Donor Fatigue

I receive regular emails from Rev. Dr. Gerald B. Kieschnick, President of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Today's email (sent to pastors) was especially noteworthy. Here it is for your prayerful edification and encouragement:

A Pastoral Letter to
Pastors of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod
From President Jerry Kieschnick
January 27, 2010

Dear Brothers in Christ,

Americans are giving generously for relief effort in the aftermath of the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti. Donations have exceeded the amounts given immediately following the 2004 Asian tsunamis and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. In the first 10 days after the Haiti earthquake struck, more than $380 million was contributed to 35 U.S. non-profit groups, according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Among the 35 is Lutheran World Relief, Baltimore, which reported $1.6 million in contributions for Haiti relief as of this past Friday. As of two days ago, contributions to LCMS World Relief passed the $1 million mark!

By comparison, major U.S. relief groups raised $163 million in the nine days after the tsunamis struck and $239 million in the 10 days after 9/11, the Chronicle reports. Only gifts for relief efforts in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, some $580 million in the first eight days, have exceeded the pace of those given for Haiti.

It is gratifying to see such an outpouring of care and concern for the victims of this terrible natural disaster. Many of your congregations and members have given to this effort, and many of you have given as well. Thank you!

Already, though, there are reports in the press that relief officials fear the onset of "donor fatigue" because of the fast pace of contributions to date and the much slower pace of relief efforts, not to mention the long-term effort needed to rebuild this country. When I hear such reports, I am reminded of the apostle Paul's words, "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Gal. 6:9-10). I also thank God that He does not weary of doing good for us in Jesus Christ.

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The 'household of faith' in Haiti

The apostle Paul encourages us to do good "especially to those who are of the household of faith." The household of faith in Haiti includes brothers and sisters in our partner church there, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti. My pastoral letter for December included an article about the ELCH. I noted that when the 2001 Synod convention voted to formalize altar and pulpit fellowship with the ELCH, it did so unanimously, which I think says something about the especially warm regard with which our people hold the Haitian church.

On Jan. 18, I wrote to ELCH President Marky Kessa on behalf of our Synod. Permit me to share some of my letter to President Kessa with you:

"Many times every day since last week's horrendous earthquake in Haiti, you and the people of your church and country have been upheld in my prayers and the prayers of the pastors and congregations of your brothers and sisters in Christ, the people of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. We are truly thankful to God that you and your family are alive and safe. We pray the same is true of all the pastors and people of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti. And we pray for God's abundant mercy upon the people in Haiti who are suffering from grief, injury, fear, hunger, thirst, depression, helplessness, hopelessness, or despair following this horrific disaster. These prayers ascend from your fellow servants to the throne of our triune God, who was, who is, and who is to come, the only true God who has revealed Himself through Holy Scripture as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

"This letter is being sent via email to you, with no assurance whatsoever that conditions in Haiti will allow it to be received electronically. Therefore, it is also being transmitted to Dr. Jorge Groh, regional director of LCMS World Mission, for personal delivery to you, and to other leaders in our Synod as an encouragement for them to continue to provide prayer and financial support for you and the people of your church and country. At this moment, Dr. Groh is scheduled to accompany other representatives from the LCMS on a brief visit to Haiti later this week. I pray that you will receive this delegation from the LCMS with thanksgiving to God, that the resources and assistance they bring will fill your heart with hope and joy, and that many people in Haiti will be blessed by the heartfelt care and concern that will be demonstrated by our LCMS delegation.

"On numerous occasions since the earthquake occurred, I have communicated to the people and congregations of the LCMS my personal and presidential encouragement that they be generous in their support of the work being accomplished by the Board for Human Care Ministries (LCMS World Relief and Human Care) and by the Board for Mission Services (LCMS World Mission), both headquartered at the International Center of the LCMS in St. Louis, and by Lutheran World Relief, headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. Gifts from the people of the LCMS to these agencies, with matching funds from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, make it possible for the tangible expressions of love, care, and concern that you and your people will receive, not only from this week's delegation, but also for many weeks and months to come. The ongoing support that we hope and pray will be possible for us to bring to you will be vital for the reestablishment of health and healing, both of body and of soul, following the losses experienced by the people of Haiti.

"As you provide leadership in the recovery and restoration of your people in the days, weeks, months, and years ahead, I pray that our great and gracious God will fill your heart and life with a special sense of the peace of God that passes all understanding. And I pray that this peace, which comes only by God's grace, will keep your heart and mind through faith in Christ Jesus our Lord!"

After writing that letter, subsequent plans developed that would have flown me to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and from there over land to the Haitian border to meet with President Kessa of our partner church body. The plan was for me to accompany leaders and members of the staff of LCMS World Relief and Human Care and LCMS World Mission.

After those plans were almost solidified, I received word from Dr. Jorge Groh, regional director for LCMS World Mission, advising me to delay this trip until the chaotic conditions currently being experienced in Haiti have subsided. Following prayerful and careful consideration and conversation, I decided to follow that advice to postpone my trip. I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, please continue to check the LCMS Web site for updates on our LCMS response to this disaster. And continue to pray for the well being of the people of Haiti who have great needs of body and soul.