{"id":8126,"date":"2020-11-17T08:02:34","date_gmt":"2020-11-17T13:02:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/?p=8126"},"modified":"2020-11-11T14:23:50","modified_gmt":"2020-11-11T19:23:50","slug":"november-22-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/november-22-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"November 22, 2020–Helping Your Neighbors"},"content":{"rendered":"

Danny Stone, Marion, IA<\/b><\/p>\n

Warm-up Question<\/b><\/p>\n

What are your favorite non-profit organizations?<\/p>\n

Helping Your Neighbors<\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

There are few ELCA youth directors who wake up every morning and separate the goats from the sheep.\u00a0 <\/span>I get to live out today\u2019s Gospel twice a day! I serve full-time at Faith Lutheran Church in Marion, Iowa and live on a 40 acre farm animal sanctuary which cares for 60+ animals.\u00a0 <\/span>My wife, Alison, and I founded Hercules\u2019 Haven as a forever home for animals.\u00a0 <\/span>It is a place where people can come to experience grace, compassion, and grow in empathy.\u00a0 <\/span>With church and farm, non-profits rule my life.<\/p>\n

As you can imagine, 2020 has been difficult for non-profit organizations.\u00a0 <\/span>Our friends at the local rescues struggled during the shutdown.\u00a0 <\/span>All in-person fundraising events were cancelled, volunteers stayed home, and each organization had to double-down with skeleton crews. Everyone pivoted to online fundraising and eventually helpers returned.\u00a0 <\/span>Grants and gifts helped make up the difference, and we welcomed Zoom visitors from across the country. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2020 had another surprise for Central Iowa and its struggling charities.\u00a0 <\/span>On August 10th<\/sup>, a powerful storm system moved across the Midwest.\u00a0 <\/span>This \u201cderecho\u201d pummeled communities from Iowa to Indiana.\u00a0 <\/span>A narrow band over Cedar Rapids had gusts over 140 mph.\u00a0 <\/span>That is equal to an EF3 tornado or Category 4 hurricane.\u00a0 <\/span>1.9 million utility customers across the region lost power. The storm devastated the greater Cedar Rapids area.\u00a0 <\/span>The city lost 60% of its tree cover, crops were destroyed, and most homes suffered mild to severe damage.\u00a0 <\/span>The homeless population doubled overnight when the fire department deemed 1000 homes, apartment buildings and businesses \u201cunsafe to occupy.\u201d \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Once animals were secure, the Cedar Rapids animal rescues mobilized to help each other and the community.\u00a0 <\/span>The Atomic Salon, a plant-based salon and yoga studio, closed to \u201cnormal operations\u201d and became a distribution center for necessities and hot vegan meals.\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>New groups organized to gather aid, share supplies, and offer comfort.\u00a0 <\/span>The \u201canimal people\u201d joined the growing volunteer army that spread out to help their neighbors.\u00a0 <\/span>It was one of the few times in American history, when suburban dwellers would gladly welcome a masked stranger waving a chainsaw.<\/p>\n

National press coverage briefly reported the Iowa storm, but the story was buried by a busy news cycle.\u00a0 <\/span>Many in Iowa felt that they were being ignored by the rest of the country.\u00a0 <\/span>Insurance claims reached 1.8 billion dollars by November 9th<\/sup>.\u00a0 <\/span>Many homes have tarped roofs, missing doors, and damaged siding.\u00a0 <\/span>Contractors are booked until October of 2021.\u00a0 <\/span>We are thankful for all our new friends who traveled to offer help.\u00a0 <\/span>Life goes on and we cope the best we can.\u00a0 <\/span>Fields need to be prepped for spring, non-profits still help people and animals, and neighbors still help neighbors.<\/p>\n

Discussion Questions<\/b><\/p>\n