Volunteers Needed! Hallam tornado recovery

Volunteers Needed!

From Patricia Stradley of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans:

"Greetings to all of you! Hopefully some of you will remember me as the Lutheran Disaster Coordinator serving the victims of the 2004 tornados that swept across Southeast Nebraska. When I tell most people that I am doing disaster recovery work they respond alarmed, 'Where was the disaster!? I didn't know we had had a disaster recently.' It depends on how you define recently. To those of us who didn't suffer from the May 22, 2004, storm that was not recent. For those who did suffer damage from those storms it is still very recent. They are still living the aftermath of that storm and trying to recover and rebuild from the destruction that was left in that 52 mile path. I thank God everyday for the mission of Lutheran Disaster -- we stay involved with the victims until we are no longer needed.

"I am here to ask for your help today. We just had a wonderful group from Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Neenah, Wisconsin, spend the last six days serving in a local mission field. They came to the area and started construction on two pole sheds for two families living in the rural community Southwest of Hallam [Neb.]. What an incredible service they gave and what an incredible joy they received. This group of 13 men and women and two teenagers came and framed two 40x60 ft. Cleary buildings. One is ready for the metal siding and roofing to be put on. The other is still in need of frame work and roof trusses to be secured and then the metal siding. We need another volunteer group or two or three to come help finish these two projects.

"Let me explain about these two families we are helping. Neither are currently farming but both live on acreages and use these sheds as supplemental income for their families. Both families lost nearly everything in the storm (House, outbuildings, machinery, vehicles, etc.) and both are trying to rebuild their lives. These buildings mean being able to return to their side businesses (one a farm machinery repair shop and the other a mechanic/car restoration shop) to help the family. In addition, one of these families is in a legal battle with a fraudulent contractor that was hired to rebuild their home and are paying nearly $600 a month in storage fees to store the family belongings that were salvaged from the storm. This building will first serve as replacement storage and save the family $600 a month.

"In addition, I have 6 more families in need of these sheds. Three of these families are engaged in farming operations, the others either supporting family farm members or side business/family business needs.

"If you would like to help organize a mission group to come build these sheds, please contact me. I will help you in any way I can. The group that left from Wisconsin is making a handbook to help other groups prepare for such mission work. This was their 9th trip and they have some great advice to share. None of them were experienced in building pole sheds, but because they were willing servants, God provided the guidance. It is truly amazing to see how God works through servants like this! Trust me, I have NO construction experience and yet God has led me to serve His people in this way and He is guiding me through quite the hands on education! Please contact me at 402-890-4587 ( Lincoln local) or 888-365-1705 or patricia.stradley@thrivent.com."