Mission: Armenia 2021– Day 9 & 10
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!
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