Situation Report: Ukraine and Eastern Europe (June 6, 2022)
More than three months since Russian troops invaded Ukraine, fighting continues to intensify as humanitarian conditions deteriorate. The United Nations’ OCHA Ukraine: Humanitarian Report estimates that 6.6 million people have fled the country and 8 million are displaced internally. While...
Situation Report: Mass Shootings in the U.S.
Buffalo, NY Situation: On May 14, a mass shooting occurred in a grocery store in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo, NY. 10 people were killed and three others were injured in the racially-motivated attack. Response: The Upstate New York Synod, with support...
A Recap of the National VOAD Conference
On May 2-5, National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, National VOAD, held its annual conference in Baltimore, MD. Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) is a National VOAD member and has been a strong player in the VOAD movement. National VOAD is...
Situation Report: Texas-Louisiana Tornadoes
Situation: On March 21-22, a storm system moved through several southern states, including Texas and Louisiana. It spawned multiple tornadoes, including an EF-3 tornado in Arabi, La., which killed one and damaged dozens of homes. Response: The Texas-Louisiana...
Repentance, Reconciliation, Restoration: A Missionary Update from Slovakia
The following is a newsletter update from Rev. Kyle & Ånna Svennungsen, ELCA missionaries in Slovakia. Greetings dear partners in ministry! We are writing to you from Bratislava, Slovakia. At Bratislava International Church, our theme for Lent is ‘Walking...
Situation Report 2: Ukraine and Eastern Europe Crisis Response
Situation: As of Mar. 23, over 3.5 million people are estimated to have left Ukraine, most of which are women and children. The refugees are primarily fleeing to Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova. According to UNHCR, another 2 million...