Ministering Relief
Elkhorn, NE after April’s tornado
On April 26, 2024, the Heartland skies were a familiar yet ominous shade of green. I was in the southern tier of our district when I heard the harrowing news of the tornado touchdown in Elkhorn, located on the northwestern side of the Omaha metro area.
I immediately contacted Pastor Neal Kloster at Heights Church, our district church in Elkhorn, for a firsthand report. He and the elders were still checking in on the church members. Though the church had minimal damage, several neighborhoods near it were devastated, impacting the lives of thousands.
Over the weekend, many more tornadoes touched down across the southern tier of our district, transforming my northward drive to Elkhorn into an archipelago of communities recovering from tornado and storm damage. By God’s miraculous grace, no lives were lost in the devastating Elkhorn tornado.
Today’s need for human relief is multifaceted and global. Though the heart of Christ drives us to demonstrate his love as much as possible, our finite resources painfully require us to prioritize. As such, Converge Heartland is currently prioritizing two relief efforts: the ongoing relief effort for war-torn Ukraine and the disaster relief effort in tornado-torn Elkhorn, NE. Though this article focuses on disaster relief for Elkhorn, NE, Converge Heartland’s generosity in both of these relief efforts is praiseworthy!
Tornado Relief Efforts in Elkhorn, NE
The storm that ripped through Elkhorn was categorized as an EF-3 tornado. Its 165-mph winds leveled neighborhoods and uprooted hundreds, if not thousands, of lives. Heights Church is in a prime position to lead and join the long haul of relief work.
Though many people want to roll up their sleeves and help, the initial stages of disaster relief and cleanup often require special equipment, especially when heavy structural pieces need to be removed. Pastor Kloster told me how those who have suffered property damages and loss are in a season of limbo because they must wait for insurance adjusters or FEMA assessors to complete their work before they can begin to renovate or rebuild their homes after the tornado disaster.
Heights Church is committed to ministering Christ’s love to their community, for the long haul. When dealing with your long-term neighbors, the disaster-relief process requires patience, tenacity, and grit, long after the disaster has left the news headlines.
How You Can Help
We are raising disaster relief funds to address the needs of people in the aftermath of the Elkhorn tornado. These financial resources will be distributed and stewarded by the leadership of Heights Church. We all know that Heartland people are resilient and self-reliant. The families affected by the tornado come from a variety of economic realities. Few have ample reserves to see themselves through, whereas most have, are, and will soon exhaust their resources. Everyone likes to give help, but rarely do people enjoy asking for help or receiving help, even when they desperately need it. Regardless, those affected in Elkhorn are increasingly willing to receive assistance in various forms. Some of the ways that your donations are helping the people of Elkhorn include:
Providing storage for household necessities not destroyed by the tornado.
Providing supplies for skilled laborers from Heights Church and other churches to make home repairs.
Providing gas and grocery cards to help meet the basic needs of those affected.
Providing temporary lodging for those in need.
Providing supplies for cleaning and restoring repairable dwellings.
Joining with other area churches on larger collaborative relief efforts.
Regarding disaster relief, I am often reminded of Paul’s words in Titus 3:14: “Let our people also learn to maintain good works and to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.” Thank you for your generous support of the ongoing relief efforts in Elkhorn, NE.