Swine flu impacts WELS
Filed Under: Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church, Mexico, pandemic, swine flu
The so-called "swine flu" global pandemic is impacting WELS schools in the United States as well as WELS' sister synod, the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mexico, where the disease is believed to have originated.
Two WELS schools in Milwaukee—Christ-St. Peter and Mt. Lebanon—are closed this week. Christ-St. Peter has one confirmed case and two probable cases of H1N1 flu. Both campuses of the 200-student school could be closed for as many as 14 days but will be reevaluated at the end of the week.
Mt. Lebanon doesn't have any infected students or staff but does share a Title 1 teacher with Christ-St. Peter. Its kindergarten teacher also is married to a teacher at Christ-St. Peter. School officials hope that the 100-student school will be able to reopen next week.
In Mexico, while no members of the church have been infected, the outbreak affects everyone at some level. "People in Mexico are very nervous and concerned, and that's affected people in our churches as well," says Rev. Mike Hartman, missionary in Torreón.
According to Hartman, Cristo Resucitado, the 60-member church in Mexico City, didn't hold worship services on April 26 due to a government order that cancelled all services in Mexico City. Schools, restaurants, theaters, and non-essential businesses in Mexico City also are closed until May 5.
Although the Mexican government has recommended a five-day closure from May 1-5 of all non-essential businesses throughout Mexico, 11 of the 12 churches and exploratories of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Church still held worship services on May 3. Hartman says that seminary classes in Torreón for the three full-time students also will continue. Students and teachers have been given face masks for their protection.
"This is the time you really want people to gather together in God's Word to be encouraged," says Hartman, "but at the same time people are afraid to gather."
