Playgrounds Transform Villages through Efforts of Armenian Relief Mission
Christians from the United States and Armenia recently joined together to build village playgrounds in the former Soviet Republic of Armenia, which was the first nation to embrace Christianity as a state religion in A.D. 301.
“Many of these areas where we’ve placed them have never had a playground at all,” said founder Steve Kashian. “The equipment and materials come from playgrounds that are broken down and being replaced in the United States. Volunteers tear down the old, yet still high-quality, playgrounds. Others volunteer to store them or ship them to Armenia, and then we arrange for teams to come and help put them up. Very often, when we put it up, the local people help us in doing the work.”
The playgrounds have been placed throughout Armenia, including orphanages, some poorer villages and in devastating Spitak earthquake, reports KLOVE. Last year, a playground was placed right by the Azerbaijani border, where there have been conflict, shooting and threats from the Azerbaijanis.
The ministry and its volunteers have put up multiple playgrounds in the past. One such playground was built in 2000 in Vanadzor medical clinic that the organization had just established. “The children there didn’t even know how to use swings,” Kashian said. “We had to teach them how to use the swings, and it was quite a bit of fun for all of us.”
Armenia’s chronology of political turmoil, war, Armenian relief efforts have caused the Armenian people to suffer.
“They have a history of suffering,” Kashian said. “I don’t know any Armenians in the state who don’t have a relative who was killed during the Armenian genocide, and they carry this kind of deep-seated sorrow of what has happened in the past — yet it just amazes me because they still find joy. I think it has built character into the Armenian people. But they still carry this thing in their hearts of what has happened in the past, and all the hate that still goes on in the world.”
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice
