The Editor of The Lutheran (Australia), Linda Macqueen, sent a positive message this afternoon regarding Cyclone Yasi that was threatening the northeast coast of Australia.  At one point, the storm was listed as a category 5, with some weather reports suggesting the size of the storm system to be roughly twice the size of Hurricane Katrina.  The eastern coastal region of Australia is currently recovering from record setting floods. ~Megan

Cairns and Townville, the major regional centres of North Queensland, have been spared from the anticipated massive destruction of Category 5 Cyclone Yasi, which crossed the coast at around midnight last night. Lutherans from those communities reported this morning that, while they experienced an uneasy night, the cyclone did not appear to be anything out of the ordinary.

“Thanks be to God that the cyclone did not cross the coast at a highly populated area’, LCA Queensland District President Noel Noack, said this morning. ‘While we feel for the people directly in its path, who have lost homes and property, we can thank God that there were no lives lost.’

This was the first cyclone Pastor Lou and Hazel Pfeiffer of Townsville had experienced. During the preparations they had felt anxious, but during the cyclone they were not afraid. ‘We were even relaxed enough to play cards’, said Hazel.

General Church Council member David Spanagel, of Cairns, said that he and wife Pam didn’t feel they needed to go to their bunker at any stage during the cyclone. At around midnight they felt that it posed no danger to them and they went to bed. ‘Here in Cairns, we’ve dodged a bullet’, he said.

There are small Lutheran communities at Mission Beach and Tully, which took the full blunt of Yasi, but at this stage it is not known how they fared.

Written by: Linda Macqueen, Editor of The Lutheran (Australia)

It was six months ago, at the end of July 2010, that the worst floods Pakistan has ever seen ravaged the country, leaving nearly 2,000 dead; 3,000 injured and millions without homes. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) states that over 20 million Pakistanis, around 10% of the population, have been affected. They report that there are still 170,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in camps, which does not even take into account the vast numbers of those who have returned to find their homes still under water and uninhabitable.

So the need is not over and we are reminded again that even after disasters leave the headlines they do not leave the lives of those affected. Thank God for those who continue to work after the cameras and reporters are gone. Thank God for those who plan with the foresight needed to meet the continuing needs of people after disasters strike. Please pray that God will continue to sustain both those whose lives have been affected by this flooding and those working on their behalf.

For more information read OCHA’s Humanitarian Community in Pakistan is Faced with New Challenges – Six Months into the Floods.

Flooding in Queensland. Image from LCA

Earlier this month the Australian state of Queensland, composing the northeast portion of the country, was hit with major flooding along its eastern sea border. It was considered some of the worst flooding the area has seen in over 35 years.  In reading the news coming out from the area I’m reminded of Katrina and the devastation ravaged on New Orleans.  What also reminded me of Katrina is reading about how the local churches and population as well as people from across the county have been volunteering time and talents to help those affected by the flood.

Below are two articles written by Linda MacQueen, editor of the Lutheran Church in Australia’s (LCA) magazine The Lutheran. The first one highlights the personal story of Trevor Ruthenberg as he lends a helping hand. The second describes how local churches are playing an immediate role while still looking forward to how they can address the long-term needs caused by the flooding.

Trevor’s Story: After Rains, Love Reigns

Role of Local Churches: Congregations Will Support Victims For Long Haul

To read more stories check out the LCA site’s coverage of the flooding and response: Floods Disaster 2011

Distributing Blankets in Bangladesh

Last week a cold spell moved through Bangladesh with temperatures getting as low as 5 degrees Celsius (41 degrees F). In response, the ELCA partner RDRS Bangladesh has distributed blankets and wraps to people affected by the cold. Though no appeal has been raised at this point, RDRS will continue to monitor the situation.

To read more, check out this post on the Asian Lutheran Communion website.

Rangpur Dinajpur Rural Service (RDRS) was founded in 1971 following the Bangladesh War of Independence by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). Since 1997 it has been an autonomous organization but has continued to have close ties with the LWF /Department of World Services and its work in Bangladesh.

A 7.2 earthquake has hit a remote area of southwestern Pakistan. Today’s quake was centered in Baluchistan, Pakistan’s most sparsely populated area, according to the US Geological Service. The quake’s epicenter was centered in a remote area about 200 miles, or 320 kilometers, southwest of the Baluchistan capital of Quetta, the Associated Press reported. The quake was felt in several neighboring provinces and in major cities, including Karachi.  Police from Karachi report no damage or loss of life as of now.

The ELCA’s partner, CWS in Pakistan, has a long record of responding after earthquakes, including the 7.5-magnitude quake that hit Pakistan in 2005.  CWS will conduct assessments and prepare a response if needed.

Flood waters continue in the Australian state of Queensland.  The Lutheran Church of Australia is responding to those in need.  You may be interested in checking out the Australia Floods video produced by the Lutheran Church of Australia.  Check out the ELCA Disaster Website

Lutheran Church of Australia office in Queensland.

to see more information on LCA’s response and ways to contribute.  I am also including in this post a letter from LCA pastor James Haak who lives in a community devistated by the floods…

Just a few words to update you with how things are in the Lockyer Valley.

At the end of the week, most of the waters have now receded below minor flood levels and people are commencing the difficult task of cleaning up. In the eastern end of the valley in Laidley and surrounding areas such as Forest Hill, getting rid of the mud and silt that entered homes and drying things out has become a priority. The Laidley manse did have water enter the garage, but not the manse itself. In the western areas, the town of Grantham and its environs still remains a no go area. Police still have the area declared a crime scene as they, the SES, and the military continue the task of searching for bodies in the flood debris. Many of the parish who live in the Grantham and Helidon areas were affected in some way by flooding. I know of one parish member whose house has been totally lost with many more in the parish having lost all or some of their possessions to the waters. Cleaning up is only part of the story as it will take many months for farmers to begin receiving an income again. We are grateful that, to date, it appears that the Lutheran community has been spared any loss of life, but in such a small community as Grantham, many personally know one or more of those who have died.

For those of us who were spared flooding, the worse thing remains the inconvenience as many roads remain closed and even basic necessities such as bread, milk and fuel are in short supply. Local supermarkets are still restricting quantities of the necessities that people can purchase.

We thank our God for your expressions of care and support during this difficult time, and are grateful that we have been spared from an even worse disaster.

In Christ,
Pastor James Haak