The "Global Care Connection"  Story

          David and Sheri Grissen grew up in a Dutch community in Western Michigan.  Both of their parents were farmers, so hard work on the farm was their childhood reality.  They both graduated from Hope College in Holland, Michigan with Bachelor Degrees.  David went on to receive an M.Div degree from Western Theological Seminary, and Sheri received a Masters degree in Counseling.  They have 5 children and 11 grandchildren.           

          In 2002 David and Sheri Grissen returned to the USA from a career in Christian Church work and Humanitarian Aid Work overseas. They had lived in Vienna, Austria for 14 years, raising five children, and training Christian leadership in a variety of Christian churches behind the Iron Curtain. After the Iron Curtain rusted out and collapsed, they worked with a Humanitarian Aid Organization in Central Asia, helping those former Soviet Republics develop and enter the 21st century as new emerging independent nations.

          Upon their return to the USA in 2002, their desire was to invest some of their overseas experience in helping younger International workers stay personally, emotionally, and spiritually strong for their difficult work. To accomplish that, they established Life Impact, Inc., a religious, non-profit, tax exempt organization that helps international workers impact their nations by providing care for them in quality, hosted facilities. www.LifeImpactMinistries.NET

          The Grissens moved to Sunriver, Oregon, a beautiful, resort area in Central Oregon and established the Sunriver Oasis. This was the first "hosted facility" in place to offer international workers coaching, loving attention and care to strengthen them for their task.

          Based on this experience, Life Impact, Inc. has opened a second Oasis in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Jim and Carol Wold, experienced counselors, are caring for pastors, other Christian leaders, and international workers in their hosted center.  A third Oasis opens in July 2009 in West Linn, Oregon under the direction of Harold and Kimy Otterlei.  A fourth will open in Slovakia in late 2009 with Amber Stark as hostess.  Our fifth Oasis is being planned for Costa Rica.

          Since it's inception in 2003, Life Impact, Inc. has helped members of over 35 Christian organizations and churches, working in more than 25 countries of the world. This list continues to expand as more international workers hear about and take advantage of the ministry of Life Impact, Inc..

Where does Global Care Connection come into the picture?


Creating New Funding for Global Humanitarian & Spiritual Workers

          One of the challenges facing the Grissens has been "funding." In the 33 years of their own work, a very faithful and committed donor team of individuals and churches have funded their ministry very generously. This is continuing. In fact, all Life Impact staff have their own "donor teams" that fund their ministry, salaries, taxes, and special needs.

          However, there are corporate costs also to be paid. Taxes, legal fees, travel, insurances, etc. cost money while they benefit the staff and organization. Life Impact, Inc. also plans to expand the number of international Oases and bring international worker care closer to the locations where these workers live and work overseas.  Monies are needed to purchase and operate those international facilities.

          Many non-profit organizations fund these costs by exacting administrative charges from their individual staff budgets. While this is often a needed funding strategy, it also puts an additional burden on these weary, challenged international workers. Not only do they need to keep up their own donor support for all their overseas work, but now they are being asked to raise additional money to support the administrative structure which helps keep them out there.

Is there another way to fund these operational costs?


Some GCC Profits Support Life Impact

          The Grissens have created Global Care Connection to help raise money for the "global care" of international workers, thus freeing Life Impact  Staff to fund only their own work.   Thirty percent of the profits of GCC go toward funding the operations of Life Impact.  Beyond that, funds are provided for feeding orphans in Mozambique, and for AIDS research in Africa through a Tanzanian Foundation.

         Global Care Connection is the web-based site owned and operated by Global Care Connections.   Presently GCC is a legal DBA registered in the State of Oregon.  The Health Impact Team is the group of Associates within GCC who promote critical health products and through those efforts generate the funds needed to support these efforts.

Best Regards,
Dave and Sheri Grissen