Help Ian Rebuild His Life and See His Kids

Please, please kindly read and open your heart to the story I’m about to share regarding my nephew, Ian Funk.

Almost two years ago we got a call - one we always hoped and prayed for! My nephew, Ian, his wife and two small children (4 & 2) had decided to leave the religious community he had been in for the past 17 years since he was about 10. They needed a place to stay. Choosing to leave the community means you essentially leave with nothing because everything you “have” really belongs to the community as a whole. Ian worked hard there and learned a trade in woodworking for which he received no monetary compensation. Their schooling doesn’t typically go through HS so he had not completed HS or gotten his GED to this point.

Upon leaving, his only option to work immediately was in a similar trade, so we, with the help of friends, found him a job in that field.

Two months later they decided to move to NC to be closer to his wife’s family. Ian loved her and decided to leave this good job for the unknown. Unfortunately for their family this turned out to be a very heartbreaking decision. Within the next 6 weeks, Ian’s hopeful new life with his family turned into him being forced out of the home and returning to KY (simply for lack of family or support of any kind there) - to some form of stability for the time (getting his job back) and having a place to live.

Fast forward a year and a half of this long and heartbreaking story today…thousands and thousands of dollars in lawyer fees to try to see his kids and 10 hour drives each month to visit the kids. The past two months he never even made it all the way there because each time, and in two different vehicles, he was stranded and broken down about the same spot along the way. Last month, the car wasn’t worth getting fixed and had to sell for scrap. Bought a bus ticket to get back home. This month it’s still going to be more than the car is worth but will be worth getting the new transmission that it needs. In the process of these two trips alone it has added extra fees in hotel, car, bus costs to his already long list of expenses.

Ian was hopeful and expectant for a new life outside of the community he was raised in. There is simply so much more to this story but it feels like he can’t catch a break with all that’s happened. He’s a good man and wants to be able to have a relationship with his children. These things are so hard when families are torn apart. I know this is a season and someday he will have a better story!

His extended family has helped so much but thought maybe it’s time to reach out to others to extend the invitation to make a difference in Ian’s life. I know there are so many beautiful and loving people out there who might feel a tug to help - We are asking for those who pray to please pray for this family! We truly believe God can take care of all these expenses however He wants to but we also would truly appreciate your help if felt led to! But again, mostly for prayer over Ian, his children and even his wife, Rose. God is a big God and can work a miracle in their lives.

The immediate need is getting a transmission for his car which is going to cost $6000. If you are able and would be willing to help him, all funds will go directly to help Ian and we know he would be so grateful (he doesn’t know we are doing this yet) and we would be so thankful for an outpouring of love on his behalf.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.

Ian’s children - Yedidiah & Ayla