A Nashville-area ministry is making a crucial impact on the lives of thousands of Armenian refugees.
Mission Eurasia, a global Christian group headquartered in Franklin, is providing basic necessities to displaced Armenians who left everything behind when fleeing the war-torn Nagorno-Karabakh region after it fell under attack by the Azerbaijan military in September 2020. While Azerbaijan and Armenia have since agreed to a cease-fire, tensions and turmoil remain high as the region has been embroiled in a long-simmering and sometimes explosive geographic dispute.
Sergey Rakhuba, president of Mission Eurasia, decried the conflict for creating “an unbelievable humanitarian crisis, driving at least 130,000 to 150,000 refugees running for their lives looking for shelter and protection.”
Despite being over 6,000 miles away, Mission Eurasia immediately sprang into action.
“When the conflict erupted, we couldn’t avoid not getting involved, and that’s when we started mobilizing global Christian relief efforts to help those that are suffering,” Rakhuba said.
Together with partners in the U.S. and abroad, Mission Eurasia has distributed clothing and household items, offered health care support and provided Scriptures. Last Christmas, Mission Eurasia even brought the holiday spirit to thousands of Armenian children with the delivery of 5,000 gifts.
The biggest relief effort, though, has been providing desperately needed food to starving refugees.
“The churches open their doors and refugee families flood in,” Rakhuba said. “People open houses and share their roof. They need resources for food. People need to eat every day.”
In response, over the past several months Mission Eurasia has delivered 10,000 food baskets to Armenians. Each basket costs $50 and can feed a family of three to five people for at least a week with grocery essentials such as bread, vegetables and cooking oil.
In addition to helping Armenian refugees, Mission Eurasia has also been steadfastly supporting other Eurasian countries in the fight against COVID-19 by supplying health manuals, sanitizers and masks.
Mission Eurasia’s next mission? Summer fun for kids.
“We’re trying to mobilize resources to organize a summer camp and activities in Eastern Ukraine, Armenia and Moldova,” Rakhuba said.
Mission Eurasia was founded during the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 to train future generations of Christian leaders and positively affect the lives of those struggling in Eurasian countries.
The faith-based group moved its headquarters from Wheaton, Illinois, to Franklin last summer. The move was sparked by “a warmer climate, the Bible Belt, the pull of Christian talent and resources, and a nice culture,” Rakhuba said.
So far it’s been a warm Southern welcome. “We love it here in the South,” Rakhuba quipped.
While Eurasia may seem like a world away from the South, Rakhuba stresses that “the need for ongoing support is always there if people want to help. People here in Nashville, and across the country, are helping.”
If you’re interested in helping with the next mission, go to www.MissionEurasia.org for opportunities to get involved.