Paul writing to young Timothy, says:
“Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (II Tim. 2:22)
As some of you know, for almost three months now I have been confined home, not because of Covet 19, but gangrenous gall bladder disease. At this writing a drain is in place preparing my body for a surgery to follow.
Meanwhile I am not in bed nor seating down doing nothing and waiting for that call, but busy with my dedicated volunteers in Armenia, calling, writing and corresponding with them. Planning for the upcoming Summer camp, securing a new sight, getting in touch with the youth, selecting the neediest children to come to camp and the counselors are being picked up and trained. And the same time planning to purchase a youth center.
Apostle Paul’s prophecy is being fulfilled. He wrote, [Mark this,] “There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. (II Tim 3:1-5)
And the youth in Armenia are not exempts from the above temptations.
For years now we have been working with the children in Armenia, giving them Christian values, the teaching them the Bible, instilling in them the faith of our forefathers and the teaching of the Armenian Church. Also, God’s plan and the purpose for their lives. And now they are grown up. Graduated from the camp.
Last year I called the alumni to join us for a day, just to find out about their present spiritual and daily life.
What a thrill it was to see them grown up, some, of course, unrecognizable, others gotten married and had children. Since their graduation from the Camp we were somehow disconnected from some. It was sad.
In order to protect the youth from the temptations Paul is describing above, God gave me this vision to fulfill. That is, to purchase or build a Youth Center.
By trusting God and on His promise, who said, “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. (Is. 54:2)
Few weeks ago, I asked my people in Armenia to go head and find a suitable property or land to fulfill this God pleasing dream.
Yesterday I received a call from Artzakh, one of my own orphan, who is talented and gifted in construction, who also oversaw (managed) to renovate the school, called me with excitement, informing me that they found a building with 5000 Square feet land for $60,000.00 (Sixty Thousand dollars)
Now it is Wednesday, three o’clock in the morning, I woke up and could not go back to bead, came to my office to write this short, sweet, exciting and very URGABT call.
As I said, trusting in God and to His love and compassion for the orphans, by faith I asked my people to make a $1,000.00 (One thousand dollars) deposit to secure the property. AND THEY DID! In short, now we need $59,000.00 (Fifty-nine thousand dollars) As soon as we have the amount, we will purchase and register to the Hope and Light charitable organization, which is affiliated to the “VOICE” and sign the final doted lines. to make a reality this long dreamed project.
Please, please to not delay making a check payable to: The Voice of the Armenian church, Inc. and mail it with the enclosed envelope. Your contribution is Tax deductible.
I ask you to please, not to put this letter aside, first pray and then make a decision the way the Holy Spirit leads you.
Prayerfully waiting for your response.
Rev. Fr. Aram Stepanian
