In 24 hours, God willing, we will be sitting on a plane bound for Paris, on the first leg of our long trip home. We've had an incredible mission trip these past three weeks and our hearts and minds are packed tight with memories, prayer requests, praise reports, concerns and joys. Even though we know that God has used us--and the support that so many of you equipped us with--we also recognize that we leave behind countless needs that we would not be able to meet even we stayed for a year. We're humbled to have been able to play a small role in encouraging some families and churches during our stay, and we were encouraged and blessed by these encounters, too.
Yesterday (Tuesday) was our slowing-down day. In the morning, we met one last time with one of the faithful workers here and urged her to continue her outreach ministry despite the challenges or setbacks she may face. It's always inspiring when individuals remain committed to serving the Lord even under difficult circumstances.
We then took a couple of hours to behave like tourists; after some shawarma (something we rarely eat at home, even though there are plenty of Middle Eastern restaurants in Montreal), we walked around the Kentron District (basically the commercial centre of Yerevan, where our hotel is located) and took photos of architecture, passers-by and each other. It was nice to look around with a different perspective and have the chance to observe small details.
In the evening we made one last visit to a family we've connected with over the past couple of years and enjoyed supper and fellowship together. It's always interesting to discuss various issues about life, faith, culture, etc. with people who have grown up and live in a different environment than our own (there were also two visitors from Russia present). We can learn a lot from each other!
The rest of our last day will be spent packing (we've already printed our boarding passes!) and tying up any loose ends before going to bed fairly early. We need to be up by 5 a.m. as we fly out at 8:40. We'll have a 7-hour layover in Paris, which will make our journey drag a bit, but we should be home Thursday evening (Montreal time). Your prayers for our trip are greatly appreciated!
Thanks for following our blog these past three weeks! God bless you. :)
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Last Visits for Mission: Armenia 2014
In some ways it feels like we've been in Armenia for just three days instead of three weeks; at the same time, we've had what seems like three months' worth of experiences! We have a couple of meetings planned for today and then we'll be wrapping up our mission trip for this year and getting ready (and rested, hopefully) for our journey home.
Yesterday (Monday), we visited two homes in Abovyan, a town about 16km northeast of Yerevan. The first family we met was that of a local pastor, Armen, who currently holds meetings in his home. His congregation is actually larger than what fits in his home so they are trying to see whether they can find a larger meeting place for their services and Bible studies. During our visit, a dear lady we met last year, Marianoush, came over because she knew we were there and she wanted to see us again. Last year she had shared a prayer request with us about her youngest daughter, two at the time, who needed surgery. She had the little one with her yesterday and we saw the scars on her leg and foot where she'd been operated to try to straighten her limbs. Unfortunately, she will require another procedure. Please pray for this little girl (we can't remember her name right now). It was lovely to see how she played with the pastor's niece, also three years old, during our visit.
Afterward, we visited the home of Artur, a painter who amazes us with his latest masterpieces each year we visit. We were delighted to also see his mother and his two teenagers: 16-year-old Aida, also an artist, and 18-year-old Narek, a multi-medal-winning boxer who won bronze at the 2014 Youth Olympics. There was much to celebrate in this home, including the recent hatching of five tiny canaries!
Later in the day, we had two last visits with local friends and relatives, trying to grab a few more precious moments with these loved ones before we leave. We're grateful for the fellowship we've enjoyed and will miss our friends here. Thankfully, nowadays we have things like Facebook and Skype to stay in touch!
We'll likely only post one more update before we leave Yerevan, but we'll try to write more after our return to Montreal. God bless you!
Yesterday (Monday), we visited two homes in Abovyan, a town about 16km northeast of Yerevan. The first family we met was that of a local pastor, Armen, who currently holds meetings in his home. His congregation is actually larger than what fits in his home so they are trying to see whether they can find a larger meeting place for their services and Bible studies. During our visit, a dear lady we met last year, Marianoush, came over because she knew we were there and she wanted to see us again. Last year she had shared a prayer request with us about her youngest daughter, two at the time, who needed surgery. She had the little one with her yesterday and we saw the scars on her leg and foot where she'd been operated to try to straighten her limbs. Unfortunately, she will require another procedure. Please pray for this little girl (we can't remember her name right now). It was lovely to see how she played with the pastor's niece, also three years old, during our visit.
Afterward, we visited the home of Artur, a painter who amazes us with his latest masterpieces each year we visit. We were delighted to also see his mother and his two teenagers: 16-year-old Aida, also an artist, and 18-year-old Narek, a multi-medal-winning boxer who won bronze at the 2014 Youth Olympics. There was much to celebrate in this home, including the recent hatching of five tiny canaries!
Later in the day, we had two last visits with local friends and relatives, trying to grab a few more precious moments with these loved ones before we leave. We're grateful for the fellowship we've enjoyed and will miss our friends here. Thankfully, nowadays we have things like Facebook and Skype to stay in touch!
We'll likely only post one more update before we leave Yerevan, but we'll try to write more after our return to Montreal. God bless you!
Monday, September 1, 2014
Third and Last Sunday in Armenia
Yesterday (Sunday), Pastor Joseph spoke at a church in Charentsavan, a village about 45 minutes outside of Yerevan. Although we plan to make several more visits, that was his last "official" duty. Today and tomorrow, we'll be squeezing in last-minute visitations before wrapping everything up and preparing for our trip home on Thursday morning.
In Charentsavan, Pastor Joseph spoke to the congregation--made up mainly of women--on Ephesians 5:13-26, focussing on the fruit of the Spirit that is produced in our lives when we are committed to following and obeying Christ. The response was very positive and several members chatted with the pastor after the service. We were also invited to join some of the church leaders in the office for a light lunch before we returned to Yerevan.
From there, we dropped by the Vernissage (basically a large flea market where you can buy souvenirs, antiques and art from locals) for a bit of shopping and then returned to the hotel.
In less than an hour, we'll be heading out for three or four home visits. We have been inspired by these opportunities to reach out to people where they are and have been talking about ways we can do similar ministry back in Montreal.
Again, thank you for your continued prayers. We have been encouraged by the loving support from our friends and family back home and around the world!
In Charentsavan, Pastor Joseph spoke to the congregation--made up mainly of women--on Ephesians 5:13-26, focussing on the fruit of the Spirit that is produced in our lives when we are committed to following and obeying Christ. The response was very positive and several members chatted with the pastor after the service. We were also invited to join some of the church leaders in the office for a light lunch before we returned to Yerevan.
From there, we dropped by the Vernissage (basically a large flea market where you can buy souvenirs, antiques and art from locals) for a bit of shopping and then returned to the hotel.
In less than an hour, we'll be heading out for three or four home visits. We have been inspired by these opportunities to reach out to people where they are and have been talking about ways we can do similar ministry back in Montreal.
Again, thank you for your continued prayers. We have been encouraged by the loving support from our friends and family back home and around the world!
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