Atlantic District Publications

Letters from the President - Atlantic District Haitian Earthquake Relief

March 1, 2010 at 10:24 AM

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”  II Corinthians 8:9

I am thankful to report that my request to Atlantic District congregations to set aside at least two Sundays for special offerings for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti has resulted in $26,690 being remitted through the end of February! Pastors and congregations have informed me as well that they are bringing additional offerings to the Festival of Workshops on Saturday, March 6.  Please take their initiative as encouragement to continue to collect financial resources. 

We have encouraged all to bring material resources to the Festival of Workshops, and again I would ask that food, water, clothing, etc. be gathered in all our congregations.
 
Judy Benke, our Human Care Task Force Chairperson, has been working locally with Atlantic District Disaster Response Coordinator Pr. Derek Lecakes, Pastor Marvin Griffin, and Haitian lay member Duory Marin to develop the most appropriate use of our district resources.  These representatives will be present at the Festival of Workshops to interact and to bring further news.  We have also been in conversation with national LCMS Human Care and World Relief staff.

Decisions to date, accomplished with prayer and discernment, are as follows:

1.Haitian Pastor Thomas Bernard of necessity sent his wife and three children out of Haiti to Brooklyn to live with a relative.  After interviews with the family, Pastor Marvin Griffin and Atlantic District Haitian worker Duory Marin have ascertained that family needs for the Bernards include tuition for Christian education for the children, as well as some material needs.  Atlantic District funds will be used for this Lutheran Pastor’s family need.  Pastor Bernard will be in New York in mid-March and will visit personally with the Atlantic District Human Care team.

2.Our partner Human Care ministry, Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn, affiliated through Lutheran Services in New York – Alliance, through one of its satellite sites, the Caribbean-American Family Health Center, has provided support groups, prayer and individual pastoral follow-up for Haitian victim families in New York.  Rev. Donald Stiger administers counseling commitment, which also includes Lutheran Counseling Center in Mineola, NY.  $2500 will be sent to the Family Health Center in support of this crisis intervention.

3. The Atlantic District Human Care Task Force is committed to sending an Initial Assessment Team to Haiti/Dominican Republic.  Duory Marin and Rev. Derek Lecakes will be team leaders.  Rev. Joshua Hollmann of Christ, Woodside, has recently returned from a servant trip to the Dominican Republic at the time of the earthquake and has initiated partnering dialog with LCMS missionaries and human care coordinators at the Haiti/Dominican border.  The Assessment Team, along with providing care and distribution of material resource, will also determine the best mission and ministry location for our financial and material resources.  

4.Material Resources will be gathered at the Festival of Workshops and possibly beyond at Concordia, Bronxville.  Orphan Grain Train has been chosen by the Human Care Team as the agency through which the shipment will be sent.  Hopefully, the Assessment Team can accompany the shipment.

As we have been blessed in abundance unto eternal life, let us continue to remember the country of Haiti, victim families throughout the world, and our Lutheran missions and ministries in Haiti in our prayers and with our offerings!