This has been a devastating season of hurricanes for our neighbors throughout the Caribbean and the U.S. South. Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have already left a path of destruction, and at the time of this writing, Hurricane Maria has made landfall in Puerto Rico. As response efforts begin and continue, Rev. Albert Starr, Jr., director of Ethnic Specific and Multicultural Ministries and program director for African Descent Ministries for the ELCA, offers this update and call for our prayers for all our neighbors affected by the storms, including those on smaller islands often given too little attention in U.S. national news.

Beloved,

Please continue to hold our sisters and brothers throughout the Caribbean in prayer.

As efforts are being made to respond to the devastating impact of hurricane Irma in the Caribbean, plans are being made in anticipation of yet another hurricane, Maria, which made landfall in Puerto Rico September 20, 2017. Residents of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico were urged to take shelter in the available emergency centers as many private homes have already been damaged and structurally compromised by previous storms and hurricane Irma. The island of Dominica and the U.S. Virgin Islands have already been devastated by Maria, a powerful storm right on the heels of Hurricane Irma.

Communications with the islands of St. Thomas, St. John in particular, have been sporadic at best over the past week. St. Croix and Puerto Rico experienced the least impact of hurricane Irma. We have limited reporting out from the ELCA churchwide offices so as not to inadvertently add to the level of anxiety with unverified or false information.

Our Lutheran Disaster Response team here at our churchwide office in Chicago has been in direct communication with Lutheran Social Services of the Virgin Islands, with offices on the island of St. Croix and with Lutheran Social Services of Puerto Rico. For more information on the efforts of Lutheran Disaster Response, please visit the Lutheran Disaster Response blog or follow Lutheran Disaster Response on Facebook.

The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been on the ground but may withdraw staff and return after Hurricane Maria has passed.

Ms. Junia Stryker, director for Lutheran Social Services of the Virgin Islands has brought on an additional staff person whose work will be dedicated completely to hurricane response in the Virgin Islands. Their staff has not yet been able to make an on-the-ground assessment. Travel between the islands by both sea plane and ferry has been curtailed by continued unfavorable weather. The airport on St. Thomas was restricted to emergency and military air traffic only.  St. John does not have a commercial airport.

As of this past week here are some of the effects from Hurricane Irma:

St. Thomas and St. John

• Frederick Church sustained damages and is worshiping in the parish hall building.
• Nazareth Church on St. John island received some damage but is standing. The parsonage was destroyed. St. John is without power and running water. We have heard from Pastor Carlyle Sampson indirectly that he is well but without means of connecting and communicating with all the members across the island. This is true of the ministries and pastors on St. Thomas as well.
• The hospital on St. Thomas has been destroyed. Patients have been evacuated to St. Croix, Puerto Rico and mainland U.S.
• The main power plant on St. Thomas was destroyed. Power outages continue. Cell phone access is sporadic. When possible, texting seems to be the best opportunity for connecting.
• FEMA has set up food and water distribution centers across the island.
• An island-wide 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew is being enforced.

Please continue to hold our neighbors in prayer this season. If you would like to support the efforts of Lutheran Disaster Response, please visit their “Hurricane Relief” giving page to make a gift. 100% of gifts to Lutheran Disaster Response will be mobilized to support response and recovery efforts related to the hurricanes.

Additional Ways to Give

Checks or money orders can be sent to:
Lutheran Disaster Response
P.O. Box 1809
Merrifield, VA 22116-8009

Write “Hurricane Response” on your check memo line.
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Give by phone at 800-638-3522

Deliverance belongs to the Lord; may your blessing be on your people! – Psalm 3:8 (NRSV)

Today, September 8th is International Literacy Day. It is the 50th anniversary of this day that celebrates the work of individuals, organizations, and governments in their efforts to increase literacy rates all over the world.  In celebration of that, we share this post. It was written by Rev. Franklin Ishida, Area Director for Asia and the Pacific.

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In Nepal, education is so highly valued that, following the devastating earthquakes in 2015, makeshift classrooms were built immediately so children could continue their learning. In many places, rebuilding school buildings was a great challenge due to the difficult mountainous terrain.

Lutheran Disaster Response, working with partners in Nepal, was not just about rebuilding homes, livelihood, and other infrastructure, but also about building up the very foundations of life: education. One of the partners, United Mission to Nepal, was tasked by the government to help rebuild schools in some of the most inaccessible places.

Shree Oile Basic school was one of these schools rebuilt with funding from LDR. A new two classroom building now stands proud, built in an approved earthquake-resistant design. Compared to the crumbling old building, the new one has tall ceilings, a bright interior, and wonderful environment for learning.

“Our old building was not so bright,” said headmistress Radha Adhikori. “In the summer, especially, children would fall asleep when it was dark inside. It is now bright and it will be better for the students and the teachers.”

The children themselves are excited about the change. “We don’t have to worry about earthquakes and we feel safer now,” said Tara, a student at the school. “We also don’t have to worry when it rains or thunders outside,” noting the sturdy roof on the building. There also are brand new latrines and a clean water supply.

“We hope to achieve so much more in learning now that we have a new building,” said Adhikori. “I am happy for this kind of support for our education. And now, my hope is we can expand this school beyond early childhood and classes 1 to 3.”

Season of Creation – Love

By: Ruth Ivory-Moore

On Sunday, August 20^th I sat in my church service.  The speaker was a young adult with a powerful, gripping voice.  He started the sermon listing the things that he was wary about.  He rattled off an exhaustive list.  But the one item on his list that struck me the most was his weariness concerning the rhetoric from the streets to the highest level of government, that foster the notion of the superiority of one race over another.  This struck an unusual chord with me, especially with the approaching of the  “Season of Creation”, a time to celebrate.  It is a time to celebrate “God the Creator, Christ as the redeemer of creation, and the Spirit as sustainer of creation—to worship God along with all creation, and to express gratitude, love, and a commitment to care for all living things on earth.”

The minister continued to travel down the “weary” path but ended with hope and faith. Human beings are to be stewards of all creation.  “Scripture speaks of one humanity, created by God.  Scripture tells of a diverse people reconciled to God through the blood of the cross, a people set free for the work of reconciliation. It heralds a new freedom and future in one Lord, one faith, one baptism.”  (A Social Statement on Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity, and Culture.) Scripture also “…witnesses to God as creator of the earth and all that dwells therein (Psalm 24:1). The creeds, which guide our reading of Scripture, proclaim God the Father of Jesus Christ as “maker of heaven and earth,” Jesus Christ as the one “through [whom] all things were made,” and the Holy Spirit as “the Lord, the giver of life” (Nicene Creed) …Humanity is intimately related to the rest of creation. We, like other creatures, are formed from the earth (Genesis 2:7, 9, 19). Scripture speaks of humanity’s kinship with other creatures (Psalm 104, Job 38-39) … We are to love the earth as God loves us.  (A Social Statement on Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope, and Justice).

The Season of Creation runs from September 1^st through October 4^th.  Lutheran Disaster Response and ELCA Advocacy are collaborating to celebrate this season through lenses of understanding, awareness building, and love.  We will especially highlight accompanying our brothers and sisters before, during and after disasters.  Especially as our Lutheran Disaster Response team works diligently, along with local their affiliate, synods, and congregations to foster help and hope for those left homeless or otherwise affected by Hurricane Harvey now, and for years to come.

We begin with a prayer.

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son.  Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred that infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and, through our struggle and confusion, work to accomplish your purposes on earth; so that, in your good time, every people and nation may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne.

Lord in your mercy”

       Hear our prayer.

(Adopted from ELW prayers.)

Remembering Katrina in the Face of Harvey

by: Rev. Michael Stadie

For most people, the last week of August means back to school or looking forward to the Labor Day weekend. But for many others, this is a time of pain, hurt and sadness for August 29 is the 12th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina striking the gulf coast and the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Isaac coming ashore in the same area as Katrina did. Now with Hurricane Harvey, this week will never be the same for hundreds of thousands who are being impacted by the storm. The rest of their lives will be marked as “before Harvey” and “after Harvey.”

As I write this, countless people in the greater Houston area are being rescued every minute. There are some 17,000 people in shelters and dozens more are being prepared to receive those displaced by the storm. And it is still raining. Because there is so much water, it will be weeks before the water recedes enough for people to safely see what, if anything, is left of their homes and for the relief efforts to begin. Because of the immense destruction, it will be many years before most homes will be repaired or rebuilt and people find their new normal.

The images we have seen on the news this week, survivors walking through chest-high water or waiting to be rescued, first responders and volunteers risking their lives to save others, dozens if not hundreds of people in shelters all bring to mind what happened 12 years ago. For most of us, we are saddened to see the devastation, heartened by the rescues, and inspired by the resiliency seen in those who have gone through the flooding. But what is not seen is the fear, anxiety, and depression people are feeling, or the feelings of being retraumatized by those who have gone through Katrina, Isaac or one of the other hurricanes that brought suffering to so many lives. Yes, Hurricane Harvey has brought physical destruction to the gulf coast area but has also opened old wounds. As you remember those impacted by Harvey in your prayers, please also remember those for whom this storm brings back memories of another frightening time.

So, no matter if this is a person’s first hurricane or if they have been in the path of many storms, Lutheran Disaster Response through our local affiliate, Upbring, will be there for them to walk with the survivors on the long road to recovery as they find their new normal.