STORMS ACROSS THE NATION, JUNE 2008

One right after another, terrible storms have left indelible marks this week on individuals and communities across the Midwest, and it seems as though the news headlines have continually focused national attention on the region. As the long effort of cleaning up and rebuilding begins, Lutheran Disaster Response is poised to bring help and hope, and to walk side by side with those affected.

This week, Michael Nevergall, LDR associate, and Cindy Johnson, LDR coordinator for Minnesota, traveled to Iowa to assist LDR coordinator Michael Stadie with assessments and response there, and to accompany leaders from the ELCA Northeastern Iowa Synod. At the same time, Rev. Kevin Massey, LDR Director, traveled to Wisconsin to accompany leaders in the ELCA La Crosse Area and South-Central Wisconsin synods during these trying times.

Major flooding continues to spread south through Iowa, with Des Moines and other cities now under a voluntary evacuation. Across the state, fifty-four different counties have been declared state disaster areas. The city of Cedar Rapids is nearly at a stand still, with water rising into the 500-year flood plain and the downtown completely flooded. The ELCA Northeastern Iowa Synod has postponed its synod assembly, scheduled for this weekend in Waverly, due to the difficulty of traveling on roads throughout the state. At least two Lutheran camp properties are under water and a number of Lutheran congregations have been directly impacted.

In Wisconsin, where we saw stunning video of the water powerfully leaving Lake Delton and ripping homes apart in its path, the waters continue to rise across the southern portion of the state. Farm fields throughout the region are completely under water, raising questions about the long-term economic impact of these floods on the region’s agriculture. Highways throughout the state are closed, making travel nearly impossible. Similarly, in Indiana, thirty counties have been declared as disaster areas, with waters still rising in portions of the state. Flooding also is affecting, or threatening to affect, communities in Minnesota, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri.

Additionally, two major systems of tornadoes swept through portions of Iowa and Kansas this week, including the storm that killed four Boy Scouts at a camp. Scherer Memorial Lutheran (ELCA) in Chapman, Kansas sustained severe damage to its building, and the entire town is completely shut off, even to residents, at this point.

Please consider forming a volunteer work team within your congregation to assist in recovery from disasters. If you would like more information about becoming a volunteer individually or as a team please contact Linda Frey at 610-847-5775 or lwfrey@epix.net.