ELCA Continues Aid to Tornado Survivors in Oklahoma and Kansas

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Disaster Response continues to provide immediate emergency assistance to survivors of a destructive sequence of tornadoes that swept through Oklahoma and Kansas May 3. Lutheran Disaster Response is a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS).
Lutheran Social Services of Kansas/Oklahoma, Wichita, Kan., is managing disaster response efforts. Bernice Karstensen, president, developed a "Lutheran Disaster Response plan of action," said the Rev. Gilbert B. Furst, director for Lutheran Disaster Response.
"In this chaotic time, as needs are still being assessed, the basic needs of life will be offered," said Furst. "An initial 30,000 pounds of groceries is being distributed by the Orphan Grain Train. Health kits are being gathered for distribution and children's materials will be given to pastors. Initial cash grants were given to clergy for direct distribution to people in their communities."
Furst said special resources for children about tornadoes will be developed and distributed.
A local steering committee was formed to address issues of needs assessment and equitable distribution. The committee is made up of local clergy and representatives from two fraternal benefit societies -- Aid Association for Lutherans (AAL), Appleton, Wis., and Lutheran Brotherhood (LB), Minneapolis, Minn.
About 50 ELCA and LCMS pastors, church officials and representatives of AAL and LB gathered at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Oklahoma City, May 6. Furst said pastors told stories of families from their congregations and communities that had suffered destruction and death. "Some choked up and fought tears as they recounted the terror and devastation," he said.
St. Mark Lutheran Church, Midwest City, Okla., and Ascension Lutheran Church, Del City, Okla., congregations of the ELCA, sustained no damage.
"Over the years I have seen many disasters of many types, but never have I seen more widespread violent destruction than I witnessed yesterday," Furst said. Furst has been in Oklahoma City with Karstensen, Lita Brusick Johnson, director for the ELCA World Hunger and Disaster Appeal, and Elaine R. Bryant, assistant director for Lutheran Disaster Response.
"Yesterday I walked in an alien world. In this place winds had blown 250 to 300 miles per hour. The few standing trees had no leaves, needles or bark. Grass was pulled out of the ground and a strange bare earth stretched for miles," Furst said. "Cars and trucks were unrecognizable twisted flattened ribbons of metal. Houses and churches were heaps of debris or vaporized or compressed into stage props."
"Teams are searching in rubble for missing people and the smell of death drifts in the air. Yesterday, I walked in an alien world that used to be the quiet rural town of Bridge Creek, Okla., but now it has lost 750 houses and at least 16 lives," he said.
Furst added that statistics continue to change, but the death toll continues to climb. Many people are still unaccounted for, and thousands of houses have been damaged or destroyed.
Lutheran Disaster Response will also be working with the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the local Council of Churches to respond to the disaster in both states.

Editors: When listing organizations receiving funds for aid
to survivors of major disasters inside the United States,
Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, please include:
Lutheran Disaster Response
P.O. Box 71764
Chicago, IL 60694-1764
800-638-3522

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html