LOCAL CHURCHES HOLD DISASTER RESOURCE RALLY
Five Brenham area NALC Lutheran Churches held a Disaster Resources Rally this past Saturday at Welcome Lutheran Church.
The women of Abiding Word, St. John’s Prairie Hill, St. Matthew Sandy Hill, Salem and Welcome Lutheran Churches organized the church wide event.
Members of the area churches gathered supplies and funds to support the outreach project.
The North American Lutheran Church responds to natural disasters in the United States by working with and through local congregations. The response can be rapid when a disaster occurs in order to help alleviate human suffering. They can provide transitional assistance and enable those affected to begin to rebuild.
Over 50 members assembled health kits containing hygiene supplies such as tooth brushes, toothpaste, combs, shampoo, soap, towels, and washcloths. Flood buckets containing bleach, cleaning products, scrub brushes, paper towels and rags were prepared as well.
Mary Bates is the national coordinator with warehouses located throughout the U.S. The area Mission District has a warehouse at Peace Lutheran in Rosenberg, which under the leadership of Michael and Pat Dittrich. Thana Kemper, Terry Boeker and Marian Balke spearheaded the local Rally.
The Rosenberg warehouse has been emptied at least twice this year as they assisted with fires in Texas and Oklahoma. The weather disasters such as floods and tornadoes throughout Texas resulted in the need for assistance.
The predicted severe hurricane season was the motivation for the congregations to concentrate on preparing flood buckets and health kits at the Rally.
189 flood buckets and 226 kits were completed, plus they collected 75 mops, 48 brooms, 56 rakes, 51 shovels, and other supplies.