Haiti: Groundbreaking at Gressier Model Village & ELCA Cholera Work
Last Thursday a fairly momentous occasion happened in Haiti. A new project, that has involved many months of conversation, negotiation, community input and planning came together with the groundbreaking for the Gressier Model Village. This village of 200 housing units...
Alabama: Federal Emergency Declared in Two Counties, Hold on Volunteers
The president has just declared two counties in Alabama (Jefferson & Chilton) federal disaster areas. This means they are now able to receive federal funds to help them respond to the effects of severe storms, tornadoes and flooding early last...
Field Report: Minot Visit and Pastor’s Respite Retreat
Dear Sisters and Brothers, My name is Matthew Ley and I am the Program Interpreter for ELCA Disaster Response. Last week I had my first trip to Minot, ND to check in on the progress made since the flooding from...
Alabama: Severe Storms and Tornadoes Hit the State
Early this morning severe storms with high winds, and in some places tornadoes, pounded the South and Midwest. One of the heaviest hit areas was Alabama, where the storms and tornadoes led to two confirmed deaths in Birmingham, AL. Soon...
LWF: Department of World Service Certified as People-Centered
Last week the Lutheran World Federation’s Department of World Service (LWF-DWS) gained certification from Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP) International. To give some context to what this means, here is a an overview of HAP’s purpose from their website: [HAP] International...
South Sudan: Update on LWF Response
Driving home from work yesterday I was listening to National Public Radio and heard a report on the situation developing in the Jonglei state of South Sudan. It was an informative piece describing the deteriorating situation with tribal clashes between...