A TALE OF TWO CITIES
Along the southeastern border of Iowa, two communities are separated by a bridge spanning the Mississippi River; one was submerged under 16 feet of water in June 2008 and one has been active in flood relief since then.  Dawn Boche, Administrative Assistant, at First Presbyterian Church worked in Burlington but was living across the bridge in Lake Stevenson, Illinois when the levee broke south of Burlington last year leaving her home flooded above the roof line. She found herself in an unusual situation--handing out donated items to flood victims at the church while being a flood victim herself. 
 
Sitting at a table in Napoli's restaurant in downtown Burlington last week, Dawn spoke of the support she has received from FPC during the past 12 months.  Pastor Deb Miller-Kinney told Dawn she could take as much time off from her job as needed to work on cleanup and salvaging items from her home. Dawn, however, refused saying that work became the, one constant in her life that served as a rudder, keeping her from feeling adrift.  The men's group at FPC pulled the siding off her home so it could be washed and treated.  The church threw Dawn and her husband, Hermann, a household shower to replace many of the items that had been ruined by the floodwaters.  Dawn said she was also moved by the many prayers, phone calls and offers of help from the congregation. It was a very humbling experience. When you are used to doing for others, you don't know how to let others do for you. (Dawn is shown inside the cottage being rebuilt on her lakefront property.)

 

 

A DREAM IS COMING TRUE IN BRASIL
In Davenport, Newcomb Presbyterian Church sent $3,000 to the Aerolandia church in Brasil to help with their expansion project.
 
In Fortaleza, hammers can be heard as a lateral wall is lifted. The smell of solvent lingers in the air from freshly painted fixtures. A mosaic of newly installed tiles gleams in the afternoon sunlight pouring through the windows at Aerolandia.
 
We are living the dream, says Pastor Sinval Israel and we feel the scripture coming alive in Psalm 126:1, When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with shouts of joy.
 
Pastor Sinval refers to the people of Newcomb as his "siblings"; the root being "sibb" meaning kinship which has been the goal of the Brasil campaign - to build relationships between congregations in Brasil and Iowa.