Published: June 24, 2009 10:55 am      

Local Lutherans offer help to tornado victims

The Trinity Lutheran Church assisted the local Red Cross chapter by obtaining a $5,000 grant from Lutheran World Relief and Human Care to help defray the cost of aid rendered to the victims of the Big Cedar tornado that occurred on April 9, 2009. The Red Cross provided relief to the six families, helping with food, clothing and shelter. Two of the 29 people that received assistance were hospitalized because of their injuries. Two families stayed in motels for a few days until they could arrange for stable housing.

The tornado that struck this rural group of families 10 miles east of Big Cedar did major damage to hundreds of dwellings in Mena, Arkansas later that day.

Federal, state, and emergency response teams expended major relief efforts in Mena, while for the Big Cedar families, the Red Cross did most of the work, assisted by the local ministerial alliance, Kibois, and generous local community individuals.

Because of the poor situation and lack of other resources to lean on, the Red Cross spent much more than usual for the number of families affected. So Red Cross fundraiser, Billie Lester, contacted Trinity Lutheran seeking grant assistance. After several weeks of communications with LWR-HC, Pastor Glenn Meyer was able to work through the process to obtain the grant award.

Trinity Lutheran Church reaches out to people in Southeast Oklahoma all the way to Arkansas and Texas through a satellite ministry in Clayton, Oklahoma, according to Glenn Meyer, pastor of Trinity Lutheran.

“It can be hard for folks in the less populated Southeastern region of the state be noticed when disaster strikes. We are blessed to have a Red Cross chapter that goes all out to help people in need, no matter if they are in McAlester or far out of the city. These families got desperately need help that no ones else was able to give. Being a part of the aid is a great privilege for our church,” he said.

LCMS World Relief and Human Care, a mission ministry of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod is based in St. Louis, Missouri. It is a vibrant ministry of hope, sharing Christ’s mercy with people in need worldwide. The agency enhanced relationships with international partners in recent years, and continues to award grants to domestic and international partners for projects that benefit communities in need.

For example, in 2005, LCMS WR-HC coordinated multi-million dollar responses after the tsunami in Asia and hurricanes on the Gulf Coast. During the past three years, over $25 million was awarded through more than 650 U.S. and international grants.