Mission: Armenia 2021– Day 17 to 19
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.