When Nova Mikaelian was five years old, her father died due to a heart attack. That was the beginning of a difficult journey for her family.
Nova lives with her mother, older sister, and grandmother in an apartment in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. With the loss of her father’s income and the added cost due to her grandmother’s declining health, Nova’s family began to go into debt in their attempts to provide food and other essentials.
In the five years following her father’s death, Nova’s mother, Arevik, spiraled into a deep depression. It was a very sad and lonely time for Nova and her family.
When Arevik opened the door one day to find a woman on her doorstep with a box of food, she had no idea how much her life would be impacted. The woman’s name was Karine Sargsyan, a volunteer for the Food Pak program and wife to the pastor of Centre Church in Yerevan.
As soon as Arevik and Karine began talking, it became obvious that they had a lot in common. Karine, like Arevik, had lost a husband to a heart attack several years prior and struggled to provide for her children. Karine shared with Arevik how God began working in her life, even while she struggled with grief and poverty.
The new friendships with members of the church community have had a drastic effect on the entire family. Arevik is learning to move forward instead of living in the past. Nova and her sister are learning how to support and encourage their mother.
The family began attending church and getting involved in various activities. They are thankful for the people from the church who see them and truly care for them, and the food delivered by the church has allowed them to start paying off their debt. The visits from the church have become so much more than a delivery of food. Your gifts make these relationships possible.
For Nova and thousands of others like her, your generosity is life-changing. Your gifts allow us to expand our reach into new communities around the world, just as the Great Commission instructs us to “go and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:19a)
Thank you for helping to deliver hope.
Note: Recipients’ names have been changed to protect their privacy.