Situation Report: Hawai’i Wildfires
Situation: On Aug. 8, multiple wildfires broke out on Maui. Exacerbated by strong winds, they destroyed homes, businesses, and lines of communication. The town of Lahaina was the most impacted, although there was also damage from smaller fires near Kihei...
“God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday Ideas
“God’s Work. Our Hands.” Sunday will be here before you know it! 2023 is the tenth year of GWOH Sunday, which is a day of service dedicated to community service. This year, it falls on September 10. GWOH Sunday...
Reflections from the 2023 National VOAD Conference
At the beginning of May, five Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) staff members attended the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) conference in St. Louis, Missouri. NVOAD is a coalition of community-based, faith-based and nonprofit disaster response organizations throughout...
Situation Report: Sudan Conflict
Situation: On April 15, violence broke out between opposing military groups in Sudan. Most of the fighting has been in the capital city of Khartoum, but some has now spread outside the city. Because of the conflict, many civilians cannot...
Situation Report: Cyclone Freddy
Situation: After forming near Australia, Cyclone Freddy traveled westward, eventually making its first landfall in Madagascar on Feb. 21 and then two more landfalls in Mozambique. In addition to Madagascar and Mozambique, Malawi was profoundly affected. Freddy led to at...
Situation Report: March tornadoes in the Southern U.S.
Situation: From March 24-25, a powerful line of thunderstorms swept through the southern United States, spawning at least 20 tornadoes. Across multiple states, tornadoes and strong winds damaged buildings and knocked out electricity. The largest tornado was an EF-4 that traveled through...