MissionsMissions
Needy Families at Christmas Time
Pastor heading to Minot, N.D., to help flood-ravaged town
By Christine Bolin For The Beacon-News November 9, 2011 4:40PM
Pastor Jeff Mikyska has been through Minot, N.D., on Amtrak trips en route to Montana. He even stepped off the train on a layover to see the state’s fourth-largest town. His son James is a student at the University of Mary in Bismarck, which is about 100 miles away from Minot.
Next week, however, Mikyska’s connection with Minot will become very real. He, associate minister Bob Cano and a handful of other people from Our Savior Lutheran Church in Aurora will form a caravan Sunday with supplies and items for the victims of a major flood that hit the city in June.
“For whatever reason, people didn’t pay close attention to what was going on out there,” Mikyska said. “We are happy to head out there to help.”
On June 25, the 40,000-plus populated city of Minot was hit by an unstoppable and historic flood, largely because of the heavy dam releases upstream in the Souris River Valley. More than 12,000 people were forced to evacuate and 20 percent of the town sustained damage from the flood. More than 4,000 homes were destroyed, and the neighboring town of Burlington also received damage.
In August, Mikyska was contacted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America about the need for assistance in Minot.
“We certainly could answer the call,” Mikyska said.
It’s been almost five months since the disaster, and there is so much that still needs to be done. With winter approaching, Mikyska and Cano know this is the time to act. The group is leaving after Sunday’s church service and will make the 14-hour trek. They will be back Nov. 19.
“I checked the weather, and on Tuesday, it’s supposed to be 31 degrees and snowing,” said 72-year-old Cano, who has no connection to Minot. “I am praying the Lord gives me strength to serve him. I’m confident we’ll have no problems.”
The group will work on damaged homes, including the replacement of drywall, plumbing, electrical wiring, carpets and boarding up homes that will be fixed up at a later time.
The group also will bring children’s books, puzzles, clothing, canned goods and bottled water for the local food pantry, and Walmart gift cards. Donations in any form are still being accepted.
The group will stay in a local church. They will be eating and serving with the people in town, including the estimated 700 homeless and other local workers.
“We are going to be in constant contact with the people,” Mikyska said. “It’s our chance to be immersed in the town.”
This is the first time Mikyska will make a trip like this in the 11 months he’s been with Our Savior Lutheran Church.
“We hope a trip like this will help us learn about ourselves as well,” Mikyska said.
Cano, who has been with the church for 10 years, said Mikyska’s leadership has “really has made a difference.”
Mikyska said people have told him it’s been a “very, very, very long time” since the church in general has done anything like this. He wants to change that.
“Hopefully, this trip is the first of many,” he said. “We are going to try to go yearly, if we can.”
Cano also said the church is going to extend its services more locally as well. Weeklong trips can be difficult for those who have health problems or issues getting time off work.
“So many people want to serve,” Cano said. “My goal in 2012 is to serve more in Aurora, so more of us can be involved in serving.”
*****************************************The Prayer Shawl ministry has been hard at work, knitting and crocheting shawls and lap robes for those in need of comfort and prayers, including our own members and their relatives. But when disaster hit Japan, these wonderful ladies went to work making shawls for those who were hurt or left homeless. Below is a letter from The Rev. Dr. Y. Franklin Ishida
Area Program Director for Asia and the Pacific
Global Mission
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
Dear Jeff
I want to quick report back from my trip to Japan. The prayer shawls were safely delivered. I dropped these off with our mission personnel, Carol Sack and Mari McKenzie. Together they are doing wonderful things to propagate an understanding and appreciation for prayer shawls. Carol herself has been involved in what's called pastoral harp ministry, which offers gentle care-giving in song and harp music for those who are dying. (Closely related to what's called music thanatology, but that is more clinical). Mari has done some things with prayer shawls, and with my encouragement she is doing more now through talks in congregations and with other groups.
While letting Carol and Mari handle the bulk of the prayer shawls, both in distributing them and using them as a spark for others to get engaged, I took a handful of shawls up to Sendai, around which the earthquake/tsunami disaster happened. I took these to Sendai Lutheran Church, which is the center for the Lutheran volunteer activities in disaster relief there. In talking with the pastor and relief staff, we agreed that the shawls would be distributed cautiously. We all have to be careful as not to "impose" a Christian faith on those who are not believers (despite all of us knowing that that is not the intention, nor are prayer shawls Christian-specific in addressing prayer), for in a case of a disaster, people are physically, spiritually, and emotionally vulnerable. So distribution will be selective so as to be sensitive to the intended recipients.
In any instance, I talked a bit about prayer shawls to all the volunteers and staff gathered at Sendai church that one evening. And I had three of the volunteers "model" the shawls (see attached photo), which in a way impressed on them further what this is all about.
Then, later in the evening, I was talking with the two disaster relief staff members. Among many things discussed, I learned not only of their deep commitment to their work, but their struggles and challenges as well. Relief work is indeed hard work, very hard. Talking with community leaders, making links, placing volunteers, reports, exploring new opportunities: it is emotionally, if not physically draining. There is great joy in their work, but also great frustrations. I sensed their need for a comforting embrace. You can see where I'm going here. I gave them each a shawl. The woman staff of course, just clung to it. The male staff, I put it on his shoulders with the words that as a "man" he may not want to always be seen like this, but late at night, when he's hunched over his computer writing reports or something, perhaps that can be a quiet and solitary moment when he can remember the prayers with which he is surrounded.
So the shawls are having an impact.
Here also is a link to some photos I took while visiting the disaster area in northern Japan.
http://ishida.smugmug.com/Travel/International/Japan-Disaster/
Thank you so much for this collaboration in mission. Thank all who have been involved in this important ministry.
Blessings!
Franklin
Monday we woke up at 5:30am to make our way from Fargo to Minot. The sky was amazing - brushstroke pink and purple clouds with the sun peaking through creating an orange glow! It truly is big sky country out here. Of course, in three hours time, we experienced rain, wind, heavy snow, and then the sun came back out! Welcome to North Dakota!Day 2Our group was able to deliver all donations this morning from our congregation. We spent time meeting some pre-school children and handing out the books, puzzles and toys. We also met with the United Way representatives who will be handing out our prayer shawls and Walmart Cards.
The afternoon was spent at two work sites. The first site had seen 10 feet of water in the house! Only the roof had stayed above water. We dug out the basement, pulling duct work, items, loose concrete, and shelving out so that the walls could begin to be replaced on the foundation. Just down the street, we spotted a house which had actually been moved off its foundation by the river! The piles of belongings outside these homes is devastating.
Our second house has major mold issues! (We are wearing masks.) We spent our last few hours today taking out drywall and insulation in preparation of the house being rebuilt from a shell of its old self. Finally, we were able to fix the plumbing in the house where we are staying as well (thanks to Ron).
It should be noted that last night we stopped for food at a Tennessee Roadhouse in Alexandria, Minnesota - and had the chance to enjoy a country/gospel concert that was being broadcast live on radio! One performer sounded exactly like Johnny Cash!!! It was a fun dinner with good music.
After a hard day's work - we are enjoying the Monday Night Football game tonight.
Please keep our group and the people of Minot in your prayers. One gentlemen we met today is living in a FEMA trailor in his backyard. He is the only person around for four blocks - and has been in the trailor for three months now. He has no hope of moving back home until next summer at the earliest. It was an amazing day to work with him and hear his story. His house and livelihood were both wiped out by the flood. The people of Minot are so incredibly thankful to have us. Several local churches are working together to house and feed us.
We are working on pictures to share later in the week - they are dramatic and heartwrenching. Until then - stay safe and God's Blessings! Give thanks for all we have!
God's Peace,
Pastor Jeff
Family photos and Christmas decorations - items we tried to save for the family whose home we were working on today. This juxtaposed against our sledge hammers and crowbars tearing the walls and duct work out of their basement and garage. As one pastor told me today, he visited a single mom who doesn't know when she and her children may return home. But if we can get their home ready sooner, they may be able to have a construction crew come in and work in early spring. Crews won't come until all the molded drywall and duct work is gone. We built up a pile in front of this house this morning taller than the garage! And - we saved a family photo and some Christmas decorations.
God is here. These homes are where families share love and pray to God together. For all the love, emotion, and prayers - these homes are most certainly Holy Ground. We spent two hours this afternoon laying down insulation and boarding up a house for a lady whose son owns the home - he is in the hospital and she came from Wichita to care for him. We prayed with her and then got to work. A group from Minnesota had gutted the home, and now we are preparing it for winter. (It will be below zero temps here by Saturday.) She hopes his home may be ready for him next spring when he gets out of the hospital. She thanked us for being God's angels working in Minot.
Piles of belongings line the streets by the river. And yet the river is so serene now. What a day. We awoke to blizzard like conditions, with about 7 inches of snow and 40 mile per hour winds. There was a fifteen car pile up in town! (We were NOT included.) Seeing the snow in the pine branches and lining the running river was very beautiful. The sun set out in the distance from the edge of town against an orange sky and white blanket on the ground. Minot is full of contradictions. Beauty in a river flowing through destruction it caused itself. Peaceful snow against heavy winds. Grateful and loving people against grieving hearts and empty neighborhoods. Snow falling on thousands of unused sandbags. We love it here - and yet our emotions run deep as we tear apart a house that we know is someone's home.
Please pray for Eric, Brady, Gene and family, Eddie, and the people of Minot today.
This is Holy Ground.
She celebrated her 88th birthday yesterday, and today we insulated and boarded up her home. Typical story around Minot these days. Amazingly, the river, which is a few blocks from her home, began to freeze over today. It shows no signs of what happened a few months ago. But you can see it everywhere.
Those who live on higher ground have offered their homes to perfect strangers who have lost everything. The town was evacuated twice this spring. Cruel to those who thought after the first flood they may have escaped. One lady allowed us to eat lunch with her in her FEMA trailor today. Two small bedrooms, one bathroom, and a kitchen. The whole thing about 20 feet in length. Very few belongings. The trailor comes with two beds, a couch, and a table.
We spent our day insulating and boarding two homes, and gutting another. One home owner had hopes of getting a furnace in soon, so that construction may start early in spring. There is so much hope and love here - despite all the loss. Churches working together to help everyone. Tomorrow a snow storm threatens, with subzero temperatures to follow. And in it all, hope springs eternal.
"Now these three things remain: faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love." So true for the people of Minot.
Minot - The Magic City.
So named because it sprung up out of nowhere with the advent of the railroad which ran through here in the 1800's. Of course, the combination of a railroad and river was golden in those days. Ahh...The Souris River (nicknamed the Mouse up here). It runs down out of Canada, comes through Minot, and then makes its way back north to Canada again. Hence the problem. It is "u" shaped. So when it went over its banks, the water spread into the city and stayed - unable to flow north again with the river. People could only wait for it to recede. This left residents with stagnant water waiting to recede. You can tell - one house we worked in today has a collapsing foundation. It still has water too! Next door, the sign reads "We are coming back." But at the house we were at, a "For Sale" sign.
In recent years, oil fields have sprung up around here. This has led to a major influx of new residents with good salaries! Mark, a gentlemen we met last night, spoke of a friend from church who is a single mom. Next month, her rent will go from $425 a month to $850 a month! Why? Because the new workers can afford it - supply and demand. They can afford high rent and high mortgages for the homes up the valley. Meanwhile, those who are the poorest have only one choice - move down by the river. The homes are smallest and cheapest there - and flood insurance is impossible to buy. Thus, those impacted most by the flood are single parents, the elderly, and young couples. They are the most vulnerable in society - and they got hit hardest.
Now the next issue begins. There aren't enough contractors around to fix all the homes. And with disasters in other states too, it will be a long time before things get better. Some were lucky enough to have family to go stay with - but only some. So some are coming back, and some can't afford to wait and can't afford to pay. Flooding is NOT the norm here. The last major flood was in 1969. The last flood like this was in the 1800's. This area has seen over 6 feet of snow for a couple years running, twice the average snowfall here. That, coupled with over a foot of rain in May sealed Minot's fate.
Today, we removed molded drywall from a water logged home. As I said, the foundation was collapsing, and the hardwood floors were destroyed. We tore apart a children's room, which also tore apart our hearts. But our work here has enabled construction to pick up in April, rather than July. Three months makes a big difference for those living in hotels or Air Force barracks. The people here are wonderful. They will bounce back. They have a faith beyond understanding under these circumstances.
And we will be back to rebuild next year too. People of Minot, thanks for your hospitality and care. And thanks for being an inspiration and a role model of community and of faith. We will be seeing you...soon.
God's Peace to our new friends! Tomorrow we hit the road...
