Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

In Mark 4, our Lord teaches about the Kingdom of God from a boat on the sea through a series of riddles that help to unravel the secrets of this mystery. By the end of the chapter on that very same teaching day, Jesus is again on the sea. However, this time he is awakened by the disciples, who doubt that He cares if they perish. The chapter ends with partial recognition of the One in the boat, "Who is this then that wind and sea obey him?" Faith is not always taught; sometimes it is an acquired taste in the midst of things that we cannot understand. "Hoping against hope" is a powerful statement of daring to believe in the midst of unbelief. There is a whole lot of hoping going on across southern Wisconsin these days.

Floods take a long time to recover from, but by now we should be turning some corners, right? However, just this past week 300 more impacted families were found in Milwaukee. On Friday, July 25, FEMA began doing assessments on nine areas that had been previously inaccessible--by boat!! Long-term recovery from flooding in Wisconsin will take many months. However, it is not too late to register with FEMA. It may be just the asset you need for your family's recovery. Call FEMA today, 1-800-621-FEMA. Don't be confused with the term SBA loan. It may or may not apply to you, but this registration allows you entrance into receiving possible help from FEMA. Over 35,000 have already registered in Wisconsin, but I am sure there are many more. Already $40 million has been given out in approved assistance. The deadline is August 13, so there is still time to apply.

Working through government agencies and community-based organizations, organizational and planning meetings for long-term recovery continue to take place in communities throughout the thirty counties, and long term recovery committees are being formed at the local level to drive the recovery efforts. That is why community leaders and those individuals who have long term recovery experience need to step forward. It will take time to put all of this in motion and even longer to reach some point of recovery. Surfacing those who have been impacted continue to remain a top priority. If you know of someone who may need help, call "211" for assistance. They will be able to connect you with agencies that can help. If you are unable to access 211 from a cell phone, you can call their land line at 608/246-HELP.

If you have congregational teams of volunteers that can help in this recovery process, let me know. We continue to be alerted to families who need assistance. And if you cannot give help, give generously. LDR reports that flood donations are greatly needed because of the scope of this disaster throughout the Midwest.

This week I spilled a glass of water. It didn't phase me. I just wiped it up. I wonder what kind of sponge God uses?

Peace, Gary

Pastor Gary A. Grindeland
Vice President of Church & Community Relations
State Coordinator for Lutheran Disaster Response
Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin & Upper Michigan, Inc.
647 W. Virginia St., Suite 300
Milwaukee, WI 53204-1535
O) 414/325-3012
F) 414/325-3124
C) 414/659-4327
ggrindeland@lsswis.org