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.