Lutherans Provide Emotional Care in Response to California Wildfires

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) is
pulling together a team of pastors to provide emotional and
spiritual care for people in Southern California, as wildfires
continue to spread there since Oct. 21, reported Tempie Beaman,
LDR coordinator, Los Angeles. LDR is a collaborative ministry of
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and Lutheran Church-
Missouri Synod.
In San Diego, two people have died because of the wildfires.
With hundreds of thousands of people evacuated from their homes,
"there is little more we can do at this time," said Beaman.
"At least 900 homes have been lost in San Diego and hundreds
more in other areas of Southern California. Because whole
territories remain in evacuation, damage assessments of our
churches have not been completed. Several of our Lutheran
churches are providing assistance in a variety of ways, such as
providing shelter, distributing of food and other supplies,"
reported Beaman.
"Wildfires have impacted seven of 10 counties in Southern
California. The fires are spread from Santa Barbara, Calif., to
the border of California and Mexico," she said.
"We continue to need prayers and financial resources. We
anticipate that recovery will be long-term," said Beaman.
- - -
DOMESTIC DISASTERS:

Editors: When listing organizations receiving funds to aid
survivors of major disasters inside the United States, Puerto
Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, please include:
ELCA Domestic Disaster Response, P.O. Box 71764, Chicago,
Illinois 60694-1764
Credit card gift line: 1-800-638-3522
Credit card gifts via Internet:
http://www.ELCA.org/disaster/ddrgive

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog