Sunday, March 14th - In Death There Comes Life

This morning we attended church with Pastor Marky Kessa in Jacmel. Place was packed inside AND outside. Standing room only. I spoke briefly to the congregation and then Pastor Kessa preached. What an atmosphere and emotional service. He had to tell the congregation about Pastor Louis and his being murdered. But he spoke on New Life coming from death. Twenty-plus people, by the Holy Spirit, died to self and allowed God to fill them as they confessed faith in Jesus Christ for the first time! Attendance in ALL of our Lutheran Churches has increased since January 11th. The Church was growing before that - but now it is exploding. What a great feeling to be in a place where some people walked two hours to be there and they had to stand outside in the sun for three hours! They didn't leave. All seats inside and outside (church has no walls) were filled! Definitely God is working in the midst of tragedy and death!

This afternoon we spent time walking and talking with the people of Jacmel who are living in a tent city. Around 4,000 people in this tent city alone! They lost homes and everything else and it is only their family (those who were not killed) and a tent and a few items they were able to save. Very hopeless situation. Pastor Marky and us talked about ways in which outreach could be done in the tent cities and what would be needed.

We spent some time driving around Jacmel after visiting the tent city to see the number of homes and businesses that had literally collapsed. Horrifying!

We then visited a man who has a small business to look at ways in which we could start up the same business to help people get work. Promising and the start-up costs are low.

Received word tonight that a container has come in so may be heading out late tonight to help unload. We have to leave tomorrow at 4:30AM to get to Port au Prince for our flight to Jeremie. All in all it was a tiring, emotional, fulfilling day. I am amazed at the positive attitude of the people - especially the Christians, we have met! Despite the worst of situations - their faith is intact!! They have the Solid Rock!!!

We also looked at motorcycles to purchase for many of the pastors who have to travel for miles to get to their church and members and other churches since many pastor more than one church. Transportation is also needed to get people to places in their church since many do not have their own transportation. Got the price of NEW motorcycles down to $1000 so we purchased several.

Wednesday March 3rd - Concordia University Chicago hosted their first LERT Training session for students and faculty. Twenty two people enrolled in the training to become Lutheran Early Response Team members. For years, Concordia students and faculty have been very involved in responding to help with disasters. The LERT training will position them to be able to continue responding to disasters as needed.

If your church or group would like to host a LERT training session, please contact Tim Hetzner or Dianna Bonfield at (866) 455-6466 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.  Genesis 50:20

Request from Rev. Abraham Mengesha, President, Central Ethiopia Lutheran Synod

I want to bring to your attention one of the Central Ethiopian Congregation in Western Shewa, the Olonkhomi Mekane Yesus Congregation. It was burnt to the ground three weeks ago by a group of vandals. Some of these people have been brought to court, but we are still waiting for the final verdict. In addition to the loss of their property, 5 members of the congregation, including the evangelist, were seriously injured and are still under going treatment.

We have made a temporary shelter for them that they have begun to use. The court proceedings are going well, but they are still being harassed and intimidated by those who are behind the fire. I have attached pictures (click here) of the buildings including 6 offices and the main worshiping hall. They set the fire at noon.

If you are able to share our burden and help us rebuild it would be a great blessing to this congregation.

In April, 2005 LCC received a request from Pastor Kenneth Taglauer of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Mountain Home, Arkansas. He needed help for a family in his church. He had a member who was coming to Chicago for 100 days of cancer treatment with her husband and two year old daughter. They needed a place to stay and spiritual support while they were away from home. Through the generous donations of money, furniture, food and time, C.C., her daughter and husband Dave were able to stay rent free in a house in Palatine while she underwent treatment.

LCC has received an update from CC and a request for assistance for three months of insurance payments of $400.00 per month.

Update from C.C. Howell:

I wanted to let you know that after almost 5 years being cancer free, I have another cancer diagnosis. Early stage breast cancer.

A Journey Through Biblical Greece & Turkey (including Greek Island Cruise)
May 23 - June 6, 2010

Dear Friends and Travel Alumni,

By popular request, here's the "In the Steps of St. Paul" tour, and the best one yet, since it will take place in perfect spring weather and features a seven-day Aegean cruise. While the enclosed brochure tells it all, here are a few comments on the itinerary.

After Alitalia flies us to Rome and Athens, we embark on a motor coach tour of Greece, stopping first at Marathon, the battlefield where the heroic Greeks turned back the Persian invasion in 490 B.C. -- and provided the name for everything from endurance runs to gasoline! At Delphi that night, we'll stay at a hotel with a huge swimming pool that overlooks the Gulf of Corinth. You'll never forget Delphi or its museum and specta-cular ruins.

Meteora will be something else again; monasteries incredibly perched atop huge columns of rock. Then on to Paul's Second Mission Journey when we visit Philippi, one of his favorite congregations, to which he addressed his famous New Testament letter. Then we'll turn back to Thessalonica and Berea, both prominent locations in the Book of Acts, as you well know. Skirting Mount Olympus - where we'll not reverence Zeus and his dysfunctional family (!) - we'll return to Athens.