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To: [log in to unmask] Dear friends in Christ, "Thanks to Lutheran Disaster Response for your tremendous support and for the spirit you brought." With these words, Fred Trunage, mayor of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, presented Dale Peercy (LDR construction manager) with an honorary citizenship to his community. But in a much broader sense, Mayor Trunage was speaking on behalf of many people in his state. I just returned from four days in North Carolina, leading evaluation meetings with our Lutheran partners as well as with interfaith coalitions. From Rocky Mount, Wilson, Goldsboro, Greenville, Vanceboro, and Washington come similar words of thanks and appreciation. "Tell all those Lutherans how much we appreciate the long term partnership in our efforts," said Pastor Lewis Murdock of Washington, NC. Lutheran Disaster Response (a cooperative ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod) is concluding its response to the destruction of Hurricane Floyd. Present since September 1999, LDR is now "closing down" and "moving ahead." Over these two years, 981 volunteers from twenty-one states (and one team from Ontario, Canada) provided nearly 32,000 volunteer hours in North Carolina. Included in these volunteers were 88 students who came during their 2000 spring break. Volunteers did everything connected with disaster recovery from cleanup to rebuilding. Especially valued in this response was the creative partnership of Aid Association for Lutherans and Lutheran Brotherhood (two Lutheran insurance fraternals). In July 2000 LDR brought Dale and Jean Peercy to North Carolina to coordinate construction projects in interfaith settings. In addition to coordinating Lutheran volunteers, they worked especially with the skilled volunteers of the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee and with the Church of the Brethren. Under their leadership, 350 families returned to their homes. As of last week, total Lutheran financial contributions to this disaster have been $1,829,196. Numbers don't tell the whole story, but they do indicate some of the comfort and consolation, tears and laughter, compassion and love provided by the presence of Jesus' servants, by Christian brothers and sisters who saw the need and came to be part of the LDR response. As I traveled through eastern North Carolina this week, I remembered many scenes and many people I've met since Hurricane Floyd flooded the area. I remembered tear-stained faces, houses standing in water and mud, the incredible filth of the aftermath, the damage and ruins. But now I see smiling faces, people standing in repaired home, clean yards and villages. Present at the Rocky Mount was Hannah Dozier, about whom I wrote in July 2000. She and her family are now back in their Princeville home. "Thank you for getting me back into my home," she said, "from the bottom of my heart." Lutherans are part of God's people, people who care, people who love, people who bring help and hope, people who serve in the name of Jesus Christ. Linda Steward, director of the Greenville Interfaith Fellowship Team, wrote to her Lutheran friends in faith, "On behalf of the families whose lives you have richly touched and on behalf of the GIFT organization we thank you and pray God's blessings upon each of you." From the bottom of my heart - on behalf of the thousands who have seen the love of Jesus in your prayers, in your support, in your presence - I say a sincere word of thanks. Yours in Christ, Gil Furst GILBERT B. FURST (written on Fri, Aug 31, 2001, at 2:48 pm). Director for ELCA DOMESTIC DISASTER RESPONSE (Division for Church in Society) and LUTHERAN DISASTER RESPONSE (a cooperative ministry of the ELCA and LC-MS) 8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago 60631 PHONE: 773-380-2822 FAX: 773-380-2493 Please visit our website: www.elca.org/dcs/disaster