Local non-profit has a global reach

Impact Nations has built orphanages, helped kids with getting water and food.

Thanksgiving Day in America is one week away. And on that day, most people will gather with family and friends, share too much food and take a few moments to be grateful for it all. But today, across the globe, there are many people who fight a battle to live, struggling to find enough food or even clean water to drink.

Jeff Battles of Lebanon has dedicated his life to reaching out to people in other nations and helping those who are most in need. As an evangelist and founder of Impact Nations Ministries International, Battles admits he wasn’t always a believer, and prior to moving to Ohio in 1997, had no exposure to religion.

“I came to Ohio the year I graduated from high school, and I was a hard-headed kid,” Battles said. “I kept getting into fights and moved here to live with my uncle.”

Battles started working in the construction industry and learned the trade quickly. He developed a bond and deep respect for his uncle, who was a lifelong Christian.

“I was interested in the way he lived and the values he had,” Battles said. “But I was not interested in doing all the things I would have to do to get to where he was!”

After the 9/11 terrorism attacks, Battles decided to join the Air Force and started training in Special Operations, but he ended up getting into trouble and went to

prison before he could complete his training. Battles was released after six months and was back home in time for the birth of his first child in 2004.

“Now I know that this time created a foundation, so I was ready to do what God wanted me to do,” Battles said.

Battles began to build his life after that and started working in marketing. He was forced to change his personality in order to reach people and become successful, and he did just that, working his way up in the company.

“As I was working hard to reach the top and the company started making incredible amounts of money, I think that’s when everything hit me,” Battles said. “My wife had left me in 2015 because of the life I had chosen, and then I realized I didn’t have to earn it

‘God literally wanted me to go help people in places that no one wanted to go.’

Jeff Battles

Evangelist and founder of Impact Nations Ministries International

because I already had everything that was important.”

“I gave my heart to Him at that moment,” Battles said. “It was two years later when I took my first mission trip.”

During those years, Battles worked to rebuild his life. His wife, Tiffany, returned to him with their two sons, and the family eventually healed. And during that time, Battles never forgot the words he heard that fateful night.

“God literally wanted me to go help people in places that no one wanted to go,” Battles said.

His first mission in 2018 took Battles and his family to Pakistan, after he was invited to preach at a crusade of 2,000 people. He accepted the invitation, though he knew that there was a law against preaching in public.

“We went, and I saw things you only read about,” Battles said. “I was so afraid because inside I knew I was just a loser with a Bible.”

That trip changed everything, and Impact Nations was founded in 2018 by Battles and his wife. It has a mission to impact children around the world by helping them survive, thrive and live by the word of God, not only where it’s permitted, but also where it’s rejected. Battles sold all he had to start the ministry and used the proceeds to fund the initial missions.

In just a few short years, Impact Nations has built orphanages around the world and helped save the lives of thousands of children in need of basics like clean water and food. The group works to rescue children who have been stolen or sold into human trafficking rings and are now helping people to get out of Afghanistan and away from the dangerous turmoil there.

“Our ministry today is really a bit of everything,” Battles said. “We have many volunteers and make sure we respond when people reach out, even if they just need to know someone cares.”

Find out more about the organization by logging on to Impactnationsglobal.org.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS The team from Impact Nations visits Uganda. They are shown with a team from Uganda. Left to right: Catherine Alleluyah, Teylyn Briggs, Jon Battles, Oriah Briggs, Jonathan Kasagga, Jeffrey Battles, Tiffany Battles, Zion Combs, villager, Brag Riga, villager, Kenneth Bugembe, Alek Hopper, Pam Hopper, Zoee Briggs, Jodie Briggs, Claire Curtis, David Cornett, Mike Hopper. Up front, kneeling: David Mugabi and Rachel Asaba.

Jeff Battles of Lebanon founded Impact Nations with his wife. He is shown with his family, left to right: (back) sons Jonathan and Zion; (middle) Battles and Tiffany; (front) adopted daughter Tatiana.

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED Jeff Battles preaches to a crowd in Uganda at a prayer crusade in 2021.

Jeff Battles, founder of Impact Nations, hugs a child in a village the organization has adopted in Uganda. The child is one of thousands in the village that look forward to the mission groups’ visits several times annually.