If you have been watching the news these last few days, you've heard of the devastating weather that has stretched across the south and mid-west. Thousands of families have been affected by these storms and will need help to rebuild their homes and get back to "normal." As usual Lutheran Disaster Response will be on the ground working to help people with immediate needs like food, shelter and clothing but also will continue to work to fulfill the long term needs of the affected communities.
Now I'm not just writing to heap praise on the ministries of the ELCA. I am proud of the work we do, particularly in the area of disaster response, and my family always supports the work of LDR. This past week though I got a little closer look at what it might be like to be in the middle of a disaster and wanted to share in particular why we'll be giving a gift this time around.
Monday night, my wife, three kids and I were traveling back from vacation and stayed in Greenville, AL. At about 1:30 am we got an alert for tornado warnings on our phones and at about 2:00 am we heard the local tornado alarms and were told by the hotel manager to come down to their shelter. So we grabbed our sleepy kids, wallets and keys and went. We watched and waited and were fortunate; no tornado touched down near us and no damage was done.
As I sat there considering what our options would be if a tornado hit, if we lost our luggage or one of us was hurt. I also thought about those whose homes and communities might be lost that night and how much more this disaster would affect them. Think about it, if we lost our luggage, insurance pays for it and we make our way back home to our clean, dry, warm, undamaged house. Another family has their home destroyed...Where do they go while they rebuild, assuming they have the money and insurance to do so? If we lose our rental van and get delayed trying to get home from a vacation, it's an inconvenience. Another family loses their vehicles...and they may be unable to work for days and lose essential income and perhaps even their job. If we are injured, our medical insurance covers it. Others are injured and they are financially ruined because their job doesn't provide insurance. In essence, we were scared for an hour, other families were terrorized through the night and had their lives altered for days and months to come.
This is why the work of Lutheran Disaster Response and organizations like it is so important. They help relieve the grief, terror and confusion with comfort and hope. They help people not just find a home for the night but help them navigate the tough road ahead. So we are going to donate again this time, perhaps with a clearer sense of what it means to those on the ground, and I invite you to do the same. Go here: LDR Tornado Relief and give what you can. We are giving $25 but whether it's $5 or $1000, every dime will go to help those affected. Every dollar given to LDR will help rebuild homes, communities and lives. Or if you know another organization like the Red Cross that will be helping, support their work. If you would like some more information to share with friends or your church, follow this link: Lutheran Disaster Response and see what LDR is doing around the world.
As I sat there considering what our options would be if a tornado hit, if we lost our luggage or one of us was hurt. I also thought about those whose homes and communities might be lost that night and how much more this disaster would affect them. Think about it, if we lost our luggage, insurance pays for it and we make our way back home to our clean, dry, warm, undamaged house. Another family has their home destroyed...Where do they go while they rebuild, assuming they have the money and insurance to do so? If we lose our rental van and get delayed trying to get home from a vacation, it's an inconvenience. Another family loses their vehicles...and they may be unable to work for days and lose essential income and perhaps even their job. If we are injured, our medical insurance covers it. Others are injured and they are financially ruined because their job doesn't provide insurance. In essence, we were scared for an hour, other families were terrorized through the night and had their lives altered for days and months to come.
This is why the work of Lutheran Disaster Response and organizations like it is so important. They help relieve the grief, terror and confusion with comfort and hope. They help people not just find a home for the night but help them navigate the tough road ahead. So we are going to donate again this time, perhaps with a clearer sense of what it means to those on the ground, and I invite you to do the same. Go here: LDR Tornado Relief and give what you can. We are giving $25 but whether it's $5 or $1000, every dime will go to help those affected. Every dollar given to LDR will help rebuild homes, communities and lives. Or if you know another organization like the Red Cross that will be helping, support their work. If you would like some more information to share with friends or your church, follow this link: Lutheran Disaster Response and see what LDR is doing around the world.
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