Many thanks to the volunteers who helped us prepare our gardens for spring planting. These dedicated gardeners from Fallen Timbers Middle School and Keystone Bank dug, raked, and piled dirt to prepare the raised beds. By the time the volunteers were all done, even the planting had been completed!
The harvest from the gardens will be used to feed the residents at the Children’s LightHouse and hungry families across our community.
We were recently in Bulgaria to renew some old ties and see what the Lord would have us do in this former communist society. Bulgaria has changed in many ways since we were there helping Kosovo refugees from the war in the 1990’s. One thing that hasn’t changed is the poverty in some of the villages. What impressed us the most was how The Church of God In Bulgaria is developing its church in areas that have been overlooked by many.
We visited a gypsy village called Samakov where a church has literally sprung out from the building that was the local trash dump. The church emptied that building and began having services a little more than ten years ago. Today, it is literally bursting at the seams. We visited the church for a Sunday evening service of over 1200 people in attendance. We were told others were discouraged that they literally could not fit in the door. They were seating people on the stage, the stairs to the balcony, and anywhere else they could physically be able to participate.
This area is one of the poorest in Bulgaria, but people are flocking to the church. It was a place of fighting between families before the church came. The scene has been drastically changed. So, why am I telling you about all of this? Our help is needed. Could they do it on their own? Probably in time, but what if we were capable to help them now and didn’t? Can we really look away? There are programs established, but they cannot keep up with the need. They need help with food and supplies. Children need sponsors so they can read and write. The building needs to be expanded. God is moving in this place, why not be a part of it. Consider how you can partner with us today to make an everlasting change in the life of the children and families of this place.
Mission Team Members were: Linda A. Greene, RN Ph.D., President & CEO of ISOH/IMPACT, Bob Lalonde, Vice President and Renee Lalonde, Board Member
Daniel, born to Albina and Denis Ulianov, is the first baby born through The Children’s LightHouse ministry
ISOH/IMPACT is pleased to announce the first birth at The Children’s LightHouse! Daniel Denis Ulianov was born to Albina and Denis Ulianov at 4:09 a.m. on February 17, 2009 at Mercy Children’s Hospital, making him the first baby to be born through The Children’s LightHouse, an ISOH/IMPACT ministry. Daniel weighed 6.9 lbs. and was 20 inches long at birth. Daniel’s parents, Albina and Denis, are the directors of Mayak (The LightHouse) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, a close ministry partner of ISOH/IMPACT.
Albina underwent successful heart surgery through The Children’s LightHouse ministry in May 2004, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Maumee, OH. She then returned to Tajikistan where she met her husband Denis. Together, they founded the community-based organization Mayak, which is dedicated to providing relief and development to impoverished families throughout Tajikistan.
Due to health complications, Albina’s pregnancy was designated as high risk, and Tajikistan does not offer the necessary medical services to tend to the family’s needs. To ensure a safe delivery, the couple was brought to The Children’s LightHouse for the birth of their son.
While he was waiting for the birth of his son, Denis traveled back to Tajikistan with a team from ISOH/IMPACT. He led the emergency delivery of food for famine-stricken families in villages near the Afghan border.
ISOH/IMPACT recently shipped more than 2 million meals to hungry families in Tajikistan and is preparing more shipments for emergency delivery. The Department of State Office of the Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia (EUR/ACE) has said that the ongoing drought conditions combined with extreme weather in Tajikistan last year “truly caused suffering among Tajikistan’s most vulnerable populations.” The DOS predicts that this year could be even worse.
As soon as mother and baby are given a clean bill of health from Mercy Children’s Hospital, the entire family will return to Tajikistan and help launch ISOH/IMPACT’s new child sponsorship ministry, aimed at reducing the suffering of Tajik families while providing education and hope for the new generation.
Please join us in celebrating Daniel’s birth and giving thanks for a safe and healthy delivery.
ISOH/IMPACT is inviting individuals, businesses, churches, and local organizations to celebrate Daniel’s birth by supporting the valuable, life-changing ministry of Mayak and the Ulianov family. Donations for Mayak can be made online at www.isohimpact.org, by calling 419.878.8548, or sent to our main office on 25182 W. River Road, Perrysburg, Ohio 43551.
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Daniel is welcomed by “Aunt” Linda Greene, ISOH/IMPACT President & CEO ISOH/IMPACT sent a mission team to Tajikistan on January 23, 2009 to help distribute more than 4 million life-saving meals to families struck by the winter famine. The team will stay until February 2, 2009.
For several of the members on the team, this was their first trip to Tajikistan. Here is what they had to say:
Bob Lalonde, ISOH/IMPACT Vice President
January 28, 2009
Today we saw the most poverty I have seen up close. We visited a village that is in the desert of Tajikistan. It has very sandy soil and gets real hot in the summer. They were moved to this village from the Palmir Mountains by the government 9 years ago. Another Christian organization helped build them houses and dug a well. Right now the pump does not work for the well and they have no electricity. They are not sure when they will get electricity again. We handed out wheat and corn to them today. They were very grateful and invited us in their home and offered us bread and tea even though they have very little. Since they didn’t have electricity they will have to go to another nearby village to mill the grain. They asked about seed and Jim is going to look into drought resistant corn and wheat to send them. They seemed to want to farm for themselves, but looking at the soil, I think it will be a hard task.
Dan Peake, ISOH/IMPACT Mission Team Member
January 28, 2009
Today was a long but awesome day. We woke up at 5:30 and left at 6:00 then drove about six hours to a village about 7 miles from the Afhgan boarder. It was beautiful country. We unloaded the truck and all the villagers gathered around to get food. We then walked around the village and checked out the wheat mill they have which is out of service because their electricy has been down for a month. We also got to meet with some families there and hear about their lives and have some bread and tea. It was the best tea I’ve ever had. Keeping in mind that these people were on the verge of starvation (our delivery came just in time.)
It was such a great experience like something out of National Geographic. We got to hear a woman in the village tell us her testimony. She is one of a handful of Christians in that area.
One of the ISOH/IMPACT ministry partners has a brother working as a missionary there, he’s loved by everyone in the village. The coolest part of the day was praying for the woman and her family and blessing them with food and words of encouragement. It’s is the most depressing place I’ve ever been, but one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. Well that pretty much sums it up for our day.
We are giving thanks for baby Aziza’s arrival at the Children’s LightHouse.
She and her grandmother will be staying with us while she prepares for lifesaving surgery.
We recently told you about the hunger crisis in Tajikistan and how Aziza was at great risk for dying from malnutrition. She was at especially high risk due to a birth defect with her colon.
She needs to have a surgery not available in Tajikistan to repair the defect and save her life.
We are so grateful that the Lord answered our prayers for Aziza. He brought her to us sooner than we had hoped and she is on the fast track toward surgery and full recovery.
Please join us in continuing to pray for Aziza’s health and adaptation to a new environment.
During the harshness of winter, many children in Tajikistan are still at high risk of starvation and malnutrition. But you can help. Spread the word and encourage others to give and pray.
The ISOH/IMPACT shipment of food aid arrived in Tajikistan and has been delivered to the most vulnerable members of the communities we serve. In a recent conversation with us, USAID again stressed how severe this winter will be in Tajikistan. Experts are predicting an unusually cold winter for the country, and the people are already suffering from a critical food shortage. Your support for Tajikistan is needed more now than ever. Thank you for joining us in Reaching Out & Serving Others!
