Life Impact, Inc. was incorporated in the State of Oregon as a Religious Corporation in April 2003. In May 2003, they received from the IRS their 501(c)(3) status as a non-profit organization.

Life Impact was started by David and Sheri Grissen, long-term missionaries with The Navigators, in order to provide Missionary Care services to international workers in a hosted facility called an “Oasis”. During their 30 years of mission work leading teams of colleagues, and working through their own personal issues, they became convinced that they wanted to pass on their lessons – good, bad, and ugly – to younger missionaries. Sunriver, Oregon was chosen because of its suitability for rest, relaxation, and retreat.

For three years their ministry developed strongly in Sunriver as the only Oasis. Then in 2006 the Life Impact Board asked them to develop a strategy for expansion of Oases. Once approved, this plan was sent to intercessors, and within two months Jim and Carol Wold were connected with Life Impact to start the second Oasis in the Black Hills of South Dakota. With the Wold’s experience in ministry to Pastors, Life Impact expanded its ministry focus toward Pastor Care as well. Now both Missionaries and Pastors are served in our various Oases.

Six months after the Wolds joined the team, Amber Stark was led to Life Impact to open the Slovak Oasis – our first International effort. Then came Harold and Kimmy Otterlei to establish an Oasis in West Linn, Oregon; Celeste Allen to open one in Italy; Brad and Glaucia Meyer for Brazil; Tim and Ericka Harris for Costa Rica. And each of these people has a unique story of how the Lord led them to Life Impact, and stories of how He’s providing the places of Rest for the workers.

With all of this expansion on Dave and Sheri’s plate, the Board asked them in 2009 to more firmly develop the infrastructure of Life Impact in order to carry this expansion forward with quality. More personnel were needed as we centralized our financial system, a major need. A week after that Board meeting, the Lord connected us to an excellent accountant, Chris Saunders, who had helped other small non-profit organizations grow their financial system. At the same time, Amber Stark’s sister and brother-in-law, Rob and Tammy Kocher, became available to help set up a centralized donor receipting system. These people have helped firm up the core of Life Impact’s donor relations and finances.

Concurrently with this development, David and Theresa Knauss expressed interest in helping Dave and Sheri develop the “HUB” of Life Impact in order to serve the LI Staff effectively as they served Christian Workers. The Knauss’ have come on board to assist the Grissens in leadership, as well as carry the role of “Coach Trainer and Personnel.”

There are several excellent Missionary Care organizations that send Caregivers to the fields to help missionaries in their locations – a vital ministry. Life Impact has been raised up as a Caregiving Team to provide PLACES for Missionaries and Pastors to come to for rest, retreat, and processing of the more normal issues they face.

Life Impact’s plans for the future include continued expansion of Oases, both in the USA and Internationally. Every Oasis that is implemented means more workers are helped in this day of tremendous pressures and upheaval for ministry leaders around the world. Safe havens for them to retreat to globally will ensure that there is less attrition and more effectiveness in impacting the nations.