4438
As I flew out of San Antonio today, the rain was stopping and the sky
clearing on the western horizon -- a hopeful sign, a promise of relief. I
left Texas deeply aware that so many are feeling sorrow, loss, grief, and
turmoil. But I know that God's people are also present and active,
providing relief, hope, love -- and the first signs of recovery are already
on the horizon.
In Christ,
Gil Furst
GILBERT B. FURST (written on Sat, Nov 14, 1998, at 7:56 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
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