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When 11 children arrived at Carol Joy Holling Camp near Ashland, Neb., for a July 17-18 weekend just for them, they had one thing in common - they all rode out the F-4 tornadoes that hit a 52-mile swatch of southeast Nebraska May 22, packing winds upward of 260 miles per hour.
Sponsors of the "Hope in the Midst" weekend were Nebraska Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR), the LCMS Nebraska District, and the Nebraska Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Lutheran Family Services (LSF) of Nebraska, and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Orphan Grain Train.
"We wanted to do something for the children whose lives have been affected," said Roger Kruger, Nebraska LDR director. "In addition to having their sense of security disturbed, many missed out on summer vacations and ... activities."
Besides regular camp activities like swimming, canoeing, Bible stories and campfire singing, the young campers told about their experiences during and since the tornadoes.
"It happened in a craft time," LCMS Nebraska District President Russell Sommerfeld told Reporter. He said that the children were making and decorating storm boxes containing items like flashlights, batteries, first aid kit, blanket, and non-perishable food. They wrote Bible verses on the boxes and drew Christian symbols on them.
"The children really began to talk," he said, "and we intently listened." They gave wonderful testimony of the Lord's care during the storms and since that time, sometimes with an element of humor."
Sommerfeld, ELCA Nebraska Synod Bishop David deFreese, their wives, counselors from Carol Joy Holling and from Camp Luther across the state offered activities that weekend.
Sommerfeld said that the camp counselors went through Concordia Publishing House's "Arch Book" about Jesus calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee.
LFS had contacted LCMS and ELCA congregations in the path of the storms to make them aware of the camp.
Sommerfeld recalled three siblings who talked about being at home alone when the tornadoes struck while dad and mom were photographing a wedding. When asked what they did after the storm hit, they said they wanted to make sure that photographic equipment their dad uses in his business would be rescued. The children talked of how God helped them each step of the way.
A young girl told of how her mother held her tight during the storm, which sucked the wedding ring from her mother's finger, and embedded it in a wall
"The weekend camp reminded me of just how very, very important it is for Christians to demonstrate the compassion of Christ for storm victims," Sommerfield said, "especially for children."
He said that he and de Freese have since talked about "the courage and the resilience that the Lord gave these children. The perspective the Lord is giving them of His care during the storm is remarkable."
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| LCMS Reporter Lutheran Disaster Response |
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