To Armenia With Love

It's HERE!!!!

2012-02-08T21:57:00.002-05:00

We have anxiously been waiting for the translation of "God's Workshop" and it is ready for printing.

How exciting. Here's a sneak peek of what the book cover looks like.

We thank God for the hard work of the team at the local Campus Crusade for Christ International staff in Yerevan.

God's Workshop Update

2012-01-29T18:03:00.000-05:00

The translation and production of Pastor Joseph Hovsepian's book, God's Workshop, in Armenian is almost complete! The brethren there are eager to have the book in their hands so please pray that the final stages of design, proofreading and printing will go well.

One of the endorsements that will appear on the back cover of the book is by Vardan Bibulyan, the team leader of Campus Crusade for Christ in Armenia. He writes:

Now that Yerevan has been declared the national capital of books, it is a great joy to see among all the other books Hovsep Hovsepian's Asdedzo Aresdanotse (God's Workshop) on the bookshelves of Armenian readers. The book's short and clear messages help the reader to better understand the Word of God and evaluate their Christian attitude and life.

This book will take the reader into God's workshop where the Holy Spirit, using these God-breathed messages will revive the reader. I congratulate Hovsep Hovsepian on his first Armenian book publication and I wish for a victorious journey.

This book will be given out for free in Armenia and surrounding countries because the poverty of the general population would prohibit them from purchasing copies - and we really want to put the book into as many hands as possible.

If you would like to support this endeavour, please speak with Pastor Joseph or make a special donation to "Armenia - Books".

Testamonies From Armenia

2012-01-09T11:51:00.000-05:00

His Child Forever

By Sveta Mazmanyan (from Spitak)

“The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.” (Psalm 145:9)

I’ve been a believer for the past 30 years. The Lord has been my hope and my happiness. I have seen many miracles and experienced many blessings in my life. The fact that I’m alive is only for the glory of God.

On September 17, 2011, in Spitak at Tapalu River, 24 sisters and brothers were gathered to be baptized. When I saw them coming toward us all dressed in white, I could also see the Lord Jesus coming, alive and real, with His arms open. I was so filled with joy that I thought I was in heaven.

Thirty years ago, when I repented, I saw the same thing: that Jesus was coming toward me with open arms. Since that day I live for my Lord to bring lost souls to the Lord to repent from their sins. I am His child forever.

Saved By the Name of Jesus

By Levson Sharbatyan (from Stepanavan)

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Acts 2:21)

Levson (right)

A few days ago we decided to go to the forest with my two horses and buggy to bring wood for the winter. We loaded as much wood as my buggy could hold. On our way back, it started snowing unexpectedly and the road became very dangerous.

My friends, who are unbelievers, were afraid and started complaining. We were travelling very slowly toward the village. We arrived at a crossing where it was impossible to go through. The horses and the buggy started sliding toward the ditch and we could not see a way out.

My friends all cried out from fear but I called out the name of the Lord Jesus and a miracle happened. Just a metre away from the ditch, somehow the horses started running straight and got away from the danger. Farther away we stopped and looked at each other in amazement. I told them that the name of Jesus saved us.

We praised the Lord for bringing us safely to our village. We told everyone in the village of the miracle that was done though His name. I believe in His Name who is my God and my Lord.

Update from Arayik & Nelli

2011-12-29T11:19:00.002-05:00

This excerpt is taken from the December 2011 Temple News.

Yerevan, ARMENIA

[Early November] I wish we could communicate daily. There are so many things I would like to share with you about the work here.

Pastor Joseph & Arayik

Many new believers in Spitak and Stepanavan have been pleading and even insisting to be baptized, asking me why they were not baptized before; they were actually hurt. I told them they will be baptized next year. And now there are some young people who came from Russia and they want to be baptized. Those who were baptized [in September] have been sharing with others and telling them about their experiences and how God is blessing them, so now many others want to make that commitment and be baptized. Well, we will see what is the will of our Lord.

I made many copies of the DVD of the baptismal service (when you were here) and I am giving them to the people. The response has been so great.

I want to give you a very special thank you from me and from all the believers here for your guidance and the baptismal service while you were here; they all are shaken by that event. All those whom you met here in Armenia send you their greetings. Those whom you visited send you their greetings.

Brother Joseph, the 50,000 tracts have been distributed already to churches and individuals. All the brethren are very happy to distribute them. They love them. I believe we must print more, that is, if you are willing.

Snow has already come here and it is very difficult in the winter to go to Spitak and other villages without snow tires. I was in Spitak the other day and I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to return home. But with God’s help we safely arrived home the next day. I have a request, Brother Joseph. Can anyone help us purchase snow tires? Without them I am afraid I won’t be able to go to Spitak and Stepanavan.

May God’s peace and blessings be on you all. Please give my greetings to the brethren in your church. We are always praying for you.

[Late November] First and foremost, I thank those who sent money to help us purchase snow tires. May the Lord bless them.

I went to Stepanavan and Spitak November 8 to 10. We had worshipful fellowship at both places. Those who were baptized recently and those who had been baptized earlier participated in a communion service.

In Spitak, I visited a family that was baptized this year in Jrashen village. While visiting this family, their uncle, named Hrach, 50 years old, was visiting them. When he heard that we were believers, he started talking against all believers. While he was talking, I was praying silently for him.

For the next forty minutes I talked to him about the deliverance of our Saviour Jesus Christ. He said, “I want to be a believer like you.” After ten minutes, with tears running down his cheeks, he accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour and he said, “Peace came over me.” I gave him the Bible and he promised that he will read the Word and will change his way of life. Please pray for this young believer. Thank you.

Beloved, all our believers send their greetings. May God richly bless you. We miss you and are always praying for you.

Arayik and Nelli S.

Spreading God's Word in Armenia

2011-12-23T01:20:00.001-05:00

Khor Virap Monastery

Recently, we reported about increasing restrictions on evangelizing and witnessing in Armenia. Despite opposition, believers there are eager and courageous in sharing their faith.

What's exciting for us at Temple Baptist Church is the opportunity to be part of the spreading of the gospel in Armenia. Thanks to the support, generosity and prayers of our members and friends, we have been able to help some of the believers, churches and workers there. But there is much more to be done!

As you know, about 60,000 tracts have been printed and distributed and we are now nearing the completion of having Pastor Joseph Hovsepian's book, God's Workshop, translated into Eastern Armenian. Once that is done, 5,000 copies will be printed and given out freely in Armenia, Iran and other surrounding countries with Armenian communities.

It will cost about $12,000 to produce these books (including translation, editing, design, printing, etc.) but the books will not be sold because most of the people who will receive a copy cannot afford to buy literature and we want the books to reach as many people as possible, without placeing a potential limitation in their way.

If you would like to help with this expense, you can make a special donation and designate it as "Armenia: Books". To all those who sponsor this project, Project Joseph would like to offer a copy of the DVD about the mission trip to Armenia.

reported by Ann-Margret Hovsepian

Video of our trip to Armenia

2011-12-04T17:11:00.003-05:00

A video of our trip to Armenia is available for you to view and share with others.

http://vimeo.com/32803032.

Mission to Armenia

2011-11-01T19:00:00.004-04:00

By Pastor Joseph Hovsepian

In 2008, after my wife and I went to Armenia, I had no thoughts of returning three years later. I also did not think that God could and would use me in any meaningful way in Armenia; or at least I didn’t think I was qualified enough. I used excuses similar to the ones Moses used: I am not young anymore, I don’t speak Eastern Armenian well, I am the pastor of an English-speaking congregation, I… I… I… etc. But God had other plans for me and for my daughter Ruth.

When I visited Armenia in 2008, I wanted to go to villages and towns and meet the forgotten and needy people, and I did. I developed a relationship with many of the people I met through Arayik Sardaryan, a missionary who continued visiting and meeting with these people regularly, helping them grow spiritually and keeping us informed here at Temple Baptist Church, now supporting him regularly so he could continue his mission work among them.

Three years, many prayers, and many phone calls and e-mails later, I felt God’s call to return to Armenia for another visit, but I still hesitated until I got a phone call from Arayik asking me to go back. He said that at least 24 people wanted to be baptized, some in Spitak, others in Stepanavan and Yerevan.

He also told me there were new cell groups being started and the outreach was extending outside Armenia. So I decided to return with my elder daughter Ruth so she could help me and also see the mission we have been supporting.

On September 13, we left Montreal and arrived in Yerevan almost a day later. The next morning we started visiting some of the people that I had visited in 2008, as well as some relatives. While visiting some poor and sick people, Ruth said: “Dad, Ann-Margret [her sister] should have been here with you. She is the writer; she could have written a book about the people here.”

But God had sent the two of us there and we had a mission. Our mission was to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to as many as we could and also to encourage and help the leaders who have so much work to do but so few to help them.

Before I left Montreal some people gave generous donations to help the poor and needy, as well as the missionary and the church we support there. All the expenses for the mission trip, the help given, and the Bibles that were purchased (about 300) were paid by private funds and gifts; these expenses did not tap into the church’s Missions budget, which supports three overseas missions: Bangladesh, Philippines and Armenia.

On Saturday, September 17, we left our hotel early in the morning for the baptismal service in Spitak. It was planned for 1 p.m. but when we arrived there it was already 2 p.m. While we tried to find the river and a suitable spot to have the baptismal service, Arayik went to Stepanavan to bring others. He had to travel through rocky roads for over two hours. In the meantime, 24 of us were crammed like sardines in a small van made for 8 to 13 people. I believe the many prayers for us were answered!

Finally, at 5 p.m. the service started with a short message. The water, flowing down from the mountains, was very cold and there was a strong and muddy current, but God was in control and Arayik and I were able to baptize 24 people. Afterward, there was another message, we had communion, and we gave a New Testament and a small golden cross pin to each person who was baptized. There were suppose to be 30 people baptized but one was giving birth that day and the others could not be brought because of lack of transportation from their villages.

We ended the special day with supper — a fire was lit to barbecue the chicken legs I had purchased in Yerevan — and fellowship. By the time we had supper and travelled another three or four hours back to the hotel, it was almost 2:30 am. I had to speak at a Baptist church that same morning but I could not fall asleep. A few hours later we were ready for church.

After my message at the Baptist church I gave an invitation and a few women came forward to accept Jesus as their Lord. There were many wonderful miracles we witnessed that would take a great number of pages to share with you; but I will share a few.

My parents had prayed for years for their relatives who had immigrated to Armenia in the 1940s. They had shared the gospel with them but had not seen any obvious results. Their prayers were answered about 70 years later when Ruth and I and Arayik visited one of the families and shared the good news of Jesus Christ with them.

The parents, their son and one of their daughters, Shushan, (the other wasn’t present) prayed and surrendered their lives to God and made Jesus Christ their Lord. (See page 3 for Shushan’s letter.) The other daughter who hadn’t been there came forward at the church service the following Sunday when I gave an altar call after my message. There were other cousins who indicated to me that day that they also had committed their lives to Christ.

I had the privilege to give a lecture at the CLC (Christian Leadership College) to about 50 leaders and pastors. The title of my message was “The Cost of Serving Christ.”

I was asked if it was possible to have our tract, What Are You Searching For?, in Eastern Armenian reprinted in Armenia with some small changes. I immediately went with Arayik to a printing house, had the changes made, had 50,000 printed within a few days. We may need to print more soon.

I was told that they would like to have my book, God’s Workshop, translated and printed in Eastern Armenian. I agreed and, with the help of some Campus Crusade workers and Pastor Hovhannes Halladjian, the Pastor of the Armenian Brotherhood Church of Yerevan, the book is almost ready to be printed and will be available for distribution free of charge (with donations toward the cost being welcomed).

More than 300 Bibles were purchased, distributed or given to our missionary and to ABCY for distribution.

Because of the difficult economic conditions in Armenia, the Bibles and the book God’s Workshop are being given free. But the costs are high. If you would like to help us by buying one or many books for the people in Armenia, please let us know how many you would like to purchase or pay for. In Canada, the book sold for $16.95. The cost in Armenia is about $5.00. For more information, please speak or write to us.

God's Workshop

2011-10-23T23:48:00.003-04:00

The devotional book God's Workshop was written by Pastor Joseph in 2001. The book is a result of his daily radio program Good News on WCHP 760 AM.

For Pastor Joseph the pulpit is not the only tool in God's Workshop. This devotional book brings together years of insight gained and shared from Pastor Joseph's full-time business, his church work and radio ministry.

While in Armenia it was suggested that the book be translated into Eastern Armenian. The wheels started to turn and inquiries were made about translators and printers. This is a book that can be used as a witnessing tool and for pastors to study.

At the home of a Christian brother Pastor Joseph met a member of the local Campus Crusade for Christ International staff, Artur Mantashian. Pastor Joseph gave a copy of the book to Artur and the conversation turned to the translation and printing of God's Workshop. Artur suggested that CCCI translators work on the book and for CCCI to then print the book.
This is how God works. Things are always better in God's time.

As I write this the translators have made huge progress and it is so exciting to see this project take off so quickly.

If you are interested in making a contribution to the cost of translation, printing and distribution of this book you can do so through Donations Canada.

The cost of translating and printing one book is about $5.00 CDN.

New Beginnings

2011-10-12T10:38:00.003-04:00

Good News Ministries has translated and printed "What Are You Searching For?" into eleven languages and will continue to do so as the requests come in for other languages. As of today we have the following translations available:

We are grateful to our long standing partner Evangelical Tract Distributors who print and distribute "What Are You Searching For?" worldwide. The tracts are free they only ask for donations but the cost of shipping is expensive due to the weight of the tracts.

Before heading to Armenia, dad sent a shipment of tracts and we packed a few hundred into our suitcases to take with us. When we arrived we were told that the shipment of tracts they had received were gone, handed out to the many hungry souls.

The decision was made that a local printer would be used to print Eastern Armenian tracts to eliminate the cost of shipping and instead use that money to print more tracts. Dad and Araik met with a local a printer and spent several hours proof reading and going over the samples that were produced. The print house was very accomodating and very easy to work with. God was in this plan.

The first printing is done and the tracts are in the hands of the local missionaries and pastors. Praise God!

Please pray for these amazing projects in Armenia. They are hungry to learn. They are searching for the truth.

If you are interested in helping financialy in Armenia or any other mission that we support please contact us at Good News Ministries.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-10-07T08:50:00.003-04:00

What are you most thankful for?

The people of Armenia are thankful for things we take for granted.

Do you know what they are thankful for?

BIBLES.

There were so many instances when we witnessed the awesome reactions of people receiving a Bible. When was the last time someone in North America jumped for joy and rejoiced loudly for the gift of a Bible?

Makes you stop and think doesn't it?

Araik rejoiced for 150 Bibles he received. He now will be able to
give Bibles to those he speaks to in his mission work.

Each of the 24 who were baptised received a Bible.

They opened them as though they were treasure chests and
held on to them reverently.

A Bible is an expensive item for the average Armenian.

They are captivated by the Word of God. Hungering to hear the truth.

The life line for someone who is hurting.

The energizer for those who are tired.

A Pastor who has dedicated his life to ministry but has no Bibles to give away.
His voice still rings in my ears as he thanked us for a donation of 150 Bibles to gift to others.

Let me ask you again, what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving weekend?

Motor Still Running

2011-10-04T11:18:00.002-04:00

It's been a week since we got back home to Montreal and I am still having trouble slowing things down in my mind. It doesn't help that there is a full docket of work to be done but even at night images and thoughts are whirling around in my head.

People I met and who left a lasting impression. New friends and family that I miss even though our time together was so short. Sights and smells that are as fresh as the day I experienced them.

Though when I sit down and try to pin point what is really bothering me I keep coming up with only one thing. That 'my' people have hardened their hearts to the truth that is being put in front of them.

This nation that was the first to adopt Christianity as their official state religion cannot see past their noses (yes, some of those noses are long... LOL) at what can fill the huge void in their lives. It's not more jobs, even though jobs would help support families. It's not a new government, even though the corruption of the government has been adding to the frustration of the people. It's not more money from the outside, even though money would definitely put food on the table and smooth the crease of worry from their foreheads. It's simply accepting the free gift of salvation that God sent through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ His Son.

It's simple. It's free. It's life changing. It's right there for the taking.

Hearts hard as the majestic mountains and rocks of this ancient country.

Keep in your prayers the missionaries that daily are out there spreading this wonderful message.

Day 10 & 11 - Last Day & Farewells

2011-10-01T09:41:00.002-04:00

With the dawning of our last day in Armenia I had mixed emotions. I had missed my children and wanted to get back to them but the people of Armenia had captured my heart and I knew that a piece of it would remain behind with them.

Sunday morning was almost like every other Sunday for us. We prepared for church and walked over to the church just as we do in Montreal. Somethings just don't change with the Hovsepians.

Dad spoke at the Armenian Brotherhood Church of Yerevan for the last time on this trip. Notice how I gently worked that in - the brothers and sisters in Armenia have repeatedly asked for another visit and soon. They crave to be fed and they have so many questions to ask. They hunger for the truth and to learn more.

Dad and Pastor Hovhannes doing their pre-service preparations

Pastor Hovhannes leading the worship. He has the gift of leadership

You can hear dad's sermon "Do You Love Me" preached in Armenian. There are a few snippets of other parts of the worship service included as well. You will enjoy hearing their choir and a young girl singing even though you may not understand the words.

"DO YOU LOVE ME?" from Armenian Brotherhood Church on Vimeo.

There were about a dozen of our family members who attended church to hear dad preach, including the Rumyan family. We are praying that they build solid friendships with those in the church including Araik's children. The girls of both families were already making plans to meet for pizza that was a good sign for all of us and we rejoiced for this new friendship.

There were many hugs and promises to write and visit again as we bid everyone farewell.

We then headed to Araik's home for a last meal together. It was a bittersweet time we had all come to enjoy each other's company and support over the last ten days. I will truly miss this family, I was blessed by their openness, their sincerity and the joy and love that they expressed. We shared tears and laughter together and that is what friendships are built on.

After lunch went back to the hotel to meet with the last cousin who actually lives in Philadelphia but had just arrived in Yerevan for her son's wedding on October 8th.

Vartouhi dad's cousin from PA

Levon, Vartouhi's husband

Three cousins together

We had a short visit before we rushed off to have dinner with Pastor Hovhannes and his beautiful wife, Shake, at a great restaurant in Yerevan. Picture this would you, five large / tall adults in a clown car whipping around corners and through the streets of Yerevan. On second thought, three of us were so tightly fitted in the back that nothing short of a Mack truck hitting us would have dislodged us from our seats.

We had a great time sharing and breaking bread together but we needed to get back and close up our bags and get some shut eye. But hold on, one more stop for a quick coffee at Hovhanne's home. Ahhh, the aroma of Armenian coffee still haunts me or is that just my mom making her morning coffee next door?

A 5:30 a.m. wake-up call is brutal but dad and I were both up and ready before the call came. At 6:00 a.m. Araik and his family were there to drive us to the airport. It was a very quiet ride not because of the hour but because we were all absorbed by our own thoughts.

At the airport we were not disappointed by the bureaucracy of the airline. We each had two bags a total of four, we checked two of them in and had our carry-ons left. The agent weighed our carry-ons, oops we were way over. How is that possible we came with the same full bags but you can't argue over there. After several whispered conferences on their part we parted with $90 US dollars just so we could take our bags on to the plane. Highway robbery.

Our farewells were quick, none of us could handle a long drawn out farewell. But there were tears involved with lots of hugs and kisses. It was not a good bye but a "see you soon".

Day 10 - Christian Leadership College (CLC)

2011-09-30T21:20:00.004-04:00

Two brothers in Christ rejoicing over the gift of Bibles to the church. The Bibles were a donation from Pastor Joseph. We need to count our blessings and appreciate the accessibility of buying Bibles. Is yours collecting dust somewhere? Or do you use it as a paper weight?

Bibles are expensive for the average Armenian to buy. Even the church has a shortage and did not have any to give away to new believers.

100 Bibles ready to be distributed

Every Saturday the sanctuary of the Armenian Brotherhood Church of Yerevan becomes a seminary for approximately 65-70 persons. They attend lectures and the following weekend are tested on their knowledge. At the end of the course they receive a diploma from the Christian Leadership College.

Students taking the exam.

Dad teaching his course "The Price"

Refreshments during the break

The students are men and women, young and old.

Dad's lesson "The Price" was well received with many questions during the Q&A time. The lesson can be heard on Vimeo in Armenian.

AUDIO-CLC-040 "The Price" from Armenian Brotherhood Church

After the lecture ended I headed to the hotel to get work done but dad joined by Pastor Hovhannes had a couple of visits to do. At teach stop there were many spiritual questions that needed to be answered and these men of God have asked Dad to visit again and teach and mentor them.

Home #1

Home #2

It was after 10 p.m. when dad finally made his way to the hotel. It had been a long and exchausting day and he had one more like it the next day. But God has given him the strength that he has needed on this trip and that is how it is when we do God's will and calling.

Day 9 - Sevan

2011-09-29T18:12:00.002-04:00

Our days in Armenia are quickly coming to end. Today was our last sight seeing trip before the weekend meetings begin. Hovnan, Araik's son joined us today to visit Sevan.

Sevan is in the Gegharkunik Province 66 km north-east of Yerevan. It is a popular summer resort in
Armenia. As well until 1934 it was known as Elenovka or Yelenovka, it was founded in 1842 by Russian schismatics.

One of the main features besides the beautiful blue Lake Sevan is the Sevanavank Monastery which can be dated to the 9th-10th century. The monastery is located on a high hill and the climb can leave you breathless but keep going until you reach the very top of the hill, it is worth the climb.

Initially the monastery was built on a small island and it was meant for the monk of Echmiadjin who had sinned. During the Stalin era they artificially drained Lake Sevan which dropped the water level about 20 metres and created a peninsula. With this came easy accesibility to the monastery which brought tourism to the town.

There are katchkars that are carved from local green stone and stand out amongst all the other katchkars which are made from tuff - volcanic ash.

This is one of the few active monasteries in Armenia and the altar one of the nicest in Armenia.

Now ever trip has a couple of special stories that put a smile on your face. On this day half way up the hill there was a young man who was selling his paintings. His work is amazing. I wish I could have bought everyone of them and brought them home instead I picked the one that stood out the most to me, a vibrant painting of three poppies. Dad also bought a painting of a red pomegranite for my sister.

While we were chatting with the artist and looking through his work an older man (85 years old) came over with a traditional 'banjo' and started to sing for us. What a happy man he was. He will always remain with me.

The song in the last video is actually quite funny, there was a young couple watching him and at this point in the song is says "you are young and in love and one day you will be old and in love with someone else". BAH HA HA... sorry but I laugh each time I watch this clip.

By the way, I Googled 'old man with banjo armenia' guess who showed up? He's famous!

NOTE: I corrected the spelling of Arayik's name to Araik. He spells it without a 'Y'.

Day 8 - Khor Virap & Echmiadzin Part II

2011-09-28T07:04:00.005-04:00

Our next stop was Vagharshapat, 18 km west of Yerevan, better known as Ejmiatsin in Eastern Armenian and Echmiadzin in Western Armenian, to an Armenian this is their spiritual center, the Catholicos of All Armenians. Echmiadzin is the Armenian equivalent of the Vatican.

Mother Cathedral of Holy Echmiadzin

Echmiadzin Cathedral

Painted mural in the entrance of the Cathedral

The compound houses the Cathedral, a printing house, a seminary, a museum, tombs, a display of katchkars, dorms for the priests, and much more.

By late afternoon we were back at Arayik's home and had a late lunch. After a short rest dad headed to a local printer with Arayik to discuss the printing of the Eastern Armenian tracks locally. A later post will have more information and details about this.

I stayed behind and had a wonderful visit with Nelli and her sister Lili. In a short time the 3 of us have bonded and were able to share experiences and talk openly about difficulties we had been through and how God was always there to help us.

Arayik and Nelli's daughter, Leia, has been singing folk songs in an ensemble since the age of 12, at the time she was the youngest. She invited me to join her at a folk song concert in downtown Yerevan. I was interested in going because I've never had exposure to our Armenian songs and music. I was not disappointed. It was a colorful event.

As much as I enjoyed the entertainment on stage I was also enjoying what was happening around me. At one point a dozen spectators were up and dancing traditional dances and then there were a group of young soldiers up in the balconies dancing as well. All in all it was a fun way to wrap up a busy day.

Day 8 - Khor Virap & Echmiadzin

2011-09-25T00:56:00.001-04:00

One of the most visited sites in Armenia is Khor Virap (meaning 'deap dungeon'). The monastery is quite close to the neutral zone between Armenia and Turkey.

Khor Virap is where Grigor Luisavorich (St Gregory the Illuminator) was imprisoned for 13 years in an underground chamber before he cured King Trdt III of a disease. This was the start of Armenia becoming the first nation to embrace Christianity as a state religion, the year was 301.

The view of Mt Ararat is breathtaking from the top of the Monastery. The clouds dispersed long enough to be able to see it fully.

On the way up you can buy a dove, make a wish and release the dove. We saw this at a couple of our stops. Dad held a couple for the picture and then gave them back and gave the guy some change.

The details in the stone work have just amazed me and the architecture is something to behold.

How many feet have stepped here?

It's time for me to get ready for church. Dad is preaching at the Armenian Brotherhood Church in Yerevan. We have a full day ahead of us and tomorrow we head home. Please pray for those who will be in church this morning.

I will do my best to finish up the post for Day 8 before heading to bed tonight. And as I promised will continue to post after getting back home.

Day 7 - Heart Break Part II

2011-09-24T04:01:00.003-04:00

We continued on to visit Garni Temple about 32 km south-east of Yerevan. The Garni Temple is a pagan temple used even to this date by those who still follow the pagan rituals of their ancestors who were Zoroastrians.

Outside the temple gates vendors are selling their wares. One of those is Arlet, dad met her in 2008 during his first vist. She and her daughter Anahid live right across of the gates to the Garni Temple and are Gregorian Orthodox.

They invited us in for coffee and a visit. They have a beautiful 'akey' garden in Armenian. Anahid is a professor of Economics and when she is not teaching in the university she helps her mother harvest the fruits of the trees in their garden and make homemade breads and jams to sell to tourists and visitors to the Garni Temple.

Our next stop in Garni was at a restaurant for tourists run by Mr. X you would never know this place was here unless you went with a local. The land once belonged to his grandfather and his father built the house that the family lives in today. They have a great set-up, there is fresh sturgeon brought in and live in a large tank, you can pick the one you want and they will cook it for you. they also have a demonstration of how 'lavash' used to be baked.

Here's dad enjoying lavash wrapped around a handful of fresh parsely.

Mr. X has worked hard to make this a place that tour groups will want to stop at and recommend, unfortunately he has been approached on many occasions with threats and being told to sell and leave. He is a threat to other businesses. He recently received a fine that is approximately $30,000 CAD an impossible amount for him to come up with. He is waiting to go to court to fight the fine but he knows that he it is in vain. This is not an isolated situation there are many more stories that can be told of corruption in Armenia.

I walked away with angry tears, not being able to speak. This should not be allowed. We take too much for granted in North America.

In 2008, dad met Artur an amazing artist and his home was our next stop. This time his wife Anahid and son Narik were there as well. We arrived as they were seating for lunch. Anahid quickly brought plates and cutlery for us. It is amazing at how hospitable Armenians are. They want to share what little they have.

Anahid, Narik, dad and Artur

Artur's home is filled with his art work. I had such a difficult time dragging my eyes away from his paintings. They belong in a museum I cannot begin to describe his work. He paints landscapes, animals, still life and people.

Artur gifted dad with a painting of Yerevan.
My favorite painting is the one right behind my dad.

Narik, Artur's son, is 15 years and is the Armenian heavy weight boxing champion for his age group. He recently placed third in Europe. He is training for another event in Russia in one month's time. He was such a humble and quiet young man.

Narik with his medals

Our last stop of the day was in Jora to visit Arayik's cousin's family. His family members are unbelievers. They were open to hear the Word of God and to take a tract each.

His cousin's son Krikor (25 years old) has accepted Christ as his Saviour and had been given a New Testament. He needs our prayers, after coming back from serving in the Army he went to Russia to work and certain events caused mental disturbances.

Arayik gave him one of the Bible's we bought the week before and asked to take a picture of him holding the Bible.

Arayik and Krikor

Their daughter's father-in-law was there with one of his grandchildren, his story is a sad one. His wife died three months ago after a horrible car accident at the age of 46. She left behind 3 sons (ages 26, 24 & 21), 2 daughters-in-law and four grandchildren. The man, also named Krikor, needs our prayers. As most families in Armenia many generations live together, in his case all his sons, their wives and children live with him. He is a soft spoken man who you could see loved his grandchild very much.

Kriko, Hatchik (Ana's husband) and dadeek (Hatchik's mother)

While we were there a neighbour came by to visit. She is a believer and has been baptized but had a very angry look on her face. Arayik asked her why she looked so angry. She sighed and replied 'I'm tired.' He kept at her telling her that as a believer she should smile and rejoice. She would smile and then her face slipped back to that angry look.

As we were leaving she asked if she too could have a Bible. Well, will wonders never cease the change in this woman was instantaneous. She was grinning from ear-to-ear and singing praises at the top of her voice. This is what our trip is all about.

Day 7 - Heart Break

2011-09-22T15:30:00.002-04:00

Wednesday, Sep 21 was truly a day where all the emotions that have been bottled up inside started to surface. I have heard many stories and seen many pictures of the Armenian people. My people. My countrymen. My brothers and sisters. Seeing them with my own eyes and hearing the stories with my own ears has been very different.

My posts have mostly been a summary of our days, I have not been able to express to you my innermost feelings. Not because I do not want to but because I cannot. When we get back to the 'Hueranotz' (hotel) I have not been able to deal with my feelings. They are too raw, too fresh.

I do know though that I want to share the story of these amazing people and if you are interested I will do so once I am home. I will tell their individual stories one-by-one.

On this day we got an early start to visit the Garni Temple and Geghard Monastery on the way we stopped at the Ararat (Charench) Arch. This great arch was erected to give the visitor the perfect view of Mt Ararat. Noah's ark came to rest of the tip of Mt Ararat and it is truly a national symbol for the Armenians. It is now within the Turkish borders but still considered by Armenians as their own. No matter where you are in Yerevan you can see the tip on a clear day.

From here we continued the drive up the mountain (for those who may not know Armenia is a very mountaineous country) to Geghard Monastery built in the 4th century. It is partly carved out of the side of a mountain and later the main cathedral was built in the 12th century. The path leading up to the monastery is lined by vendors selling souvenirs and snacks (sweet 'sujukh', lavash (bread) and gata).

These carvings are 'khachkar' which means 'stone-cross'. No two carvings are alike.

To be contd: Garni Temple, watching lavash being made and visitations.

Day 6 - Day of Rest

2011-09-21T13:38:00.001-04:00

We have been on the go since we got here. With the change in time plus all the traveling and visiting we have been doing dad decided that we would stay at the hotel to rest and let me catch up with my posts and my personal business back home.

We took a walk around the neighbourhood and as we neared the hotel we got a call (a borrowed cell phone that is only in Russian) from Pastor Hovhannes. Since his church is only a few minutes walk from the hotel we walked down the hill and had a nice visit with him and his wife, Shake (pronounced Sha-ke).

Since the cost of shipping Armenian tracts to Armenia is extremely expensive dad had Arayik and Pastor Hovhannes ask their contacts how much it would cost to print in Armenia. We found out that for 50,000 tracts it will cost $800 CAD a fraction of the cost to ship.

We wanted to make sure that the wording was correct and the Armenians here could understand what was being said so we asked Hovhannes to read it through.

The following two pictures are of Hovhannes reading the tract "What Are You Searching For?" in Eastern Armenian. The reason you see his wife smiling is because Hovhannes was reading it with such gusto and ferver very loudly.

We ended the day with a simple meal at the hotel next door to ours. While we were at dinner there was thunderstorm but it ended just as we were settling our bill. The walk back to our hotel was nice and fresh.

Day 5 - Witnessing

2011-09-20T13:20:00.001-04:00

On Monday, we drove to the town of Ashtaruk to visit a family where the head of the house, Jora, is an unbeliever. His wife, Shusana, and daughters (Gayane and Marine) have been praying for their husband and father for a long time. In 2008, dad had visited this home when the Shusana was the only one at home.

On this day, her husband, sister-in-law (Laora), two daughters and one son-in-law (Hovannes) were all there. The have a wonderful 'akey', a garden with all kind of fruit trees and 4 chickens roaming around. Quickly the table and chairs were set up in the garden and a bountiful harvest of fruit were placed on the table.

As we sat in the garden and enjoyed all these wonderful fruits dad and Arayik had the opportunity to speak about how life changing it will be if he were to accept Christ as His Lord and Saviour. There was a lot of give and take between the men while you could see prayers on the lips of the women. These women have been praying for their father, wife and brother for a very long time.

At a certain point Arayik went to the car and brought the Chick Publication "This Is Your Life" in Armenian. He went through the booklet one page at a time, reading and explaining. Everyone in that garden listened attentively.

When Arayik finished reading the question was put to him. Would you like to pray? Very simply he answered, "No". You could feel the heartbreak of those who love him so dearly and pray for him. He cannot give his reason. But he knows the truth and he must make this decision on his own.

His one daughter and I sat side-by-side and she held my hand so tightly that the blood stopped flowing. Women in Armenia do not easily speak up but you could see the passion in his daughter as she begged her father to have a change of heart. There were tears in the father's eyes and yet his heart has been hardened through the years. He once was an active member of the communist party.

We left there with mixed emotions. We rejoiced to be able to sit with others who believe as we do and to hear their testimonies yet there was a dark cloud.

back row: Hovannes
front row left to right: Laora, Marine, Shusane, Gayane, Me, Dad, Jora

We headed to Oshakan the burial spot of St. Mesrop Mashtots creator of the Armenian alphabet. Mesrop Mashtot was a 4th century monk who invented the alphabet which is still in use today with almost no changes.

Our next stop was in Ohanavan to visit one of the oldest churches in Armenia. The Hovhannavank Monastery in situated atop a steep gorge.

We rushed back to the hotel to quickly change and join the whole Hovsepian clan at a restaurant. Dad planned this reunion to give us an opportunity to meet and get to know everyone in one shot since our time here is so short.

The cousins all together. There are a few missing who came later.

Those who know the Hovsepians or want to see more pictures of the reunion the pictures can visit an on-line album: The Hovsepian Reunion in Yerevan, Armenia.

Day 4 - Sunday

2011-09-20T07:32:00.004-04:00

Sunday morning we drove to Nor Aresh area to the baptist church pastored by Garik Hatsadourian. The congregation shares the building with another group. Our cousins (Anahid, Haik, Ervand and Shusane) also in attendance. The church members quickly greeted and made them feel at home. Ervand and Shusane will be followed up by the young people's group.

Dad took the opportunity to preach about the meaning of salvation and the importance of accepting God's free gift of salvation. There was an alter call at the end of the service and several members stepped forward. Even after the service ended there were those who were still coming forward asking for prayer. What a blessed time was had.

After a nice lunch we walked over to an open air flea market that the locals call 'vernissage'. There are lots of local artisans, antiques and jewellery. We walked around for a while before heading to the 20th Anniversary concert of the AMAA (Armenian Missionary Association of America) 5 p.m.

Our day was not over yet. We headed to Nellie's mom's home for coffee. Dad met her in 2008 and prayed for healing. She is a very sweet woman who was so thrilled to see Dad again. She is the woman who raised Laurita (Nelli's niece).

left to right: Nellie's brother, dad, me, Laurita, Nellie's oldest brother, Nellie, Laurita's brother and Nellie's mom

Day 3 - Spitak Part II

2011-09-19T17:52:00.001-04:00

It is amazing when a group of people get together and they have one commonality - Christ's saving grace. The villagers of Spitak and Stepanavan opened their hearts and arms to us.

Once everyone was gathered by the river the women quickly changed into their white baptismal gowns in a dilapidated stone house while the men waited for their turn. There was an excitement in the air almost as though it were a wedding. But we all know that a baptismal service is so much more significant then any wedding day. I so loved watching the different emotions on the faces of those being baptized. I cannot begin to describe how I felt. I feel so honored and privileged to be part of something so great. It took my breath away as I imagined what it would be like in heaven. Think about it. Don't you agree?

There were 24 men and women, the youngest 16 and the oldest 72.

The setting could not have been anymore perfect. The river was shallow but perfect for the baptismal service. The weather was just right as the baptismal service ended around 7ish the sun shone brightly and warmed them up.

I had the privilege of being front and center as I took the pictures and helped them enter and exit the river. My dad and Arayik simultaneously were baptising. My words cannot describe the stories that were written on the faces of these amazing people. I wish I had the energy to write and you had the time to read about each one of these amazing people.

The three of us standing by the river side helping folks in and out of the water and taking pictures and video were almost pulled in several times.

There was a time of worship and communion was served. You could see the importance of this to everyone there. The sharing of the bread and wine is something that they take very seriously here.

Everyone who was baptized received a New Testament and a small gold cross pin.

And with any gathering of Armenians there was food. So much food that there was a bow in that picnic table. Arayik's son Hovnan took on the responsibility of cooking the chicken for everyone. I've had many a chicken in my day but this chicken cooked over a primitive but effective wood burning fire was finger licking good.

By the time we were done eating and cleaning up is was after 8:30 pm. Now all 35 or so of us had to get back to Stepanavan and Spitak and from Spitak to Yerevan. The van that had held 19 on the way to river now held 24. But what laughter and joy there was. I can still hear the chatter and excitement.

Here's a small anecdote. Wearing seat belts are mandatory in Armenia and if you are caught without one will get a heft fine. So here we are all 24 or so of us stuffed like sardines in this tin can that really belonged in the junk yard and four young men stuffed into the front seat made for two when I noticed the driver slip on his seat belt. Perhaps I was just tired and giddy but I pointed this out to those around me and we just started to laugh.

It is 2:39 a.m. I must get some rest, I want to write so much more about this day. I met so many amazing men and women. I want to share with you their stories. I figure that when I get back to Montreal I will continue to post for a while slowly telling their stories one at a time.

Tomorrow I will post about Day 4 which was Sunday.

Please continue to pray for strength for my dad. As you can tell our days are long and physically and mentally very tiring.

Day 3 - Spitak

2011-09-19T01:21:00.002-04:00

Apologies to those who have been faithfully reading about our days in Armenia. Day 3 - Saturday, Sep 17 was a blessed but long day. I don't want another day to go by without writing a few words and once we are back home I will continue to post about our experiences.

Saturday had been reserved for our trip to Spitak for a baptismal service. Our trip to Spitak was an adventure it self. Dad and I had the impression that the baptismal service was scheduled for 1 p.m. but we forgot that we were dealing with missions in Armenia. Nothing is organized in the sense that we know in Canada. Rather then heading to Spitak first thing in the morning we instead drove around picking up last minute things for the day. Our first stop was to pick up a video camera from a friend of Arayik's who's been very successful by Armenian standards as a mime and children's entertainer. From there we picked up Arayik's family where we found out that two of his three children and his niece were to be baptised. This is truly a blessing.

Once we were on the way we stopped by a large grocery which is comparable to large American grocery chain stores. I was amazed at the bounty they have unfortunately few can afford the luxuries. Many borrow money to buy food to serve us but there is no way we can refuse what is put in front of us. Armenian's are very hospitable and refusing to drink or eat is an insult. We bought enough chicken to feed everyone that was to be part of the baptismal service.

The road to Spitak is very mountainous and the fields are dry due to the lack of rain this summer. The countryside is quiet similar to what you would see in North America except for the fact that the history behind the churches and areas are so much older and more significant then anything that we have. On the way we had one more stop and that way to get petrol, that in itself is an adventure. It took almost 30 minutes to fill that tank. Yup, you heard correctly 30 minutes.

Once again we were on our way it has been such a blessing getting to know Arayik's family. His wife and children are warm and loving. They are filled with God's love. The 2 hour trip passed quickly as we laughed, shared stories and compared languages.

In Spitak we stopped at sister Sveta's home (sister and brother as used for all believers here) while Arayik continued to Stephanavan to pick up a van full of believers. The round trip to Stephanavan is 2 houts. Sister Sveta is originally from Georgia, her husband was a missionary as well who died years ago in a work related accident. She raised two young boys on her own. She is a beautiful woman filled with the Holy Spirit.

left: Nellie (Arayik's wife) and Sister Sveta from Spitak

While Arayik was picking up people in Stepanavan a van that would never make it out of a junk yard came to pick us up. When the doors opened the van was filled and yet they made room for 5 more. There were 19 of us in a 12 passenger van. There were a couple standing and a few sitting on each other.

But as before there was laughter during the trip to the baptismal site. Everyone was excited and chatting away. We drove up and down one strip of 'highway' looking for the right place to stop by the river.

Most of the villages including Spitak have lost their men to large cities and to Russia, these men are looking for work. The men that have remained are young boys, men who have just finished their military service and very old men. There is a very obvious gap. Young men here are so much more mature then men their age in North America. They have a maturity that comes with responsibility.

The young men finally found a spot by the river that had a picnic table and a clearing that would allow them to build a fire to cook the chicken. We unloaded the van and the men started to collect wood for the fire while the women prepared things for the baptismal service. It was another one hour before Arayik arrived with the rest of the group from Stepanavan. By this time is was almost 5ish. My poor dad. For those who know him you must be chuckling. Can't you just see him glancing at his watch and pacing. I had to keep reminding him that we were in Armenia and things were just different here.

The time passed quickly as dad and I were embraced by the community of believers that were gathered for the baptismal service. I was blessed by their generosity and love.

I need to close now as they are waiting for me to get going my solemn word that no matter what time I arrive tonight I will catch up with my posts.

To be continued...

Day 2 - Good News

2011-09-16T13:43:00.001-04:00

Today I woke up around 5:30 a.m. after having gone to bed at 1:00 a.m. Last night it took me almost two hours to write and up load yesterday's post. Internet speed is not the best here but I am grateful that I can post regularly from the hotel lobby.

After breakfast we met up with Arayik and headed out to visit another cousin. Anahid (dad's 1st cousin) is married to Hyak and they have three children. Two of the three were there today, Shushane (20 years old) and Ervand (17 years old). They live in a single family dwelling, I felt as though I had stepped on to a movie set. Their home has not been upgraded in anyway since Communism fell 20 years ago. What money they have goes towards their very basic needs and tuition fees for their son. The daughter is unable to attend college since they do not have the extra money. No one in the family really works except for the odd job here and there.

Even through all these hardships their hospitality is heart warming. The coffee table was laden with fruits and sweets. Haik had actually baked the sweets, baking is how he passes time.

After all the pleasantries were done, dad opened up the subject of salvation. The kids were ready to talk and asked questions. For almost an hour dad and Arayik explained what being saved meant. One example that was used seemed to hit home.

You are presented with two glasses, one you know has "Fanta" and the other you know has poison which one do you drink? Without a doubt you would drink the glass with Fanta in it. We know there are only two roads one leading to heaven and the other to hell. Which road would you take?

Ervand has attended a youth group run by an evangelical Pastor and has a good grasp about things. Shushane also understood what was being explained. Both are mature and knew what had to be done. Shushane was the first to stand and decide to take that first step. Ervand was a step behind her. As the kids approached my dad and Arayik the question was put to the parents. Are you ready to make this commitment? Both replied positively and stood as well to pray and make a commitment.

As I watched this amazing event unfold in front of me I realized that this was the outcome of faithful prayer on the part of my grandparents and my parents. My grandparents are rejoicing with the angels in heaven this day. Please pray for this family so that they grow and mature in their faith together.

Our second stop for the day was to visit a woman that is a relative as well (just not sure as to the connection) that while my grandpa Hovsepian was alive used to write to her. My mom took over the correspondence 16 years ago when grandpa died.

Her name is Takouhie Charchian and she used to be a doctor back in the day. Now she is not well mentally and physically. She lives in a dilapidated building with cement stairs leading to her home which are held up purely by angels. There are a dozen or so large containers piled in the front room used to catch water that leaks into the house each time it rains. Her home is tidy and clean but falling down around her. Please pray for Takouhie.

We stopped to visit St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in the Kendron District of Yerevan, the largest Armenian church in the world. This church is a commemoration of the 1700th anniversary of Armenia declaring Christianity as a state religion and houses artifacts. Initially, visitors could light a candle in the main building but it was decided that cleaning the soot would be too difficult in the huge space and they built a small building adjacent for visitors.

I don't know how to explain this but when I travel I am not drawn to churches of any kind. I've always felt that these buildings took away from the purpose of worship. Too much extravagance. I am sure many of you are aghast at what I am saying. From the outside this massive building looks sterile, no greenery to soften the landscape. Upon entering the building rather then feeling a oneness with God I felt a cold chill down my back. I looked around at those seated and they stared blankly at the image of Mary holding baby Jesus. As they exited the building they would turn and face the alter and crossing themselves walk backwards out. This is done so that they do not turn their backs to the alter at anytime.

From there we headed to Arayik's place where Nellie had prepared a lovely lunch. We had a wonderful time of fellowship.

We didn't stay out too long today since yesterday had been a very long and the coming weekend is packed with activities. We were back at he hotel around 3:30 p.m. allowing my dad to decompress for a while and prepare for tomorrow's baptismal service and Sunday's sermon.

I have spent the afternoon and evening catching up with personal and work emails, writing in my personal journal, studying in preparation for the teen class back in Montreal and putting together this post.

We didn't have any plans for the evening or for dinner. We are fed up (said tongue in cheek). Dad headed out around 7 p.m. for a short visit with Pastor Hovhaness. The church is a short walk down the hill from the hotel.

Let me give you a quick update on the waitress that I have been trying to befriend. As I sat and did my work today she walked by and asked to look at my Bible which was open on the table. As she looked at it I asked her if she had a Bible. Not only does she have a Bible but she also reads it. She does not attend a church but feels the importance of reading the word of God because it has so many important things to teach us. Unfortunately, I did not have an Armenian tract with me but tomorrow morning at breakfast I will be prepared.

My apologies for those who find these posts long. I do my best to try and condense the day's events as much as possible.

Please pray for strength for my dad as he will be baptizing 30 candidates tomorrow in Spitak.

Day 1 - Visitations

2011-09-15T15:50:00.005-04:00

My day started off with a bang. Literally! I was woken from ~~the~~ ~~dead~~ a deep sleep by an annoying sound. The phone. I rolled out of bed and didn't take into account how low the bed was, so I land on my behind. I scrambled to my feet and stumbled in the pitch black trying to remember where I'd seen the phone the night before. On the desk? Nope! On the night table? Nope! Oh wait, there was another night table on the other side of the bed and that's where the phone is. Stubbed my toe on the bed in the process of lunging for the phone.

"Hello?"

"Are you awake?"

Really?

"No."

Dad replies, "Well, you are now, you're talking with me."

Sigh... this is my doing I told him that I probably would be awake early since I am every other day. I didn't take into account the change in time and that I would only fall asleep at 4 a.m. local time. So dad called at 7 a.m. to let me know that he was up and whenever I was ready we'd head for breakfast.

A quick shower and I was ready to face the day. Don't let me fool you my brain was in a fog for the first half of the day.

Breakfast was very typical of Armenia - bread, local meats (yes, my favorite too - basterma), local cheeses and lots of fresh fruit. I've already picked up on the fact that women do not smile very readily. Dad tried to explain it by saying that they have horrible working and living conditions. I am on a mission. I will be kind and friendly to everyone I come into contact with. I want to make them feel special, make them feel loved. I started at breakfast by greeting one of the girls working in the dining room. She seemed surprised when I greeted her with "Paree louis" (good morning). As I sit in the lobby writing this entry the same girl is still working. I greet her, "Vonce ek?" (how are you in Eastern Armenian) she replies with a smile. I speak with her for a few minutes and find out that a typical day for her starts at 8 a.m. and finishes at 10 p.m., it's 11:36 p.m. and she is still serving guests. She has stayed behind to look after a group of guests. This is a tough place to live. Long days and no days off.

After breakfast we met with Arayik, our local missionary, he is such a servant of the Lord. He has given his life to the Lord's work. We chatted for a while catching up on local happenings and passing along your greetings. Arayik will be our guide during our stay. I am looking forward to getting to know him and his Armenia.

Our first stop was The Armenian Brotherhood Church of Yerevan to visit with Pastor Hovhaness Halladjian, Pastor Hovhaness started this church 13 years ago. Here is a pastor who knows what it means to be a servant and shepherd. He speaks Armenian, Greek, English and Turkish. If you understand Armenian you can listen to his sermons and his singing on his church website. Dad will be teaching at their Christian Leadership Center on Saturday, Sep 24 and will also be preaching on Sunday, Sep 25. We had great fellowship over a tasty meal of kebab.

left to right: Arayik, dad and Hovhaness

left to right: dad, me, Hovhaness and Dadik (Grandma in Armenian)

Unfortunately, we needed to leave but knowing we would be back made it easier. Our next stop was at the Bible Society office in Yerevan. Dad wanted bought New Testaments to give to all who are getting baptised on Saturday, Sep 17 in Spitak.

left to right: Susannah the Bible Society representative in Yerevan, Arayik and dad

It was 3 p.m. and Arayik's wife Nellie was waiting for us. We quickly headed to the van and headed for their apartment. But no one had planned for a flat tire. We thank God it happened in the city today and not on Saturday while driving to Spitak. After the garage replaced the flat with the spare we were once again on our way to meet Nellie and the children.

Getting our flat repaired

Nellie is a woman filled with the holy spirit. She is true help-mate to Arayik. Together they visit and minister in villages. Nellie is someone I wish I could get to know better then our time permits. When she speaks I cannot look away from her. Her face reflects the peace in her heart. Her voice is soft almost a whisper yet when she speaks she commands your attention. Arayaik and Nellie have 3 grown children. Their only daughter is an accomplished singer who sang for us an Armenian ballad.

left to right: Leia, dad, me, Arayik, Nellie

We had to take our leave our family was expecting us at 7 p.m. After a quick stop at our hotel we went back to the center of Yerevan, to the apartment of my dad's cousin Dikranouhi. Her apartment is steps away from Yerevan's Opera House.

Food. Food. Food. Armenians are known for their hospitality. Within minutes of your arrival food and drink is placed in front of you. Dikranouhi was so excited to finally meet the little girl in the picture she has of me where I am sitting on my dad's shoulders. Hey! I was a year old and at the time I could still sit on dad's shoulders.

I could hear the table groaning under the weight of the food. I dared not look away without Dikranouhi putting some food on my plate. That is also very typical of Armenians here. Guests get their food served by the hostess, it's an honor. And I was honored. Very honored. This hospitality is missing in North America. I want to bring that back with me. This is a tradition that I want to pass on to my children.

left to right: Vahag, Dikranouhi, Marianne
Dikranouhi is my dad's cousin and Vahag is her son and Marianne her daughter-in-law

left to right: Sonia, Hovig, dad and me
Hovig is dad's cousin (Dikranouhi's sister) and Sonia is his youngest daughter

It was after 11 p.m. when our taxi finally dropped us off at our hotel. I look forward to Monday evening when all the Hovsepians will be getting together for dinner. There will be approximately 20 of us.

Tomorrow we will be meeting Arayik in the morning and continuing our visits.

In Yerevan Safe and Sound

2011-09-14T15:48:00.002-04:00

Our journey started on Tuesday, Sep 13 at 7:30 p.m. when we left the house, in torrential rain, for the airport. Due to the weather we were delayed over an hour which started our race against time.

The flight to Paris was smooth and uneventful, dad and I slept off and on most of the way. We flew high and fast trying to make up for lost time. Many of the passengers were hoping to make their connecting flights. We arrived in Paris in the midst of an agent strike. The gate was not ready, we waited for the stairs to be brought to the plane, slowly we made our way out of the plane and down the stairs to the tarmac where we took a shuttle to the terminal. At the terminal we raced toward our gate, up escalators, down hallways and then took a train. Once off the train we had to go through security again, another hold-up. Once through security we speed walked to our gate where due to a delay of our connecting flight we were right on time to board.
The flight was a noisy one - well put a plane full of Armenians from all around the world together and what do you expect? SILENCE?!?! Not on your life! There were Armenians from Canada, Brazil, Argentina, France and Armenia. Each one spoke with a different accent and depending on where they were from either Eastern or Western Armenian. At one point I couldn't hear my own thoughts they were so loud.

Our journey ended with us arriving safely in Yerevan around 10:30 p.m. local time where we quickly obtained our Visas and our luggage.

My dad's cousin, Hovig, was waiting for us with another relative. They drove us to our hotel, Hotel Regineh, in Yerevan. Giving us a quick tour of the city on the way. My first impression is that this is a city that hasn't found it's identity yet. We drove through the 'Vegas strip' where you find casinos next to one another, further along you see the historical buildings and then a little further you realize that the buildings have not been updated in over 50 years.

Tomorrow morning we will have breakfast with Arayig, the missionary that we support, to go over our schedule for the next 11 days.

We also plan to have a great big get together of all the Hovsepians and the extended family. This is my first trip to Armenia and I am very excited about meeting my family.

Took a couple of pictures but I think you'll forgive me if I don't post them tonight I'll have some for you soon. Well I'm off to see if I can actually sleep. Dad and I thank you for your prayers and know that without them we would not be here right now.

Your servant
Hrout (Ruth)

We Are On Our Way

2011-09-13T20:42:00.000-04:00

We've made it through security without any problems. Our Air France flight will be boarding at 9:55 pm and God willing we will take off around 10:40 pm.

I will log in once we arrive at our hotel (Hotel Regineh) in Yerevan tomorrow Wednesday, Sep 14 at 1 p.m. EST. which will be 10 p.m. local time.

Thank you to all who called, emailed and texted to wish us a safe journey. Dad and I are very grateful for all your prayers and support.

2011-09-11T22:10:00.000-04:00

Today at church just before the sermon the church elders called my dad and me forward to pray over us and our upcoming trip. It is so important and means so much to us that we have our church family's support. We have great prayer warriors in our church and I am very grateful for them.

Thank you to all who are praying for us and have us in your thoughts.

Left to right: Me, Pastor Joseph, Elder Eugen Dobrowolskj, Elder Emil Lantos and Elder Shubroto Shikddar

Trusting God

2011-09-10T17:25:00.001-04:00

Over the years I have had to learn to trust in God and leave my anxiety at his feet. What began as an exercise to heal myself turned into a journey to find what others thought about anxiety and capturing what I was learning into a collection of fret busters that I turn to time and time again to remind myself that God is all omnipotent.

I want to share 10 Fret Busters with you today in the hope that it will touch your heart and be useful to you as well.

Fret Buster #1:

"Believe that you are in His heart and that your interests are in His hands. Have faith in His wisdom to guide, in His love to direct, in His power to sustain, in His faithfulness to fulfill every promise that now relates to your best welfare and happiness. Only believe in God -- that all things in His disposal of you and in His transactions with you are working together for your present and eternal good." -- Octavius Winslow

Fret Buster #2:

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." -- John 14:27 NIV

Fret Buster #3:

"Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength." -- Corrie Ten Boom

Fret Buster #4:

"An anxious heart weighs a man down, a kind word cheers him up." Proverbs 12:25 NIV

Fret Buster #5:

"Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith." -- Henry Ward Beecher

Fret Buster #6:

"Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength." -- Charles Spurgeon

Fret Buster #7:

"The Lord replied , "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." -- Exodus 33:14 NIV

Fret Buster #8:

"As you walk through the valley of the unknown, you will find the footprints of Jesus both in front of you and beside you." -- Charles Stanley

Fret Buster #9:

"I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" -- Jeremiah 32:27 NIV

Fret Buster #10:

"I am no longer anxious about anything, as I realize the Lord is able to carry out His will, and His will is mine. It makes no matter where He places me, or how. That is rather for Him to consider than for me; for in the easiest positions He must give me His grace, and in the most difficult, His grace is sufficient." -- Hudson Taylor

Why?

2011-09-09T00:11:00.001-04:00

You may ask, "Why is Ruth going on a mission trip to Armenia?".

A trip to Armenia was not on my bucket list and even though my heritage is Armenian growing up I always identified with the Greek culture I had been exposed to. Three years ago when my parents went to Armenia they came back with many stories about our family and the opportunities for witnessing to the many hungering and searching Armenians.

The pictures my dad took on his trip brought tears to my eyes as I saw the devastating results of the 1988 earthquake. Then there were the pictures of those men and women my dad had the opportunity to witness to about God's love being so great that He sent His only Son to die for us and save us all from eternal damnation. As touched as I was hearing the many stories I still did not have the desire to visit Armenia.

As a church we began to financially support the mission work taking place in Armenia. My dad started to receive regular phone calls from the missionary updating him on how home churches were growing in small towns. Suddenly Armenia became a bigger part of my prayer time. There was a connection.

God works in mysterious ways. As I look back the last 8 months have been a journey in uncharted waters for me. On January 24, 2011 I was let go from work due to restructuring, it was not unexpected but nonetheless it hurt my pride. I've never been let go before. Why now?

I had worked so hard for the last 11 years - going back to school staying up till all hours of the night finishing assignments, then getting a job that I loved but that took me away from my children, I was working 50-60 hour weeks and started to climb the corporate ladder. I was almost there. Whoosh! Crash! I was knocked down a couple of rungs actually I'd say the ladder was kicked out from under me and I landed with a great big splat on my back with the wind knocked out of me.

I was very confident in my ability to find work and find it quickly. Why wouldn't I be confident, I've never had a problem in the past to find a job. Days turned into weeks and as weeks turned into months my confidence waivered. I questioned, "Why me? Why now?"

"Why God?"

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

So I did. It was not easy. For those who know me know that I don't like unknowns, I need a plan mapped out, something to work towards. My prayers changed to "What do you want from me Lord?" from "Help me find a job." Funny thing about prayer, it works. Even if the answer may not be what we wanted or expected.

I came to recognize that if things had gone the way I had wanted them to I would not be going to Armenia in less then a week with my father. When my dad suggested going to Armenia back in February I was concerned about being able to take time off. Don't have to worry about that anymore.

I've come to realize that God has a reason for me to go to Armenia. "Behind every great man there is standing a woman." That great man is my Dad and that woman is me. I am not an evangelist nor a missionary. What I am though is a child of God who wants to go where he sends me. And right now he wants me to be in Armenia helping my dad so that he can do what he does best. Preach.

Please keep us in your prayers as we prepare to leave on Tuesday, September 13.

Armenian Foods

2011-09-05T23:16:00.007-04:00

No restaurant can begin to compete with the lavish attention and extraordinary dishes Armenians create in their kitchens. The table often groans under courses served at the same time, and it is considered an affront to refuse to taste everything, the cook often considering it a bad reflection of her culinary skills.

My mother, my aunts and my grandmothers are/were amazing cooks. Each one has a speciality all her own. Come the holidays there are specific dishes I will ask from each one.

Recipes get passed down from generation to generation. My paternal nene (Turkish for grandma) used to say, "a pinch of this, a handful of that, and a coffee cup of the other". On my part, it's all been trial and error as I've learned to cook. Now I have a tough time giving someone one of my recipes, each time I make something it's a little different. My kids call my style of cooking 'a la Ruth'.

Here are a few of my favorite Armenian dishes.

Lahmajoun

Lahmajoun, also known as "Armenian Pizza", is a thin flat bread that is traditionally topped with ground lamb or beef that has been cooked with tomatoes, herbs and spices. It was a treat when I was a kid. My mom would serve this on special occasions and whenever we had guests over.

Anoushabour

Anoushabour is the traditional Armenian "Sweet Soup" that is served at the conclusion of an Armenian Christmas or New Year's meal. Since childhood I have looked forward to this dessert every Christmas when we visit my aunts. My family knows that all I want for Christmas is a plate of Anoushabour. Two of my moraks (maternal aunties) have given me their recipes and assure me it is very easy to make. But don't you agree that it always tastes better when someone else makes your favorite dish.

The dish is, in all probability, even older than the Christian feast day. Made simply of wheat berries, boiled down until their natural starches have been broken down and turned nearly to mush, sugar (a gift from the Tigris and Euphrates valley) and dried fruit (raisins usually), it's not hard to imagine that it is a product of some of the world's most ancient cookery.

Manti

Manti is an Armenian 'dumpling', little balls of ground lamb or beef wrapped in a dough to form a tiny little canoe. The meat peeks out giving you a hint of what is to come. The traditional way to serve it is in chicken broth topped with yogurt and sprinkled with sumac. I can taste it right now. Yum! When I was a young girl I would help my mom by pinching the dough into boat shapes.

Pumpkin Seeds

Technically pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are not considered a dish. But a typical Armenian gathering is everyone sitting around the table, nimbly cracking and eating seeds. Eat! Spit! Be merry!

Basterma or Bastourma

This is the most popular Armenian deli meat. Serve Basterma thinly sliced on a mezze platter or cook with eggs. You really need to wrap leftover Basterma well, as the wonderful aroma of chaimen will quickly permeate your refrigerator. Ummmm, eat too much of Basterma and the smell of chaimen will start to ooze out of your pores.

Pide Bread

There was a bakery across the street from our church (where Cafe Republic is located now) and on occasion mom would go in and buy this long flat bread. Sometimes it would still be warm from the oven.

Dolma

My nene's dolma was the best. Dolma is spiced meat and rice wrapped in grape leaves, served with yogurt mixed with grated fresh garlic. I remember sneaking into my nene's kitchen and lifting the pot lid and stealing a Dolma to eat while they were cooling. The grape leaves came from her garden.

I'm going to end this post with my favorite dessert. It's called Tulumba, although it's not as common as the Baklava it is actually just another dessert with syrup. Tulumba is a dessert in the Turkish, the Greek, and the Bulgarian cuisine consisting of fried batter soaked in syrup.

Tulumba

Let me see if I can even come close to helping you imagine how this little delicacy tastes. As you sink your teeth into the fried sweet you first encounter the crispy outer layer then the syrup oozes out of the center unto your tongue. It melts in your mouth and leaves a delicious stickiness on your your fingers. Finger licking good!

Now if I only knew where I could get some to take care of this craving.

I hope you have enjoyed this culinary journey.

A Historical Account of Baptist Origins in Armenia

2011-09-04T18:05:00.001-04:00

As I have been researching and studying about Armenia I was interested to find out when the evangelical ministry started up. The information was scarce but I came across a website for the Armenian Evangelical Christian Baptist Church. The About Us page is the history of the baptists in Armenia, it is written by Asatur Nahapetyan who gathered information on this subject from many differenct sources and summarized it for us.

Rather then copy the information I recommend you read it for yourself on the Armenian Evangelical Christian Baptist Church website.

Interesting Facts

2011-09-03T13:39:00.014-04:00

Armenia is a mountainous country in Eurasia, which stands landlocked between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea in the Southern Caucasus. Its stands bordered by Turkey in the west, Georgia in the north, Azerbaijan in the east and Iran and the Nakhchivan exclave of Azerbaijan in the south.

The country was once a republic of the Soviet Union, but today it has transformed itself into a unitary, multiparty, democratic nation-state. Constitutionally a secular state, Armenia still depends a lot upon the Christian faith in relation to the history and identification of its people. It has an ancient and historic
cultural heritage, visible in the form of the various monuments that adorn its landscape.

The official name of Armenia is the ‘Republic of Armenia’.
The official language of Armenia is Armenian.
The majority of the population in Armenia follows the religion of Armenian Apostolic.
The currency of Armenia is Dram.
The capital of Armenia is Yerevan.
Armenia follows the system of Unitary Republic.
St. Bartholomew the Apostle, St. Gregory the Illuminator, St. Jude the Apostle and Virgin Mary are the patron saints of Armenia.
The Kingdom of Armenia was the first state to adopt Christianity as its religion, in the early years of the 4^th century.
Armenia is a member of more than 40 different international organizations, including the United Nations, Council of Europe, Asian Development Bank, the Commonwealth of Independent States, World Trade Organization & the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation.
Armenia is also an observer member of the Eurasian Economic Community, La Francophonie, and the Non-Aligned Movement.
Lake Sevan, situated in the highlands of Armenia, forms one of the largest lakes in the world.
Armenia's Ararat Valley houses a huge underground lake.
Mount Ararat, geographically in Turkey, is one of the national symbols of Armenia.
The Ararat Valley of Armenia is believed to be inhabited since the Stone Age, making it is one of the oldest settled regions in the world.
The highest point in Armenia is formed by Mount Aragats (4090 m), which houses a dormant volcano.
Armenia is said to be one of the first centers of metallurgy in the world.
It is said that astronomy has been studied in Armenia since the time of the early city of Metsamor.
Yerevan was founded nearly 2800 years ago and today, forms one of the oldest cities in the world.
Christianity was adopted as the state religion in Armenia in 301 AD.
It is said that Apostles, Thaddeus and Bartholomew preached in Armenia and the Holy Apostolic Church of Armenia is named after them only.
The Cilician Kingdom of Lesser Armenia was formed by the people of Armenian, between the late 11^th and 14^th century.
Armenia was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in the 1450s.
Armenia became a part of the USSR, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, on March 4, 1922.
Armenia became independent in 1991, with the dissolution of USSR, and joined the Commonwealth of Independent States.
The constitution of Armenia was adopted through a referendum, on July 5, 1995.
Armenia is known the world-over for its apricots, considered to taste better than anywhere else in the world.
Armenia is a member of the CSTO military alliance and also participates in NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) program.

About 10% of the population live below the international poverty line. This means they earn less that US$1.25 per day.

Armenia is a ‘landlocked’ country. It is bordered by Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Nakhchivan.

Wrestling, weightlifting, judo, chess and boxing are the most popular sports in Armenia.

In Armenia, it is traditional for the groom and his family to pay for the wedding.

Jazz music is very popular in Armenia.

Map of Armenia

Romanian?! NO! ARMENIAN!!!

2011-09-01T19:45:00.001-04:00

I don't know the number of times while growing up that I would say, "Armenia" and the question back would be "Romania?" Or I would say I'm Armenian and they would think I had said Romanian. It was frustrating. Then the 1988 earthquake suddenly brought Armenia to the forefront of the news people now knew about Armenia but like any small country the average person does not know where to find Armenia on the map or any significant history about the country.

So, my friends who know I'm Armenian but don't know much about Armenia here are thousands of years worth of history summarized into a couple of paragraphs.

Yerevan with Mont Ararat in the background

Yerevan (Armenian: Երևան or Երեւան, Armenian pronunciation: [jɛɾɛˈvɑn]) is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country. It has been the capital since 1918, the thirteenth in the history of Armenia.

The history of Yerevan dates back to the 8th century BC, with the founding of the fortress of Erebuni in 782 BC by king Argishti I at the western extreme of the Ararat plain. After World War I, Yerevan became the capital of the Democratic Republic of Armenia as thousands of survivors of the Armenian Genocide settled in the area. The city expanded rapidly during the 20th century as Armenia became one of the fifteen republics in the Soviet Union. In fifty years, Yerevan was transformed from a town of a few thousand residents within the Russian Empire, to Armenia's principal cultural, artistic, and industrial center, as well as becoming the seat of national government.

With the growth of the economy of the country, Yerevan has been undergoing major transformation as many parts of the city have been the recipient of new construction since the early 2000s, and retail outlets such as restaurants, shops and street cafes, which were rare during Soviet times, have multiplied.

In 2009, the population of Yerevan was estimated to be 1,111,300 people with the agglomeration around the city regrouping 1,245,700 people (2007 official estimate), more than a third of all the population of Armenia.

Yerevan was named the 2012 World Book Capital by UNESCO.Taken from Wikipedia

One of the world's oldest civilization, Armenia once included Mount Ararat, which biblical tradition identifies as the mountain that Noah's ark rested on after the flood. It was the first country in the world to officially embrace Christianity as its religion (c. 300).

Armenian Flag

The national flag of the Republic of Armenia is of three colors in stripes of the same width - red, blue, orange respectively from top to bottom. The Red emblematizes the Armenian Highland, the Armenian people's continued struggle for survival, maintenance of the Christian faith, Armenia's independence and freedom. The Blue emblematizes the will of the people of Armenia to live beneath peaceful skies. The Orange emblematizes the creative talent and hard-working nature of the people of Armenia.

Coat of Arms

The Coat of Arms of the Republic of Armenia is as follows: On a shield, positioned in the center, Mount Ararat is represented with Noah's Arch and the coats of arms of the four royal dynasties of the historical Armenia: from top to left - that of the Bargratunides, from top to right - that of the Arshakounides, from bottom to left - that of Artashesides, from bottom to right - that of the Rubenides. The shield is upheld by an eagle (on the left) and lion (on the right). There is a sword, as well as a branch of a tree, a bundle of spikes, a chain and a ribbon pictured below the shield. Golden is the main color of the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Armenia. The colors of the kingdoms of the historical Armenia are as follows: from top to left - red, from top to right - blue, from bottom to left - blue, from bottom to right - red, with orange-painted Mount Ararat positioned in the center on a shield. The foregoing colors emblematize the colors of the national flag of the Republic of Armenia.

Tsitsernakaberd Genocide Memorial, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia

Over the centuries Armenia was conquered by Greeks, Romans, Persians, Byzantines, Mongols, Arabs, Ottoman Turks, and Russian. From the 17th century through World War I major portions of Armenia were controlled by their most brutal invader, the Ottoman Turks, under whom they experienced discrimination, religious persecution, heavy taxation, and armed attacks. In response to Armenian nationalist stirrings, the Turks massacred thousands of Armenians in 1894 and 1896. The most horrific massacre took place in April 1915 during World War I, when the Turks ordered the deportation of the Armenian population to the deserts of Syria and Mesopotamia. According to the majority of historians, between 600,000 and 1.5 million Armenians were murdered or died of starvation. The Armenian massacre is considered the first genocide in the 20th century. Turkey denies that a genocide took place, and claims that a much smaller number died in a civil war.

Waiting In Anticipation

2011-08-31T21:28:00.001-04:00

In two weeks we will be in Armenia starting our 11 day missions trip.

Dad has been planning for this trip since the beginning of the year when on a whim he mentioned he would love to go back to visit the folks that we have been supporting individually and as a church and that he would do it if I were to go along. This conversation took place about a week after I was let go from work due to restructuring, I had been there for more then five years. I left the home of my parents wondering if this was something that my dad had just said in passing or was serious.

Several hours later after thinking about our conversation I called my dad and asked him if he was serious. Sure enough he was and wanted to book the trip right away. I had a moment of panic as all kinds of 'what ifs' and questions flew through my mind.

Within 48 hours I had booked our flights and the hotel that we were staying at. Yes folks, my dad moves even faster then I do when he sets his mind to it. I'm not that far behind.

For months dad has been talking about this trip, unfortunately I have been so busy with a new business that I have started that it just didn't sink in that I was going on this trip. That is, until this past week. BAM!!! What? Only two weeks to set things in order for me to be away from my business, my kids, my.... never mind because I realize that God is in control. Ha! What's the worst that could happen? Kids don't have food to eat? Not going to happen my kids have survival instincts don't forget their mom used to work crazy long hours and these poor kids had to fend for themselves. Who are we kidding they are Hovsepians and they are therefore survivors.

After the response to my status about our impending trip on facebook yesterday I thought that a blog might be a better way to communicate to those who want to follow us on this trip.

The hotel we are staying at has internet and a business center. I will be taking a mini-hp with me and hopefully will be able to work from my room if not I will try the business center. God willing I will post as often as possible while we are there.