Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod sends $35K to help Haiti, Dominican Republic
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ST. LOUIS—The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod on Monday released two grants totaling $35,000 to assist relief efforts in Haiti and the Dominican Republic following Tropical Storm Isaac, which struck the island nations Aug. 25. The storm has since been elevated to hurricane status and struck Louisiana Tuesday night.
“These two grants of the LCMS are incredibly vital for the people of Haiti and the Dominican Republic,” said the Rev. Edward O. Grimenstein, manager of the synod’s 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.
“These grants are 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 grant of $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 created situations ripe for reigniting a cholera epidemic in Haiti.
The synod also released a $25,000 grant Monday 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 because of flooding, making delivery and distribution of supplies difficult.
The synod’s Disaster Response staff are monitoring Isaac's path in the Gulf Coast.
The synod’s Disaster Response ministry will partner with the synod’s Gulf Coast districts and disaster-response coordinators to ensure that members are prepared and the synod 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 synod on Twitter or visit the synod’s Facebook page and Mercy Forever blog.
To help those affected by the storm, gifts can be made online 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.
The 2.3 million-member Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is a mission-oriented, Bible-based, confessional Christian denomination headquartered in St. Louis. Through acts of witness and mercy, the church carries out its mission worldwide to make known the love of Jesus Christ.
