Category: 2021

Mission: Armenia 2021 – Final Update

October 26, 2021

We wanted to share one last mission trip update now that we’ve rested from our travels and are settling back into life and ministry in Canada.

Although our last “official” commitment was Pastor Joseph speaking at the Baptist church in Gyumri, after that, we had several brief visits or phone calls with people who wanted to say good-bye, and we made one last trip to the printer to pick up the rest of the fresh copies of “Does Your Life Have Meaning?” (a smaller devotional book that is currently available only in Armenian). We dropped off eight big boxes of these at Sister Gayane’s home for storage and for her to either distribute in her community or make available to other believers who would like to use them for outreach.

Please accept our sincere thanks for all your prayers, encouragement, donations, and other forms of support. Thank you for trusting us to distribute the gifts you gave us to share. Thank you for being as excited as we are about how God is working in Armenia. We’re inspired by the growth we’ve seen in those who work closely with us and feel confident that they will continue to serve and minister as God leads and enables them.

Click here for pictures and videos of our trip.

Mission: Armenia 2021– Day 17 to 19

October 20, 2021

Most of Sunday was spent in Gyumri, the second-largest city in Armenia and the original capital city. Pastor Joseph spoke at the Evangelical Baptist Church there—the same church we visited on the last Sunday of our 2019 trip—and we were glad to reconnect with that congregation. Sadly, their pastor (Rubik) was ill and we didn’t get to see him.

Before heading back to Yerevan, we drove around the center of Gyumri for a while with one of the church members who had asked for a lift home and then stopped somewhere for lunch. We were delighted by the atmosphere of Gyumri, which reminded us a little of Old Montreal and rural Quebec.

Later that evening we were invited to celebrate Nelli’s birthday with most of her family (mother, siblings, in-laws, nieces, grandchildren, etc.) and appreciated the last opportunity for fellowship with them. We think you’ll enjoy the video clips of two of the little ones—the one praying and one dancing.

With only two days left before heading home, our team has wrapped up our official mission commitments. Monday and Tuesday are personal days for last-minute shopping, tying up loose ends, dentist visits, organizing suitcases, and receiving a few visitors at the hotel for final good-byes.

We appreciate the prayers of our many, many faithful, and supportive friends and loved ones. We could not have done any of this without God’s help—and yours. Thank you. It’s always hard to say goodbye to our brothers and sisters in Armenia but we also are excited to be returning home.

This is our last report for now, but we’ll continue to post brief updates on our Facebook page in the coming days. As usual, the latest photos, most of our time in Gyumri, are in this album.

Click here for pictures and videos.

Mission: Armenia 2021– Day 13 & 14

October 14, 2021

On Wednesday we focused our visits on one extended family (going into four separate homes belonging to siblings and cousins). While we were pleased to see that there have been some improvements to their living conditions, we were reminded of how difficult life is in Armenia, even under “better” circumstances (relatively speaking). We had opportunities to console those mourning the recent death of a loved one, counsel those seeking advice about life choices, answer questions about the Bible, and even help someone purchase a new mattress (their old one’s metal springs were sticking out and causing injury).

Thursday was the big, big, baptism day! About 45 of us (including children) gathered in a beautiful and spacious home in Sargsashen we rented for the afternoon. We served refreshments and gave everyone a chance to visit before Pastor Joseph addressed the group and reminded everyone of the significance of baptism—the public profession of faith in Jesus Christ. Afterward, we moved on to the pool house farther back on the property. Once the baptismal candidates (19 of them!) had changed into their white gowns, Pastor Joseph and Arayik invited them one by one—beginning with Emmi, who helped us organize the event—into the water to be baptized. Each one confirmed their commitment to live for Christ before entering the water.

To watch the baptismal service click here. (Baptismal video courtesy of Mariam Hajian.)

A few of us observed later that out of all the baptismal services we’ve had in Armenia over the years, there was something special about this one. It’s hard to explain but we’ll try: Not only was the venue conducive to an extended time of warm fellowship, not only was the number one of the largest (with the ages ranging from 10 to 70-ish), but the sincerity, solemnity, and joy with which each person stepped into the pool were almost palpable, and the stories behind each person’s decision to be baptized were moving.

After the baptisms, we returned to the house for communion and another prayer before dismissing everyone. We took care of a few errands, had a bite to eat, and then returned to the hotel feeling blessed and happy.

Five more days—and still lots to do!

For pictures of our trip click here.

Mission: Armenia 2021– Day 11 & 12

October 13, 2021

Monday and Tuesday were busy days for us, with several visits for counseling and/or fellowship as well as taking care of business, so to speak.

Armenia Day 11 & 12

On Monday morning, we picked up another thousand copies of God’s Workshop (the Armenian translation of Pastor Joseph’s devotional book) from the printer and then delivered them to the home of Sister Gayane who has graciously been storing our tracts and books for the last few years and helping us distribute them. We spent some time in her home, where four other women and our friend Samuel—all part of Gayane’s community—were gathered, and we were blessed by the sharing of testimonies and some singing. From there we went to visit the brother of Arayik to offer him some encouragement and support and to pray with him.

Armenia Baptismal Pool Day 11-12

On Tuesday morning we had a family briefly visit us at the hotel before we picked up our friend Emmi and drove to the site of the baptismal service we will have on Thursday (Emmi is the one who made all the arrangements before we arrived in Armenia). We wanted to make sure everything was in order, and we were rather stunned when we arrived. We knew we were renting a heated pool, but we did not expect to have access to such a comfortable and lovely venue and for a reasonable price. We’re pleased that the few dozen people who will gather on Thursday will be able to celebrate the occasion in privacy and peace.

After chatting for a while with the owner of this home, we went to visit a man named Gagik who needed some counseling. We then rested in the hotel for a couple of hours before making one more visit. We’d been invited for supper at the home of our dear friend Anna and enjoyed having fellowship with her Bible study group that gathers there weekly.

Please pray about the baptismal service coming up and for those who will be taking this step (we still are not sure of the final number but it’s approaching 20) and about the visits we still need to make. We can’t meet all the needs, which can be frustrating at times, so we need wisdom about how to spend our last week here. Thank you for your prayers and encouraging messages!

Click here for photos and videos.

Mission: Armenia 2021– Day 9 & 10

October 11, 2021

This would normally be a big weekend for our family back at home—Pastor Joseph’s birthday on the 9th, Canadian Thanksgiving on the 11th, and then the Hovsepians’ 58th wedding anniversary on the 12th. While it’s a little strange to be in a different country for these occasions, we’ve appreciated having many loved ones here go out of their way to celebrate with us. On Saturday we were invited to the Hajian’s home, along with a few other friends, and there we enjoyed both a birthday cake (designed to look like the cover of Pastor Joseph’s book, thanks to Emmi) and an anniversary cake. You’ll see in the photos that the Hajians have kindly stored about a thousand copies of the book in their home. They’ll be helping us distribute them, for which we’re grateful. (We’ll be picking up another thousand copies from the printer on Monday!)

On Sunday, we were on the road for about ten hours. We started with the two-hour drive to Horom to worship and share in communion with the small group that gathers at the Baptist church under the leadership of Pastor Tigran Muradyan. They also surprised all three of us with thoughtful gifts. After the service, while we lingered around the van chatting with church members, our friend Nelli brought over a lady who lived down the road, whom she’d been sharing the gospel with, as well as her young son Kevork who struggles with a physical disability. Pastor Joseph prayed for the boy and encouraged the mother to connect with Pastor Tigran’s church.

We had a quick lunch at the Muradyans’ home before making the long drive back toward Yerevan, stopping in Charentsavan to participate in another worship service, this time at the church led by Pastor Suren Shahumyan. Here, too, Pastor Joseph was presented with a gift: an unusual wooden chalice with a grapevine design. At the end of the service Pastor Joseph was asked to pray for a young lady named Annie who is going through a difficult time. By the time we returned to the hotel it was almost 9 p.m. but our tiredness was softened by the joy in our hearts because of the day’s many blessings!

For photos and videos click here.

Mission: Armenia 2021– Day 7 & 8

October 9, 2021

Thursday was a big day for us as we drove about two hours into the village of Horom so that Pastor Joseph could speak to the community that gathers at the Baptist church there—a church we were able to help rebuild several years ago and have continued to support since then. This was a special meeting that neighbors were invited to attend so that they could hear the gospel message and ask questions about God and the Bible. Two women stepped forward to pray for salvation, they professed their faith in Jesus and invited Him into their lives as their Lord and Saviour, committing to follow Him. What a joyous occasion!

On Friday we stopped by the Armenian Evangelical Brotherhood Church in Yerevan to drop off some donations (including items given to us by another Montreal church) and to catch up with Pastor Hovhannes and his wife. In the afternoon we visited in the hotel lobby with a family whose two teenagers (some of you will remember Gor, the blind boy who loves to sing, and his sister Annie) will be baptized next week. We ended the day by having supper with a few of our cousins.

There are many phone calls and preparations for the baptismal service next Thursday. While we were still in Montreal, we were given the names of eight people who had asked for baptism. As this update is being written, we believe that number has increased to about 20—we’re starting to lose track! It’s exciting to hear about new believers who are eager to publicly identify with Christ and take this step (which is often met with opposition, if not outright persecution, from family members, employers, etc.) Please pray for this group and for this special event. We look forward to reporting on it next week.

Click here to see pictures and videos.

Mission: Armenia 2021– Day 4 to 6

October 6, 2021

Because our three Sundays in Armenia will all be busy (this Sunday, October 10, Pastor Joseph will speak in two different villages), we are taking Mondays off to rest and regroup. We were grateful for some quiet family time on Monday (Day 4), which included a visit with extended family (cousins from the Hovsepian side) later in the evening.

On Tuesday (Day 5) our team split up: Pastor Joseph and Arayik went to the printer to pick up 1,000 fresh copies of God’s Workshop (in Armenian) and then drove them a fair distance to the home of Sam and Mariam, who have kindly agreed to store our books for us. In the meantime, Jessie and Ann-Margret visited with Arayik’s wife, daughter, and sister-in-law—an unexpected opportunity to engage in women’s ministry.

Although we’ve been less active during this trip than in past years (for a variety of reasons), we’re still using every opportunity to encourage those we do encounter—including hotel staff or store clerks.

On Wednesday (Day 6), we visited an “old” friend we first met during our 2011 trip. Artur is a master painter (and his son is a world and Olympic champion boxer) yet he is one of the most humble and soft-spoken men we know. After a while, he led us to the nearby home of his daughter, who got married since we were last in Armenia and had a baby just 42 days ago! Pastor Joseph was honored to be asked to pray for a blessing on Baby Arek (see the video clip in the latest round of pictures).

We’ve learned to expect the unexpected and deal with things like fatigue, unplanned dentist visits, or laryngitis, and don’t let these things slow us down. We appreciate your prayers for our health and safety, as well as for wisdom and courage when the Lord leads us to minister to those around us.

Click here to see pictures and videos.

Mission: Armenia 2021– Day 3

October 4, 2021

Our first Sunday in Armenia was spent mostly at the Evangelical Baptist Church of Armenia, where Pastor Joseph preached at both the 11 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. services. In between, we were invited to join the leadership team for lunch in their fellowship hall, where we met again in the afternoon to celebrate the birthday of one of their Sunday School teachers.

During the morning service, the children blessed us with a presentation of songs and Bible verses (there’s a video clip included with the photos) and we enjoyed the music ministry of a group of young people who led the singing time. Pastor Joseph spoke about Zacchaeus and his readiness to follow Christ and be transformed by the Saviour. The afternoon service is geared more toward young people so he used the example of David’s defeat of Goliath to talk about the giants in our own lives and how relying on God can help us to overcome them.

After a short rest upon our return to the hotel, we met with three friends, who are also our ministry partners here, in the hotel lobby. It was great to catch up and to make a few plans for the days ahead.

As always, we appreciate your continued prayers for this ministry.

Click here for photos and videos of the day.

Mission: Armenia 2021– Day 1 & 2

October 4, 2021
Our team arrived in Armenia safely and without any difficulty just after midnight on October 1, the only setback being having to wait an extra day for one piece of luggage that got held back in Paris (but eventually was brought to us). In the meantime, we (Pastor Joseph, Jessie, and Ann-Margret) settled in, met with our friends Arayik and Nelli, and started organizing the next few days.
On Day 2 we connected with Emmi, another dear friend who has become a faithful and hard-working partner here. She is one of about a dozen people who will be baptized on October 14! In the afternoon we drove to a village outside Yerevan to visit the parents of Nelli and Arayik’s daughter-in-law, and they also decided to be baptized. Before we left their home, a few of us drove farther into the countryside to visit another family. This couple lost both their sons—just 19 and 20 years old—during the war several months ago. . . at the same time (one brother tried to save the other and they were both killed). Pastor Joseph shared words of comfort and prayed with them, and we were able to offer them some assistance as well. Please pray for this hurting family.
You can view some photos from Day 2, which give glimpses of our visits and life in Armenia, here in our Flickr photo album.

Mission: Armenia 2021- Update #1

October 4, 2021
Praise God, our team arrived safely in Yerevan. Thank you for all your prayers. Although we are still waiting for one piece of luggage, we have rested, we had some fellowship with dear friends here, and now we have settled into our rooms for the evening. We are grateful for God’s protection and grace throughout the journey, and for our many, many friends who have lifted up this mission work in prayer. You are all so precious to us. May God bless you all. We will post updates and photos whenever we can.