Lutherans Respond to Local and Worldwide Disasters

     PHILADELPHIA (ELCA) -- "The Lutherans are coming!" has been the joyous exclamation of many who have received assistance this year from the Lutheran Domestic Disaster Response.  LDDR is a cooperative ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.   The Red River Valley flood struck home for many Lutherans in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota and for many other Lutherans living elsewhere.
     Voting members of the ELCA's Churchwide Assembly here heard reports on disaster response at hearings Aug. 15.
     Response to domestic disasters is only part of the work of the ELCA's World  Hunger Appeal.   Last year international disasters in Africa, the Middle East, North Korea, and other parts of the world received ELCA disaster relief.  These efforts continue into 1997.  To help those starving in North Korea, $50,000 of food shipments, including 500 metric tons of barley seed, were shipped to arrive in time for spring planting.
     World Hunger offerings from congregations totaled nearly $12,000,000 in 1996.  Hunger relief and development from around the world received 72.4%; hunger relief and development in the U.S. received 12.1%; and hunger education and advocacy for justice for the poor received 9.6%.  Only 5.9% of receipts are used for administration and fund raising, which is the lowest amount of any relief agency.
     Growing out of the ashes of World War II, the ELCA World Hunger Program is now 23 years old, along with partner relief agencies, Lutheran World Relief, Church World Service and Lutheran World Federation, said the Rev. Roger O. Livdahl, director of the appeal.
     The words of Jesus Christ, "And who is my neighbor?" will continue to be an appropriate theme in the months ahead as Lutherans respond to hunger and disaster needs both locally and throughout the world.
     Philadelphia is hosting a gathering of over 1,000 members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for its fifth Churchwide Assembly Aug. 14-20 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.  Representatives from all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are represented.

For information contact:

Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html