LEADERSHIP TRAINING
A gift that keeps on giving
PROJECT COORDINATOR
Artur and Kristina Avanesyan
PLACE
Yeghegnadzor, Armenia
PERIOD OF THE PROJECT
2016 – 2018
Pastor Artur and Larissa approached Harvest to receive training about demonstrations of God’s love to the needy. They thought that their church loved Jesus but were too preoccupied with their own problems. So, they needed to learn from Jesus and his followers to give even from the very little they had. The initial training had 30 participants. Those people who were mostly concerned with their own problems started to plan and do loving actions like donating blankets and pillows to a needy neighbor and to cook food for a sick woman. The little church was transformed with the light of God’s Word!
They wanted to take something they already had from local resources and turn into an action of love. They decided to use a house donated to the church as a home for vulnerable people. The entire church gathered, planned, donated tools, and assigned tasks. They renovated the old house to be a nice place. Working together, they remembered that a seed project was to be covered by prayer, so they prayed before they started, in the middle, and in the end of the activity. This house now serves as a rehabilitation center.
In Yeghegnadzor, church members who participated in the SamS’ training received a vision from the Lord to help persecuted Christians from Central Asia. Now they receive families and leaders who went through persecutions and help them rest in Armenia. The house they renovated during their seed project is now partially used to host these people. The entire church gathers to help these suffering brothers and sisters. They now contact churches from places where there are persecutions and invite these people to come to Armenia. The Yeghegnadzor church is ready to demonstrate God’s love and apply knowledge and principles that they learned in the SamS’ training. What made us happy was that the entire church was involved to demonstrate God’s love and glorify Him.
MULTIPLICATION
The SamS project in Yeghegnadzor multiplied in a new SamS project in Ukraine.
PRAYERS
We praise the Lord for the change in church culture, from inward to outward focus, and the creative ways inspired by the Holy Spirit to serve people in need.
As people lovingly restored the house, may the Lord restore those who come with heavy burdens from places where Christians are persecuted, may God touch their lives, and the hard realities where they live.
ESTABLISHING SELF-SUSTAINING SAMARITAN STRATEGY TEAMS IN NEW AREAS