“In everything give thanks. This is what God wants you to do because of Christ Jesus.”
I Thess. 5:18)
November 2020
My Dear friend,
I hope this note will find you and your loved ones well and safe.
I thought I was retired, but I was wrong; I am busier than ever.
We are about to celebrate Thanksgiving. I am sure many of us have mixed feelings. We have the conflict between Azerbaijan and Turkey in Artzakh (Karabagh), the Coronavirus and the deportation of our people from their homes and villages. Humanly speaking, life is becoming unbearable.
As you can see in the videos below, hundreds of thousands are leaving their homes. Some are burning their houses, that they built 20 years ago, not wanting the Azerbaijanis to dwell in them. Datee monastery, which was built by the help of one of the apostles, Thaddeus, was surrendered. The priest, Fr. Hovhannes, whom I met personally, with tears in his eyes, kissing the cross stones said, “I will not leave this place, I will stay to protect the monastery.” A mother, on leaving her house was asked “Do you have anything to say for all of these things that are taking place?” She said, “I see one difference between this deportation with the 1915 deportation, in 1915 our ancestors left their villages by foot, now we are leaving by cars.”
A question arises. How can a person be thankful in all these calamities?
I am sure, the God of our forefathers, hearing and seeing the groaning and the agony of our people will surely come down and rescue them. (Ex. 2:24) The question is How? To be honest with you, I don’t have the answer either. But one thing I know; the nation “Who fear him, trust in the Lord, He will be their help and shield.” (Ps. 115:11)
Meanwhile, we are helping the deportees and mercenaries to find accommodations and supplying their daily needs, to make sure they are comfortable and comforted.
Thanksgiving is almost here, and we have many things to thank God for. Life is not full of roses and sometimes we experience thorns on our pathway, but as I quoted above, Saint Paul says we have to be thankful in everything and in every circumstance.
I personally thank God, who is enabling us, through your prayers and financial support, to soothe our people’s pain and suffering. Just imagine the agony of the parents who lost their children in a war that ended with “surrender.”
We always find that it is easy to thank God when everything is going well but it is not so easy to thank God when everything appears to be going wrong. Our people from Artzakh (Karabagh) are appreciative and thankful to God for all the help that we are privileged to render through you, who are helping us to make it possible. God bless you!
We all know it is hard to be thankful when we go through hardship, but I believe that Romans 8:28 ALWAYS is in effect., “We know that God makes all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are chosen to be a part of His plan.” Sometimes we don’t know how it works, but if we love God, we must accept the fact that He knows how to operate His “business.” I have personally experienced it many times.
Once again, I thank those who are joining us with their prayers and financial support. God bless you. Please, continue praying. It is desperate and urgent!
Wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy, Healthy, Blessed and a joyful Thanksgiving.
Prayerfully, with gratitude,
Archpriest Aram Stepanian
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