Two years pass slowly for disaster victims
By Kurt Senske

Two years is a long time in this era of emails, text messages, the internet and 24/7 news coverage. Events occur, are seemingly resolved in a short time and then you move on.

But two years for a disaster victim is a different story.

We recently observed the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the single worst disaster in our country’s history. For a few days, the news media dispatched reporters to the region to highlight the progress – and lack thereof.

Now we are approaching the second anniversary of Hurricane Rita, which also left a wide swath of destruction along the Louisiana/Texas Gulf Coast. But because it wasn’t as horrific as Katrina, its victims are all but forgotten.

In general, the public living outside the disaster zone has no idea that the communities torn apart by these storms are still struggling.

Many residents of the hard-hit areas were barely making ends meet before the storms. They had little in financial resources and many had inadequate or no insurance. A minor crisis would send them reeling; a disaster of this magnitude is incapacitating.

While it is easy for us outside the devastated area to think they’ve had plenty of time to “get over it,” the reality is that we cannot possibly comprehend what the storm survivors have endured.

Many spent weeks, even months, in strange communities to which they were evacuated. For days, they desperately sought loved ones who were dispersed all over the country. When they were finally able to get back to their homes, they discovered they had lost all of their belongings. Many also lost jobs. Often, support networks – family, church, community – that they could have relied on in the past, were wiped out.

To add insult to injury, insurance companies have been slow to pay or denied claims and government response has been disappointing. Federal funds designated to help those recover barely dribble in.

Immediately after these disasters, I was moved by the survivors’ determination to reclaim their lives and communities. The incredible response of our nation gave them reason to hope. Not only did people generously give money for immediate relief and long-term recovery, but volunteers poured in from all over the country to help.

Lutheran Social Services Disaster Response, the local agent for Lutheran Disaster Response, has overseen the work of more than 30,000 volunteers who mucked out, rebuilt and repaired more than 9,000 homes. Through our case management services, we have assisted nearly 10,000 households develop plans for recovery and access the resources to help them achieve recovery.

Despite the efforts of thousands of volunteers and the passage of time, much remains to be done. Homes still need to be repaired and rebuilt and financial assistance is essential for recovery. Your prayers, contributions and volunteer labor are especially needed as the days, weeks and months pass and we see survivors’ determination displaced by despair.

On behalf of those who swam through filthy water, who spent days on a highway overpass or who suffered inside the New Orleans Superdome, I urge you to remember the victims of the hurricanes and help rebuild their lives, homes and communities.

Kurt Senske is chief executive officer of Austin-based Lutheran Social Services of the South. LSS Disaster Response is providing long-term disaster response in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

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