LCMS sends $35,000 to assist Haiti, Dominican Republic
Relief efforts help in aftermath of Tropical Storm Isaac
ST. LOUIS, August 28, 2012—The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) released $35,000 on Monday, Aug. 27, to assist relief efforts in Haiti and the Dominican Republic following Tropical Storm Isaac, which struck the island nations Aug. 25.
“These funds are incredibly vital for the people of Haiti and the Dominican Republic,” said the Rev. Dr. Edward O. Grimenstein, manager of the LCMS' Disaster Response ministry. “As a church body who responds to disasters, the LCMS’ goal is to ensure that both the physical and pastoral needs of people are provided for.
“This is so much more than just money,” Grimenstein added. “This is the proclamation of the Gospel that Jesus Christ truly is alive and well and actively saving this fallen creation right before our very eyes.”
The first $10,000 will be used by Lutheran medical clinics in Haiti to prevent cholera and to meet other health-care needs as necessary. Cholera, a bacterial infection of the small intestine, frequently occurs in places with poor sanitation and crowding. Tropical Storm Isaac has created situations ripe for reigniting a cholera epidemic in Haiti.
The remaining $25,000 will be used to rebuild and repair damaged roofs of churches and homes in Leogane and Jacmel, as well as the roof of the new seminary in the Dominican Republic.
Three Lutheran villages in Haiti reported property damages and widespread flooding Aug. 25. Many people, including Lutheran church members, are homeless and sought shelter over the weekend in Lutheran churches in Jacmel and Port-au-Prince. Roads remain closed due to flooding, making delivery and distribution of supplies difficult.
LCMS Disaster Response staff are monitoring Isaac's path in the Gulf Coast.
The LCMS’ Disaster Response ministry will partner with the LCMS Gulf Coast districts and disaster-response coordinators to ensure that members are prepared and the LCMS is ready to show mercy in affected communities, caring for the physical and pastoral needs of the people.
For more information on the Synod's response to Tropical Storm Isaac, follow the LCMS on Twitter (www.twitter.com/thelcms) or visit the LCMS Facebook page (www.facebook.com/thelcms) and Mercy Forever blog (http://mercyforever.lcms.org).
To help those affected by the storm, online gifts can be made at https://www.lcms.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=1488 or by calling toll free 888-930-4438. Checks made payable to “The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod” (with a memo line or note designating “Hurricane Relief”) can be mailed to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, P.O. Box 66861, St. Louis, MO 63166-6861.