Thursday, August 21
Day 12
Wednesday was a “refresh” day without any official mission work so we took the opportunity to visit Pastor Joseph’s grandmother’s grave along with his cousin Anahit, whose parents are buried in the same plot. (The cousins’ fathers were half-brothers.) It was moving to see the Hovsepian family name engraved there for perpetuity—a tangible reminder of the heritage of faith that has been passed down through so many generations.
We then spent a few afternoon hours with Arayik and Nelli. It can be easy to forget that even though they are partners in this ministry, they also have their own concerns and worries and needs for encouragement, and so it was good to spend this time of fellowship with them, sharing segments of our testimonies and other life stories, and giving Pastor Joseph the opportunity to provide some pastoral care. We returned to the hotel to relax for an hour or so, then went for dinner. Upon returning to the hotel, we had a short farewell and prayer time with Joel, who would be leaving early the next morning.
Day 13
As with Shubroto’s departure, Joel’s absence left a small feeling of emptiness in the morning. It was good to have him with us for the time he was able to get away, and as Joel was on the prayer calendar today (this was not planned but a providential coincidence!) we prayed not only for his safe travels but also that God would use this time to reinforce his faith and his spiritual walk.
Around noon, Emma joined us at the hotel and then we went to pick up Pastor Stepan to visit a few members of his church. The first visit gave the one remaining non-Armenian in the group a taste of authentic Armenian hospitality: no asking and no taking no for an answer; just a staunch determination that we would leave well-fed, and by our hostess’s own hand, as she loaded our plates again and again. On a spiritual note, after a discussion about the difference between infant and believers’ baptism, she and her daughter both expressed an interest in being baptized, so we shared the details of Tuesday’s service and now look forward to their participation.
After dropping off Pastor Stepan, we visited a woman who shared with us how conflict in her family is distressing her and weighing her down spiritually. She was open in her sharing, but also very receptive and grateful for the advice that Pastors Joseph and Stepan offered her. At the end of the visit, as usual, we prayed for her and we hope that our words of encouragement will remain with her in the days ahead. We then went to visit Hripsime, an elderly woman who had just been released from the hospital, where she’d been treated for a heart problem. Some of you may remember seeing a video from a previous year of the group singing a hymn together in this same house. Lucine, a member of a local Pentecostal church, was there to keep her company and do some cooking and housekeeping, so we enjoyed a very nice discussion with both of them about the importance of personal faith and solid doctrine—regardless of denomination. We sang a few hymns, in Armenian and English simultaneously.
In the evening, our team (down to three now) walked to a restaurant close by where, to our delight a troupe was playing, so we were able to appreciate some Armenian folk music. As of the writing of this report, we have no firm plans for tomorrow so we will be excited to see what God has in store for us. Kisher pari!
You’ll find a few more photos, showing some art around the city, and bonus video clips in this album.
English