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00.61498 by JOHANNA OLSON, Feb. 25, 2000

"Once you're out of water, you're out, except for the crying," says David
Workman, agricultural agent for Hardy County in West Virginia.  Farmers
come into his office every day to tell him how dry the land still is.
According to the National Weather Service, not enough snow has fallen this
year in the impacted areas.  Winter snowfall, and its melting, is important
for replenishing ground water and reservoirs.  Many farmers speak of ponds
on their property as being a fourth to a third full, others have drilled
new wells and still others have wells that remain dry.

ELCA Domestic Disaster Response, with ELCA Domestic Hunger, has been
actively participating in an ecumenical hay drive since August of last
year. Thus far we have kept around 260 family farms going in southeast
Ohio, West Virginia and parts of northeast Pennsylvania.  Known as the
Family Farm Drought Response Coalition, it is a group of disaster response
agencies composed of Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, Church of
the Brethren Emergency Response Service Ministries, Church World Service,
Mennonite Disaster Service and us.  To date - over 300 tracker trailer
loads have come out of the Midwest to help hundreds of farmers in critical
need - well over 4,000 tons of hay.

This partnership has taken on real action for Lutheran efforts thanks to
collaboration with Southern Ohio Synod, Lutheran Social Services of Central
Ohio, WV-Western Maryland Synod, Northeast Pennsylvania Synod, and Orphan
Grain Train.

To offer a bit of a review - the effects of drought are accumulative in
nature.  This summer's drought in the Mid-Atlantic and eastern Midwest
regions caused many independent beef farmers to start using hay intended
for winter as early as July.  This shortage resulted in premature livestock
herd being sold at below market weight, and very little hay for cattle to
survive the winter. And this is just impact to the beef farmers.

The effects of the drought also have an emotional impact.  County
Agricultural Agent Workman speaks with great concern over farmers and their
families.  Morale is low.  Northeast Pennsylvania Synod is seeking to
address low morale in their area.  In cooperation with the county extension
agent and Lutheran Brotherhood, they're sponsoring a buffet meal and
hoe-down for farm families.  Initiatives are also being furthered in the
Midwest and in Pennsylvania to celebrate Rogation Days.  This is a custom
dating back to the 5th century to ask God's blessing on crops and land
three days preceding the Feast of the Ascension.

The need continues and with the cost of gasoline increasing, your donations
can play a critical role.  Designate checks for "drought response/hay lift"
and send to the following address:

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

In closing, I share a word of thanks from a farmer in Ohio, "Knowing this
will assist me with maintaining my cattle, I want you and all those who
have so freely given from their hearts to know that I am more than thankful
for their sacrifices... Your deeds today will ring far and wide for many
years to come.  James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have
works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith
by my works."

Our work is not yet over.
Johanna Olson

JOHANNA OLSON (written  1:40 pm Fri, Feb 25, 2000)
Assistant for ELCA Domestic Disaster Response (Division for Church in
Society); 8765 West Higgins Rd., Chicago, IL 60631; tel.  773-380-2822 fax
773-380-2493