March 21, 2013–This is a photo taken by Pr. Kristian Bjornstad, the Eastern District Disaster Coordinator of volunteers from Trinity Lutheran Church in Des Moine, Iowa. This group was led by Vicar Eric Black. This photo was taken at Risen Christ, Brooklyn, on this past Tuesday. The group did volunteer work mucking and gutting homes on Long Island on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

It’s not easy living in Zone A.  That is the area in New York City where flooding is most prone to occur when a hurricane hits.  If you live in the red area on the map, you might be asked to evacuate.  That’s exactly what Chris had to do on October 29^th  as Sandy was approaching Far Rockaway.  It’s a good thing that he did.  Water filled his house and destroyed everything he owned.

After the storm it was impossible for Chris and his wife, Barbara, to live in their home. So FEMA put them up in a hotel in Brooklyn where they lived for the next three months.  They both returned to their jobs and used every daylight hour available to start rebuilding their home.

Our Outreach Team from Good Shepherd met them at home one morning in early December.  Chris and Barbara invited us into their home to see how Sandy had abused them.  They had already cleared the house of all trash, torn down the all the walls and ripped up the floors.  After weeks of hard work, now they were ready to start rebuilding.

With the help of family members every Saturday and Sunday was spent putting up dry wall, laying new flooring, painting, installing all new electrical wiring and new hot water heater, etc. etc. etc.  When I stepped into his house earlier this week, I was amazed at the transformation.  He is nearing the completion of rebuilding his home, and it looks beautiful.

The pace at which his house is being rebuilt has slowed down slightly during the last month.  You see, Chris now sets aside Sunday mornings to come to church at Good Shepherd, where he seems to have found a home.  With God’s help, Chris is now rebuilding himself as he continues to rebuild his house.

Chris has lived in the same section of Far Rockaway for years.   Rebuilding is never easy but we are more prone to persevere in our rebuilding when we are in a place called “home.”  We can take a lesson from Chris.  Rebuilding of our spiritual self is a lot easier when we find a place we can call home.

I see Chris as a man who stands very tall in character.  He is kind, faithful, and steadfast… and still trusts in God.  His reaction to Sandy?  “God knew this was going to happen, and with His help, we are going to rebuild.”

When they finish rebuilding their home, Chris and Barbara want to have a House Blessing.  What an honor it will be to conduct a House Blessing in Zone A.  I pray that more people who are in the rebuilding process would ask God’s blessing.  It’s not easy living in Zone A.

But it doesn’t just stop in Far Rockaway, it’s not easy living in New York City.  While many people press on to rebuild their damaged homes in the post-Sandy months, God is also busy rebuilding the lives of wonderful people like Chris and Barbara.

 

Although we no longer are walking the streets of Far Rockaway, we continue to see the fruits of our outreach.  We are waiting on the Lord to see how we can build on some of the relationships we’ve made.

• Following our Friend Sunday, when 16 joined us in worship at Good Shepherd, followed by a dinner, our contact with some of the people has continued.  We have even had a few new families visit us over the past few weeks.  Some people have returned more than once.
• One family has connected with us and their 12 year old son is going to be baptized at Good Shepherd on March 3^rd.
• One mother who lost everything and was displaced from the storm called us about finding some beds for her two special needs twin sons who were 19 years old.  We were blessed to buy her two new beds from Sleepys and have them delivered.
• One of our members is doing her Master’s Work in Disaster Relief Management.  After hearing Tom Cusanelli speak on Friend Sunday, she is now learning what’s involved in Tom’s job.
• We have sent out a questionnaire to many of the residents we’ve visited to see how we can be of continued assistance.
• With the permission of the people we’ve met, I will be writing a few of their stories that will be posted on my blog starting later on this week.

Keep us in prayer as we seek the most effective way to maintain a presence in Far Rockaway.  We applaud the Atlantic District’s work in Far Rockaway as well.

Pastor Steve Roth

UPDATE, Feb. 20, 2013  Here is a link to a story about one of the families we made contact with in Far Rockaway that is now worshiping at Good Shepherd.  Steve Roth