While this may seem a bit unusual, for those of you who have followed this blog, and our journey, it should not surprise you in the least. Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) is beginning their spring campaign for the Gulf Coast recovery from hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This will include over 1000 people who will assist as part of spring break, and the many, many others who have made trip after trip after trip to the Gulf Coast to assist since Katrina. We have met many who have gone at least once a year, sometimes 4 or more trips in a year, by themselves and with others, to help those with no other means of recovery.
For all those who were helped with funds from Katrina Aid Today, there at least that many more who did not qualify, or who still have needs. A friend recently returned from the Gulf Coast and was proud that their church group had completed two houses during their stay, but admitted that there were 10,000 more homes to be done. The only way it happens is one house, one family at a time.
For everyone who reads this, and has donated, and/or has given their time to the recovery of the Gulf Coast, we give thanks to God what you have done. For those who have not yet helped, this may be your opportunity.
If you are reading this blog for the first time, go to the beginning as we went to Mississippi just a few months after Katrina and read of the time we spent there. If you have questions or comments, feel free to post them here.
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March 4, 2008
Sisters and brothers in Christ,
When the 2005 hurricane season battered communities along the U.S. Gulf Coast, the response of Lutheran donors was amazing, even overwhelming. Through your support, Lutheran Disaster Response has played an integral role in the initial stages of recovery from these terrible disasters. But the work is far from over. Urban planners and other local officials estimate that recovery could continue for years to come. Now, we ask you to renew your commitment to the Gulf Coast by giving to an unprecedented second funding campaign.All gifts received through this campaign will support the work of local long-term recovery organizations, through staff expertise, volunteers, and other resources. What is a long-term recovery organization? In short, it is a not-for-profit organization formed as a sort of local response headquarters. By working with these committees, local leaders from any active response organization have the opportunity to contribute resources to a wider group and broaden their influence on community restoration. Through long-term recovery, all available resources are multiplied through the collaborative commitment of everyone involved.
To give a gift to the appeal or learn more, click here. Updates on the progress of the appeal, as well as success stories about long-term recovery, will also be posted so please check back regularly. Please share this message as broadly as you are able -- forward this e-mail to anyone who might be interested, post this information on your Web site or blog, share this message in your church bulletin or newsletter, tell others about your experience as a Lutheran Disaster Response volunteer. The response of the Lutheran community to this appeal will help to define our presence in the Gulf Coast recovery into the future.
In 2008, Lutheran Disaster Response celebrates 20 years of bringing help and hope to disaster survivors. Over those 20 years, Lutherans have earned the well-deserved reputation of being committed to the long-term needs of recovering communities from Grand Forks to Oklahoma City, eastern Pennsylvania to southern California, New York City and New Orleans. Thank you for your continued commitment to this amazing and life-changing ministry!
In service,
Rev. Kevin A. Massey
Acting Director
Lutheran Disaster Response
Bringing Help and Hope...
Phone: 773-380-2748
Fax: 773-380-2493
Visit us on the Web at www.ldr.org
Showing posts with label disaster. Show all posts
Showing posts with label disaster. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
Monday Musings
Dodge is off to a great 2008 season by winning the Great American Race – the Daytona 500. The new car (COT) made its debut at Daytona and the 2008 NASCAR season is off and running. And how about Toyota? Dodge placed first and second (Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch), but Toyota placed 3rd and 4th (Tony Steward and Kyle Busch)! Not bad for their second year in NASCAR.
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Gasoline prices have soared up again. I bought gas early last week (Monday or Tuesday) for $2.70 a gallon; by Saturday the same station was at $2.85 per gallon. We worry about stimulating the economy, and yet there are people who cannot afford to buy gas to get to work! The divide between the haves and have-nots grows every day. As one who definitely was on the “have” side a few years ago, but is now closer to the “have-not” side (life as a middle-aged student is definitely a different tax bracket than we were used to), this is pretty obvious. For most of us, we cannot see it. As long as our economic situation does not change, we think the world is OK. What happens, though, when your job depends on you having a car (because our public transportation is inadequate) and you cannot come up with gas money, on top of groceries and car insurance, and the other necessities of life? No – we do not have and are not guaranteed the “right to drive” in this country, but then, we make it so hard for those who need other options. Our streets are not pedestrian friendly, we only have bike lanes in the “nice” neighborhoods, and we as drivers do not show the proper respect to our neighbors on foot, or bicycles or mopeds – we just want them to get out of our way so we can get to where we are going. We even complain about the public transportation that we do have – busses that stop in front of us and block our travel lane. We even complain about the small percentage of our taxes that are used to support public transportation, and yet, most of us are not willing to car-pool or offer a ride to someone standing at a bus stop.
As a Lenten discipline, maybe we could just try being nicer while driving. No road rage, no yelling at other drivers, and maybe, just maybe, give the right-of-way to a pedestrian or bicyclist once in a while. If you are in a great mood, offer a ride to someone who is struggling to carry their groceries down the street.
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Tornadoes again – more tornadoes so far this winter than most of us remember in a long time. We offer prayers for those in Florida and Alabama, struck by tornadoes yesterday. May God bring you peace, and comfort you in your loss, and bring you volunteers who will help, and pray, and become a part of your life as you rebuild and repair.
If you wish to help out, contact your local Red Cross, or Lutheran Disaster Response, or check with any member organization of VOAD.
****
Gasoline prices have soared up again. I bought gas early last week (Monday or Tuesday) for $2.70 a gallon; by Saturday the same station was at $2.85 per gallon. We worry about stimulating the economy, and yet there are people who cannot afford to buy gas to get to work! The divide between the haves and have-nots grows every day. As one who definitely was on the “have” side a few years ago, but is now closer to the “have-not” side (life as a middle-aged student is definitely a different tax bracket than we were used to), this is pretty obvious. For most of us, we cannot see it. As long as our economic situation does not change, we think the world is OK. What happens, though, when your job depends on you having a car (because our public transportation is inadequate) and you cannot come up with gas money, on top of groceries and car insurance, and the other necessities of life? No – we do not have and are not guaranteed the “right to drive” in this country, but then, we make it so hard for those who need other options. Our streets are not pedestrian friendly, we only have bike lanes in the “nice” neighborhoods, and we as drivers do not show the proper respect to our neighbors on foot, or bicycles or mopeds – we just want them to get out of our way so we can get to where we are going. We even complain about the public transportation that we do have – busses that stop in front of us and block our travel lane. We even complain about the small percentage of our taxes that are used to support public transportation, and yet, most of us are not willing to car-pool or offer a ride to someone standing at a bus stop.
As a Lenten discipline, maybe we could just try being nicer while driving. No road rage, no yelling at other drivers, and maybe, just maybe, give the right-of-way to a pedestrian or bicyclist once in a while. If you are in a great mood, offer a ride to someone who is struggling to carry their groceries down the street.
****
Tornadoes again – more tornadoes so far this winter than most of us remember in a long time. We offer prayers for those in Florida and Alabama, struck by tornadoes yesterday. May God bring you peace, and comfort you in your loss, and bring you volunteers who will help, and pray, and become a part of your life as you rebuild and repair.
If you wish to help out, contact your local Red Cross, or Lutheran Disaster Response, or check with any member organization of VOAD.
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