ELCA NEWS SERVICE

July 4, 2008  

'All Hands On Deck' Needed for Flood Recovery in Midwest
08-104-MRC

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Recovery efforts in the flood-ravaged
Midwest will require an "all hands on deck" approach, according
to the Rev. Kevin A. Massey, director, Lutheran Disaster
Response (LDR).  Every program and project Lutherans have will
be needed given the extent of flood damage there, he said.  LDR
is a collaborative ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
     Massey traveled June 25-27 to flood-affected areas of Iowa
and Wisconsin.  He said the number of flood-affected towns in
these states "is overwhelming.  Simply realizing the number of
households that are coping with flooding is astonishing."
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, an
estimated 25,000 homes in Iowa were damaged and/or destroyed.
     Especially hard hit is Cedar Rapids, Iowa, said Massey.
"Looking at the high water marks on houses as far as the eye
can see was overwhelming.  The only other place where I felt
like that was in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.  Cedar
Rapids will be an epicenter of our response," he said.
     LDR's long-term disaster response plan in the Midwest "will
take some time to design, but it will certainly include the
coordination of volunteers and the provision of resources like
case management," said Massey.  Flood-affected communities have
not yet prepared themselves to host outside volunteers at this
time, he said.  LDR is in conversation with faith-based
organizations and partners to secure housing for visiting
volunteer groups.
     "Lutheran congregations are already serving in
flood-affected communities," particularly in Wisconsin, said
Massey.  Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ripon, Wis., and
St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Wausau, Wis., are some
congregations assembling flood buckets to be used by people
to clean up their households, he said.  Lutheran Social
Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, Inc., Milwaukee,
an LDR affiliate, is coordinating the production of flood
buckets.
     "Flood buckets -- a big plastic bucket that contains
a myriad of cleaning supplies, gloves, face masks and all
kinds of other stuff -- are available at designated pick-up
sites," said Massey.
     Massey met with the Rev. Bruce Burnside, bishop, ELCA
South-Central Synod of Wisconsin, Madison, to provide support
and discuss the synod's disaster response efforts.
     "Lutherans really do serve automatically in disaster,"
said Massey.  "It is exciting to see how the different
expressions of the ELCA -- from congregations to synods to
the ELCA churchwide organization -- turn out in times of
disasters," he said.
     "Of everything we do, 'job one' in disaster response is
to support the spiritual and emotional needs of our bishops
and pastors, because the work that our leaders do in disaster
is the most powerful Lutheran witness for communities affected
by disasters.  The way they care for congregations and the
wider community is marvelous," he said.
     "Leaders, when called upon to serve in disaster, can
very naturally be themselves overwhelmed.  We will be
organizing opportunities for respite and direct personal
support for leaders through these very difficult months to
come," Massey said.
- - -
     A 4-minute video feature, "After the Floods," is at
http://tinyurl.com/5kx9p7 on the ELCA Web site.

DOMESTIC DISASTERS:
Editors: When listing organizations receiving funds to aid
survivors of major disasters inside the United States, Puerto
Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, please include:

ELCA Domestic Disaster Response, P.O. Box 71764, Chicago,
Illinois 60694-1764
Credit card gift line: 1-800-638-3522

Credit card gifts via Internet: http://www.ELCA.org/disaster

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