Project AGAPE

A team of 21 people returned from Armenia last month having rebuilt two more homes of folks living in deplorable conditions. Project AGAPE continues to minister to our brothers and sisters. Even though it has been 15 years since this ministry by the WNCC and NCC began there is still great need in certain parts of the country particularly Berdzor and surrounding villages.

Project AGAPE Sunday – April 18

Project AGAPE continues its ministry in Armenia focusing on the area around the town of Berdzor. With unemployment still hovering around 60% and very little government or international aid, the people in this area of the world need the basics to survive. So the WNCC and NCC continues to solicit support from United Methodist across the state of NC. WNCC has set Sunday, April18 as AGAPE Sunday. On this day the AGAPE Board requests each church to collect any of the following items so they can be shipped to Armenia:

1.       Canned meats, Canned vegetables, Canned fruits (Make sure the expiration date is at least one year out.)

2.       Children’s clothing in good condition and clean

3.       New Shoes for all ages and sizes

4.       Sewing supplies like cloth, thread, needles, etc

5.       Money donations to support the Cattle Project (This program functions like the Heifer Project.) Money to help this year’s Building team to renovate 2 homes in Berdzor.)

Please box your donations with like donations, fill box, tape and label its contents. Collect from April 11 – April 18. Then take your boxes to the district drop-off location from April 19 – April 23.  These items will be picked up and taken to the Mission Response Center on Tuesday, April 27.

Collection Point for Greensboro/Northeast District: Hinshaw United Methodist Church 4501 High Point Road Greensboro, NC 27407 Contact Person: Jim Waynick – phone- 336-273-7547. Email: jim@hinshawumc.org

Because of your gracious support many, many of our Armenia Christian brothers and sisters have a chance at life and hope for the future. Below is a story of how your contributions are making a difference.

A Family Living in the Hen-House

It was in fall of 2008, when we left for one of the villages in Kashatagh region to take 2 bunk beds, mattresses, some food and a big bag of flour to one of the families in the village called Aygehovit (garden’s valley). We knew that the mother of the family - Heghine Avetisyan, was in Berdzor hospital waiting for the birth of the third child, and her two daughters were at home. When we arrived in the village, it turned to be very hard to find the house of the family we were looking for. Realizing that even if we found the house the children might still be at school we decided to go to the village school, take the children and ride with them to their house. But they had already left, so we asked one of the students to show us their house. A young boy, whose name was Gor, told that he knew the family and would show us the house. He sat with us in the Dodge (it was obvious he was enjoying the ride) and, finally, we got to the destination. Gor helped us to take everything out of the Dodge and put together the parts of the bunk beds. Anna, the elder daughter in the family, told that he often helps their family, as all in their family are women, and during the winter time he sometimes helps to cut the wood and bring it home to burn. When the work was finished, we took Gor to his house… We are sure it was God’s will to do that, otherwise we would never know the story of a family living in a hen-house… Alisa, mother of four children, the oldest of whom is Gor, had to take care of all in the family alone after her husband died in the river trying to earn some money for the daily bread of his family. The 5000 drams ($10) promised for the fish to be caught, became the reason of his death 5 years ago, leaving four children one-side orphans. The house they live in is a hen-house, without windows and a normal door. This family is now one of the main beneficiaries of AGAPE and we try to help them with what we can thanks to your donations and caring…

Thank you for giving hope to the people of Armenia and for helping the Armenian Apostolic Church serve its people.

Cecil Donahue, Chair of the AGAPE Board