We got the news from Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Last night, December 10, a fire destroyed the Hope Center for women and children. Two floors are on fire when the fire brigade arrives. By miracle, none of the inhabitants was hurt except for one woman who was brought to hospital because of smoke inhalation. But all of the kids are well.
At daylight, the degree of the damage can be seen. All facilities are destroyed and uninhabitable. There is a severe damage of the walls, the ceilings and the floors. The fire destroyed windows, doors, all of the furniture, clothes and personal belongings, as well as personal documents of the inhabitants.
WHAT HAPPENED?
It is wintertime in Tajikistan. There is no heating in Dushanbe, just like in the entire country. A whole country and nation is freezing through wintertime. Most of the people try to help themselves by using electric heaters - which is a challenge for the weak electric power supply of Tajikistan, and a real danger. In the Hope Center too, it is cold last night. They turn on an electric heater to produce some warmth. The defective heater catches fire. Within a few minutes, two floors are on fire. 12 women and 14 children can escape from the building, waiting on the cold street for the firemen to arrive. The fire can be extinguished, but the Hope Center is destroyed and uninhabitable.
Part of the women and children can now stay with neighbors or at the church of Dushanbe; another part was brought to a different Hope Center near Dushanbe.
The local Christians thank God for His protection of all women and children. But they are full of concern for the ministry which has to be continued, because for the wo-men living here, the Hope Center is the only place of refuge, the only roof over their heads, and their only hope
WHERE DESPERATE WOMEN FIND SALVATION?
The ministry of the Hope Center was born from the compassion ministry of the believers of the church of Dushanbe. They saw the need of homeless women in their country and started helping them.
Some of the women they served accepted the Lord Jesus Christ. In Tajikistan - a country under Islam - no one would ever help these women. At the beginning, they found shelter in the apartment of one of the church members. A small group was organized and through the group meetings, more and more women came to know Christ. The believers started praying for a facility that would provide more space for the women and their children. Five years ago, they were able to rent a building in Dushanbe.
God blessed the ministry at the Hope Center. Over the past years, more than 40 women and 40 children found help, shelter and hope in the Center, and many of them accepted Christ. These saved women and the believers in Dushanbe are ready to do everything possible to see the ministry of the Hope Center continuing, and do see desperate and women and children finding protection, shelter and salvation.
EXAMPLE: SVETA
With her five kids, Sveta comes to the Hope Center a few years ago - totally helpless, destitute. At the Center, she hears about Jesus Christ and accepts Him as her Lord and Savior. She returns to her hometown Tursun-Sade, where God restores her broken family. Today, Sveta serves at the local church and shares the Gospel with the people in Tursun-Sade.
EXAMPLE: OKSANA
We met Oksana in 2018 at the Hope Center, where she and her six children had found refuge from her violent husband. Oksana spent over two years at the Center, and she was full of gratitude when she told us: Finally, my kids don‘t need to suffer hunger and starvation any more. In 2018, Oksana accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. Today, Oksana and her children receive regular help through the Widows project of Bible Mission.
Please help rebuilding the Hope Center!
It is now important to rebuild the part of the building, which was destroyed. The damage caused by the fire requires a complete reconstruction (walls, ceilings, floors, doors, windows). First of all, the living facilities need to be restored, refurbished and equipped with furniture. The women also need help with humanitarian aid and with the acquisition of new personal documents (passports, identity cards etc.)
Please help rebuilding the Hope Center in Dushanbe! The total amount of funds needed for the project are $17,000.
SEND YOUR GIFT TO: BIBLE MISSION SLAVIC PO BOX 240845 APPLE VALLEY, MN 55124-7019OR FOR ONLINE CONTRIBUTIONS GO TO: https://bmslavic.org/give.
FIRE DUSHANBE - PROJECT #143501
