It was back in 2006 when a group of volunteers from St. John Armenian Church of Greater Detroit, led by Jacqueline Melkonian Elchemmas joined Fuller Center for Housing Armenia with the mission to help an Armenian family in need of decent houisng, the Hakobjanyans from Aghavnadzor village of Vayots Dzor region. They came, worked shoulder to shoulder with the family helping them to build their dream home and sponsored the construction of their house.
Then no one knew that many more groups from St. John Armenian Church will come to Armenia in partnership with Fuller Center for Housing Armenia and many more families will enjoy the happiness of decent housing through the generous help of that community.
In 2015 already the 7th family house was sponsored and the 7th Global Builders volunteer group of St. John Armenian Church Community, led by an experienced team leader, Jacqueline Melkonian Elchemmas, joined Fuller Center for Housing Armenia in its mission of eliminating poverty housing in Armenia.
In 7 years, Jacqueline Melkonian Elchemmas has organized and led to Armenia almost 100 parishioners who became part of a real transformation by making decent housing possible for Armenian families.
This time the church community assisted the Yeghoyans from Shatin Village of Vayots Dzor region.
”I couldn’t even imagine, that there will come a day, when my family can live in a decent home, with clean walls and floors, with hot water and a kitchen with all necessities. In our village there are many families who have built their houses with the help of the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia and generous donors. Now when we are included in the program I am the happiest woman in the world. May God Bless everyone for making this possible,’’ shared the Yeghoyan family grandmother Siranush.
The Yeghoyans lived in the village of Shatin, at the base of the mountain for many years. Some years ago this place was announced as a landslide zone and the family had to move to a safer part in the same village. They started building the new house for the growing family – built the walls, did the roofing, but couldn’t finish the house construction due to financial difficulties. It is already two years the family have been living in that half-built house without any basic conditions, with cement floors and stone walls. The family father, Edvard, does construction work in the village to earn a living for the family. The elder son, Gegham, helps him. Grandmother Siranush is engaged in animal breeding. The young mother of four does not work, she takes care of their sons.
Now, thanks to the generous gift of St. John Armenian Church community member, Marie Vanerian, and the great work of Global Builders Volunteer team, led by Jacqueline Elchemmas, the family has finished the construction of their house and now lives in a long cherished home with all the necessities.
In 2016 another trip is planned and this will already be the 8th year with the mission of eliminating poverty housing in Armenia with the 8th family supported through the dedication and generousity of St. John Armenian Church of Greater Detroit.
![Yeghoyan1](https://fullercenterarmenia.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Yeghoyan1-300x203.jpg)
![Yeghoyan2](https://fullercenterarmenia.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Yeghoyan2-300x205.jpg)