ELCA NEWS SERVICE

November 1, 2007  

Lutheran Congregations Along Gulf Coast Call for Volunteers
07-179-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- More than two years after Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita battered the U.S. Gulf Coast, the area shows
a few signs of healing, but years of work remain.  Congregations
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) from Port Arthur, Texas,
to Ocean Springs, Miss., organized a "blitz" to attract
volunteers in November and December.
     "Things are still pretty desperate on the coast," said Suzie
Harvey, camp manager, Camp Victor, Ocean Springs, Miss.  "We have
700 people on a waiting list to get their houses rebuilt, and
that's just for our camp."
     In the past year Camp Victor has restored 100 homes, Harvey
said, pointing out that her waiting list has about seven years of
projects.  "All the agencies on the coast are just as busy, and a
lot of them are no longer taking new clients.  There are clients
out there that are not even on lists yet," she said.
     Lutheran congregations along the Gulf Coast have established
camps or created space and facilities for volunteers coming to help
restore the area.  Camp Victor, related to Christus Victor Lutheran
Church, Ocean Springs, is one of a dozen sites involved in the
blitz.
     Together the sites have waiting lists with more than 5,500
work projects.  They've been warehousing donations of food, clothing,
bedding, furniture and appliances, building supplies and tools.
     The sites offer a total of more than 900 beds for volunteers.
Each site has kitchen, dining and shower facilities.  All have space
to relax, and some have Internet access.  Most ask for donations to
help cover room and board, but organizers don't want that cost to
deter anyone from coming.
     "If there's any way, just come and see.  Even if you can't come
and work, just come and see," said the Rev. Jim Shears, Gethsemane
Lutheran Church, Chalmette, La.  "See what it's like here, and see
what are the opportunities for ministry.  See how committed the people
are that are going to be doing the ministries," he said.  "We're doing
ministry for people by people who have all been through the exact same
thing, which gives us a level of understanding that nobody else can
have."
     "Katrina is the largest disaster we've ever faced.  A lot of
things did not go well, but there's one thing that did go well, and
that's the church," said Leon Philpot, lay minister, Grace Lutheran
Church, New Orleans.  "The church has always been great in its
response to disasters around the country and around the world for
that matter," he said.
     "This blitz is very important but is not the end-all to our
recovery.  It is the signal to say there is work to be done for
years," Philpot said.  "Our greatest fear right now is that we will
be forgotten, and there is still a lot of work yet to be done," he
said.  "There is much to be done in helping people rebuild not only
their homes but their lives."
-- -- --
     Information about the blitz is at
http://www.futurewithhope.org/blitz.html on the Web.

     A video report on this story is at
http://www.ELCA.org/news/video.html
and audio clips from several of the interviews are at
http://www.ELCA.org/audio/ on the ELCA Web site.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog