DISASTER RESPONSE UPDATE

From: 09/14/05
Board of World Mission

Moravians throughout North America are responding in Christ’s love to the needs of those facing loss and dislocation from Hurricane Katrina.

Here is a summary of how you and your congregation can be involved:

Financial Donations

Immediate Gifts
The BWM is coordinating all Northern Province recovery efforts, which will include sending work crews to LA and MS (see details on work crews). The funds the BWM receives will be earmarked for various forms of support for disaster relief, which include equipping and supporting future work teams. Also, the BWM will continue as the Board has in the past to coordinate with Church World Service in various ways such Crop Walks and Health Kits.

Donations marked “Hurricane Recovery” should be sent to:

Donations sent to the Northern Province will be forwarded immediately to the BWM.

Recovery Crews

We plan to send several work crews over the next months and beyond to assist with long-term recovery and reconstruction.

Members who have been on short-term overseas missions, or worked with Habitat for Humanity, or are handy with tools and home repair have skills and gifts that would be of great assistance.

Further details about these home mission opportunities will be provided when they are available.

Work Crews

Volunteer Information
Mark Ebert, Director of Volunteer Ministries with BWM is coordinating all volunteer work crew activity in response to Hurricane Katrina.

Each congregation is asked to develop a list of potential volunteers, including name, address, phone, e-mail, dates available, and length of time available. This list may be sent to Mark Ebert at the above fax number or via e-mail to mebert@mcsp.org. We will take information from individuals, but it will work best if each church collects information and passes it along to Mark.

Material Gifts

Gloves and Garbage Bags
In cooperation with Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR), we are collecting gloves – work gloves, rubber gloves, and latex gloves -- and heavy duty garbage bags. These will be delivered to a LDR distribution center in Jackson, MS in October.

Church World Service Health Kits
The current supply of these kits is now depleted. Your gift will restock the shelves and insure that these kits are available for Katrina relief and for future disaster response. Here are the details.

Contents of one Health Kit:

• One hand towel
• One washcloth
• One comb
• One metal nail file or nail clipper
• One bar of soap (bath size)
• One toothbrush
• One tube of toothpaste (4-7 ounces)
• Six Band-Aids

Seal all items in a one-gallon plastic bag with a zipper closure.

Gloves, Garbage Bags, and the Kits, together with a $2.00 per kit donation for shipping may be delivered to:

Eastern District: Schoeneck, Nazareth, (Lehigh Valley area) PA, Lititz, (Central) PA, Great Kills, NY

Western District: Lake Mills, Wisconsin, Northfield, MN

PLEASE CALL BEFORE DELIVERY to make sure someone is able to receive your kits.

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