Seminary Re-Builds with LCMS

SEMINARY RE-BUILDS WITH LCMS DISASTER RESPONSE AFTER OCHKI CYCLONE

Rev. Dr. Sam Thompson
Project Director

The Concordia Seminary Campus was hit by heavy storms and torrential rainfall resulted from Ockhi cyclone on November 30- Dec 1, 2017. The heavy rain and severe storms uprooted more than forty trees on campus and destroyed several buildings, electric poles, electric lines, street lights, campus road, water supply, drainage and compound walls at several places. In the words of one of our student, “When OCKHI hit the seminary campus, it looked like a war zone. Electric supply gone, mobile towers down, the men’s hostel where I stayed became no longer safe.” The campus was closed down on the same day. The students and families were sent home.

The Ockhi cyclone was the biggest disaster hit in Tamil Nadu since Tsunami in 2004. It was categorized as a very Severe Cyclone Storm (category 3 Hurricane). It killed around two hundred and fifty people and around seven hundred people are still missing. In Tamilnadu, the total damage is estimated to be more than USD $ 5.7 billion.

The seminary was hit by cyclone during a time, when the institutional was in a deep financial crisis. We were not sure how to face this situation. But one of lessons we learned during this time of crisis was, “….disaster do happen leaving us with lot of unanswered questions. But it is also equally true that God does not hide himself from us during the time crises. He reaches out to us with His hands of mercy” said one of our faculty member involved in the campus rebuilding process. The LCMS disaster response came as one such caring hand from God. The LCMS disaster response department intervened in a timely manner and released an emergency grant to help re-build the seminary.

The generous support from LCMS disaster response department help strengthen the efforts and morale of the seminary community to come together, care for each other and work together to make the campus safe and functional again. Because of the coordinated efforts, we were able to re-open the seminary campus for the academic session from the 8^th of January 2018.

The following are the result of some of the major emergency restoration work carried out to bring the seminary campus to normalcy.

1. Electric Supply Restored: Seven fallen electric poles replaced. Damaged electric lines repaired or replaced to become functional. Campus Street light restored. Destroyed domestic wiring replaced or repaired.
2. Water Supply Restored: Broken plumbing lines, connections or taps, repaired or replaced. One broken water tank replaced, another water tank repaired. 
3. Telephone and Internet lines restored: Telephone poles and lines repaired and restored. Internet connection restored.
4. Transportation Restored: Uprooted trees and fallen branches safely removed from the road, pathways and houses. This made possible safe and free movement inside the campus for children, families, pedestrians, bikers and four wheelers.
5. Roof Repairs and Building Maintenance Work: Roof Repairs done for all the affected buildings. Walls strengthened, damaged windows, grills and door repaired.
6. Wood and Debris Cleared: Fallen trees and branches safely removed. Firewood stored for seminary kitchen and other useful woods stored to meet future needs. Debris cleared and campus beautification done through voluntary work done by faculty and students.
7. Compound Walls and Road Repairs: Damaged compound walls repaired. Earth work, side concerting and brick work done for the campus road.

In order to encourage, evaluate and celebrate the restorative efforts undertaken by the Concordia seminary, a team from LCMS disaster response department headed by its director, Rev. Dr. Ross E. Johnson visited the seminary campus from February 28 to March 1st 2018. His team included, the following LCMS dignitaries: Rev. Roger B. James (Director, South Asia), Rev. Roy S. Askins and Ms. Johanna Heidorn, from LCMS South Asia office and Mr. Ravi Jesupadam, the LCMS-India Coordinator. Dr. Ross Johnson and his team had an opportunity to tour the campus and interact with the community members for two days. Dr. Ross Johnson also led a conference on “Theology of Mercy” which outlined the distinctive approach and theology of Lutherans as they engage the world with acts of Mercy. The Concordia Theological Seminary remain grateful to Rev. Dr. Ross Johnson and his team for their valuable time with us. The seminary is thankful to Mr. Darin Storkson (Senior Director, LCMS International Missions) for his goodwill and support towards the seminary during this period of diaster. We are also indebted to Ms. Barbara Hoffmann (Manager, LCMS Grants) and all the board members at LCMS disaster response department for standing with us and making sure that we receive this grant.

The seminary community remembers with joy, the leadership given by the Principal, Rev. Dr. D. Christu Das, hard work put by the Bursar, Rev. C. Justin Raj and united efforts taken by all the faculty members to face this situation. Finally, the seminary wish to thank all the members of the student community who went over and beyond to work hard to re-build the seminary campus.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28)