Armenian Golgotha – A Tale of One Man’s Survival

I’ve always wondered if anyone has ever survived to write his personal account about the daily lives of the Armenian intellectuals who were gathered at different parts of the Ottoman Empire on April 24, 1915 to be sent to their doom.


Now, for the first time in English, the memoirs of Father Grigoris Balakian’s Armenian Golgotha, is published for the whole world to read and have a glimpse of the horrible atrocities that befell on the Armenian community of modern Turkey. Father Grigoris Balakian’s book remains one of the few written accounts by a genocide survivor – full of evidence of the Turkish leaders’ connivance – who went on writing down his horrifying experience describing in gruesome detail what he saw and witnessed, and how he spent the next three years struggling to remain alive.

ManoChil

Celebrating Three Birthdays at the Pastor's House

With the initiative of the Yeretsgin, Mrs. Vera Svajian, the Emmanuel Chanitz youth and a group of junior youth were invited to the pastor's house after the church service to celebrate the birthday of Ms. Shaké Geotcherian, Mr. Hagop Kalebjian, and Mrs. Vera Svajian.
After singing the birthday song in 3 languages and cutting the cake, the gifts were opened.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Ինչո՞ւ

Alpha Retreat By the Emmanuel Chanitz

Organized by the Chanitz Committee of the Armenian Evangelical Emmanuel Church, the youth had a two-day retreat in Dhour el-Shweir.
The youth worshiped together, played games together, dined together, watched the session by Rev. Gumble, and then divided into 3 groups to discuss the subject further and how we as youth can apply, what questions we have, and what related issues we face.

Emmanuel Church's Junior Youth Share Their Christmas Event With the Children at Birds' Nest

On Saturday, 26 December, 2009, from 9:30pm till 1:00pm, the Emmanuel Church's Junior Youth shared their Christmas event with the children at the Birds' Nest orphanage.
42 junior youth participated in this mission, and they organized games and sing-songs for the kids, and played with them and befriended them. At the end of our time, we distributed to each and every kid our gifts that we had brought with us.
We all returned changed, knowing that we did what Christ had sent us to do.

Emmanuel Church Junior Youth Event: Disguising in Different Costumes and Characters

The Emmanuel Badaniatz Leaders' team organized an event where each person was to disguise himself/herself. Many of the junior had disguised themselves very well, and the leaders had a tough time deciding as to who had the best costume.
After each person showed their costume, the leaders announced the winners (a male and a female): Congratulations to Steve and Nanor. Steve had disguised himself as Zoro, whereas Nanor as a queen.

From the Administrator

Lately, our readers may have noticed the increased amount of ads within the emails, one of which was the 1/Feb/2010 newsletter, in which ads were displayed, that may not always coincide with our mission.
We still do not have control over all the ads, and we hope that we will be able to raise funds, to pay the annual fee, and control the ads displayed.

On another note, we would also like to clarify and remind our readers, that the authors of each article bear the sole responsibility for their views. Chanitz.org will give space to different kinds of views, within the borders of respect. Otherwise, if you have another point of view, please write them in the comment box, or by replying to the newsletter email.

Keep praying for this ministry.

Administrator,
Raffi

Emails and Messages #12

Mrs. Arsho K. Demirdjian (Lebanon) commenting on (Կը Վախնամ Ամուսնութենէն): "Ays nutin ngadmamp amenagarevor kordzoghoutiounne, "AGHOTEL" aysinken Asdoudzo gamke hartsenel antsin masin (gam nutin).
Yergrort "SBASEL" vor Asdvadz tsetsene kezy harmar antse!
"Derotchmov oorakhatsir, vasenzy Aniga gouda kezy kou serdit khentrevadzknere".
By the way I liked the pic. a lot!hehehe "

Mrs. Seta (Canada) commenting on (Կը Վախնամ Ամուսնութենէն): "I feel your worries and concerens about Marraige
the world has taken a Beautiful gift from God and has difiled it by it's own ideas and ways, and we as a Church are also beeing effected and inffected by the society and their idiology
it's the enemy (satan) that is destorting the Covenant of God that He's put between Man and Wife we got to be discerning
if we were to look around and eveluate weather we should get Marraied or not i would deffinatly not
there is alsways a (But) if we keep it God's way
which by the way is the only way
i think Marraige is designed by God only for The Church for the Born Again Beleivers how else would Ephisians 5 make sence if the wife is not submitted to her Husband as she is submitting to Christ, and Husbands love your wives as Christ loved His Church and gave Himself for The Church
this is the true Model of Marraige but if you don't understand the love of God then ephisians 5 would be just a piece of litriature and head knowledge and the power of The Holy Spirit would be missing to operate in your life and good luck trying to be selfless and lay down your life for one another, beacause naturally we are all about ourselves , what can i get ? what about me ?
but the secret to a happy marriage is to die to self but how is that done ? well to know and understand that i love you beacuse i iam loved by God unconditannaly because while i was yet a sinner Christ Died for me
it's very simple yet deep,, and very humbelling
so should people still get Marraied inspite of what's going on yes !! absoulutly !!
God took one look at Adam and said (it is not good for a Man to be Alone, i will make him a helpmate suitable for him ) Genesis 2:18
God also said in proverbs 18:22 (he who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from The Lord )
so the secret formula for a happy and succsesful marraige is that the mate that you are seeking and also yourself if the couple loves God with all thier heart and all their mind and all thier soul , and all thier might , and love thier neighbor (wife) as themselves then what's the problem ? so yes with Jesus Christ in our midst there is great hope in marraige in this messed up world ! and He makes everything beautiful ! "

Mrs. Maral (Sweden) commenting on (Կը Վախնամ Ամուսնութենէն): "Hi yeghpayr, amen havadasyal aghchig yev dgha al iraru harmar chen, anshushd kides asi.
Payts meg pan guzem esel nuynisg yete aghotes yev bsagvis perfect gyank mi sbaser, kani menk martenk, merzoravor yev engjevas jamanagnere unink.
mas me havadasyalner yerp zoukerun hede harser unenan ge mornan hisusi sere yev paregame sirele ,yev miyayn ink ir anse ge mdasen.Yev gark me adenner ir skhalin badjare ir zouyke gella , nuynisg lman havadken al vaz gansni mege.
Payts park Asduso vor lav jamernal gan, payts tjpakhdapar hazvakuyt e.(manavant yerp mege bzdigner uni garderiyi darik).
Love U bzdig yeghpayres,
Kouyret
Maral "

Պրն. Յակոբ Կոճիկեան (Lebanon) replying to the comments on (Կը Վախնամ Ամուսնութենէն): "Շնորհակալ եմ Արշօ, Սեդա եւ Մարալ: Ես իբր հաւատացեալ երիտասարդ անշուշտ կ՛աղօթեմ այս նիւթին մասին, եւ վստահ եմ թէ՝ եթէ Աստուած պատրաստած է կողակից մը ինծի համար, վստահ ան լաւ կողակից մը պիտի ըլլայ: Բայց, այս յօդուածը գրելուս պատճառը ոչ թէ միայն անհաւատներու կեանքերը դիտելով գրեցի, այլ՝ նաեւ հաւատացեալ զոյգերու եւ ընտանիքներու: "

Mr. Sarkis Karamekian Junior (São Paulo - Brasil): "Shat harkeli hayrenagitsner.
Tzer hadug lure pagetsing mer gaiketrchin.
http://www.armeniaeterna.com.br/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=956&Itemid=1
Havidenaga Hayasdan Radiojame , misht tser dramatrutian dagneng.
Jerm parevnerov

Hosnag Sarkis Karamekian Junior
São Paulo - Brasil."
Raffi's reply: "Thank you so much Sarkis."

Pastor Steve Muncherian (California, USA): "Hye Raffi and team,
I appologize that this took so long. I finally put a link on our home page to Chanitz. You all are doing great work. May God richly bless you and keep you moving forward to His glory.

In His grace,
Steve "
Raffi's reply: "Thank you pastor Steve. We would like to mention that pastor Steve's website is: www.muncherian.com"

Albert and Sona Khatcherian (Canada): "We wanted to thank you for the many newsletters you send to us. We are really blessed by this ministry and pray that the Lord continues to be glorified through this ministry. Many times we see the pictures and read the stories and we miss the time we were in Lebanon with our fellow believers, but we know that no matter where we are, that is our missions field. God bless you all and thank you for the wonderful work you are doing for the Lord!"
Raffi's reply: "Thank you Albert and Sona. You are a blessing to us wherever you live. I specially thank your support and encouragement and blessing through your visit to Lebanon."

Yeretzgin, Mrs. Datevig Sarmazian Youmoushakian (Australia): "I Envy you guys :-) I wish we had few dedicated people like you in our church, we could of moved mountains."
Raffi's reply: "Thank you Mrs. Datevig for your encouraging words. I appreciate your support."

Mrs. Anahid Artinian Jamgotchian (Saudi Arabia) commenting on (Emails and Messages): "Raffi,
It has been brought to my attention that a comment has been posted in my name. I would like to inform you that I never wrote that comment. Furthermore, I have never attended a Christian sporting event. I request that you remove that post immediately and in the future verify the identity of the writer before posting their name.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Anahid Artinian Jamgotchian "
Raffi's reply: "This was quickly corrected. Thank you Anahid for pointing this out. "

Pastor Obed Boyadjian (Monte Video, Uruguay): "Queridos hermanos en Cristo:
Agradeciendo los envíos e informaciones acerca de vuestras maravillosas actividades en pro de la extensión del "Reino de Dios", mucho estimaremos se sirvan enviar además de mi dirección a la de nuestra Iglesia que es la siguiente:

Fraternalmente:
Obed Boyadjian"
Translation: "Dear Brothers in Christ:
Thanking deliveries and information about your wonderful activities for the extension of the "Kingdom of God", many feel will serve well send my address to our church that is:

Fraternally:
Obed Boyadjian"
Raffi's reply: "Thank you Pastor Obed. Our heartfelt greetings and blessings to you and The Church."

Caroling, Spreading and Reminding the Good News that Jesus Christ is Born!

On January 5, at 9:00pm, the Emmanuel chanitzagans had already gathered in the Chanitz room to carry on the mission of caroling to the houses of the church members and whoever opened their doors to the Good News.
This year, a group of veteran chanitzagans decided to take part in the mission. After practice and prayer, the youth distributed into 3 teams and went from house to house, from neighborhood to neighborhood on feet and by cars. The chanitzagans, also, did not want to forget the Elders' House and they took the opportunity to visit them and sing to them the Christmas carols.

Below are the pictures from the two teams that we were able to gather. Enjoy!

The Article «Կը Խօսի՞ս Հայերէն», Written By Mr. Daniel Zeitounian, Continues to be Debated

Mr. Mihran Jizmejian (Canada) wrote...

Dear Friends:


I have been enjoying reading the articles published in the Armenian Evangelical Church - Chanitz Youth.


The Armenian language problem, be it reading, writing or speaking in the Western world and the Diaspora is becoming extremely difficult. The question is, can we fight against assimilation? If yes, for how long?
Yes, may be we can put up a strong fight through our educational systems in our schools, but what is the persentage of the children who attend Armenian private schools? Speaking for Canada and specifically Toronto, I can say that out of an Armenian population of more or less 25,000, we have a maximum of 400 students in our two private schools. To make matters worse, the students in the mentioned schools more readily communicate in the english language than Armenian.


What is the solution to keep our armenianness in the Diaspora. It is not easy. The process of educating armenianness must start at home, parents must be the first teachers and also the role models for their children and must work hard to instill in the children the pride of being an Armenian.