Project of the Month
Welcome to the first installation of the Global Impact Network (GIN) blog! Through these posts we will share a closer look into our projects, our values, our partners, and impactful resources.
This week we would like to introduce you to our first Project of the Month: Integration Through Sports. Pastor Anatoli Yankov and his wife, Desi, lead this project. They have a heart for the the under-privileged Roma population in Bulgaria, especially orphans. Also known as Gypsies, these children and their families live around the edges of “normal” society, living primarily on government welfare. Around six years ago Pastor Anatoli followed God’s call to care for the often-discriminated against Roma children. Pastor Anatoli is a judo instructor. He trains the children as one of the primary outreaches to their community, building connections through the sport.
The Yankovs have faced hardships, but God has always provided. They have seen an impact on the lives of the children they care for, and GIN has partnered with them to make an even greater impact. We’d like you to meet two Bulgarian brothers. Their family of six lives in a barrack with two rooms divided by a curtain. Pastor Anatoli started training them in judo in 2017. In less than a year, they won two gold medals in city championships and a bronze medal at the nationals.
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While there are many stories of hope from this project, there are also many opportunities to reach further. We can’t wait to share more from Pastor Anatoli and all the ways God has asked him to serve his people. Please join with us in prayer for Pastor Anatoli and Desi, as well as their community, and consider sharing this project with those you know. If you are able to contribute, please pray about partnering financially with this project. You can do so through our donation page by selecting the Integration Through Sports Project dropdown option.
If you’d like to learn more about Pastor Anatoli and his projects, you can check out these two links:
TEN Magazine reporting on the project
Written by: Isaac Ahlfield on November 9th, 2018. Updated on November 30th, 2018.