Հայուն Գոյապայքարի Ճանապարհը (The Armenian's Path Of Struggle For Existence, By Hrayr Jebejian)

The book is an anthology of articles written by the author over 30 years, from 1979 to 2010. These articles appeared in Armenian newspapers and magazines published in Lebanon and Diaspora. As the title suggests, the articles highlight the national, cultural, political, social, and economic challenges of the Armenians in Lebanon, Armenia, and the Diaspora. The articles are compiled under the following main headings:
- National Thinking
- A Diasporic Perspective
- Christian Identity
- Lebanese Belongingness
- A Denominational Understanding



Evidently, these captions underscore the author's thoughts, concerns and outlook on some of the issues, beliefs, opinions, and perspectives Armenian communities in Beirut, the Gulf, England and the United States of America hold and struggle with each in its own context. His genuine interest and subsequent writings about the challenges and aspirations of the Armenian communities in these countries and many others demonstrate the author's awareness and understanding of the significance of these communities and their struggle for the preservation of the Armenian culture, identity and faith in a globalized world.

The bulk of the articles, though, deal mainly with the Armenian community in Lebanon where he was born, educated and lived until 2005. Presently, Hrayr Jebejian is the General Secretary of the Bible Society in the Gulf whose headquarters are in Nicosia, Cyprus. He is married to Dr. Arda Boyneria Jebejian. They have two children, Vahe 17, and Alik 16.

A Visiting Church from Norway

On Sunday, 17 October 2010, a group of Christians from Norway, with Tom Hoglind, participated in the worship service at the Armenian Evangelical Emmanuel Church. Rev. J. Meland shared about his previous visits to Lebanon and about the church in Norway, after which they presented a famous Norwegian worship song.



Rev. Dr. Movses Janbazian Hall Dedicated in a Special Ceremony


Mr. Kevork (George) Apelian

On Sunday, August 18, on the occasion of the 70th Anniversary of the Armenian Village of Ainjar in Lebanon, a special ceremony was held at the Armenian Evangelical Secondary School (AES) to dedicate a newly renovated multipurpose hall in memory of Rev. Dr. Movses Janbazian, on the 10th anniversary of his passing.
Rev. Megrdich Karagoezian, President of the UAECNE, was present at the ceremony where the ribbon-cutting was done by Mrs. Sona Janbazian Koucharian, sister of Rev.
Janbazian.
The new Janbazian Multipurpose Hall includes a sound system and LCD projector and will be used for workshops, lectures and other meetings as well as for a chapel for the elementary students.
Ainjar was the hometown of Rev. Dr. Janbanzian, former Executive Director of the Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA). He received his elementary and high school education at the AES School of Ainjar. He was also a member of the Armenian Evangelical Church of Ainjar and had served the congregation as a Sunday School teacher and a youth group director.

Summer Playground Report – 2010, U.A.E.C.N.E. Social Action Committee

Cheers, laughter, and excitement filled the premise of the Armenian Evangelical Social Center in Trad, Bourj Hamoud, from July 12 – August 13, 2010. 100 children gathered every weekday from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm and became part of the exciting Summer Playground activities that were designed to meet many interests and to leave a positive impact on the children.


With the leadership of Miss Liza Barsoumian, the Counselor and Children’s Worker of the Social Action Center, Mrs. Maro Topeian, Mrs. Dzovinar Gumushian, Mrs. Kohar Jambazian, Miss Talar Kassarjian, Miss Alice Iprajian, Miss Nanore Saghrian, Miss Nareh Kerdian, Miss Nazani Svajian, Mr. Hrag Avedanian, Mr. Vartan Doudaklian, Mr. Sero Kelougian, Miss Areni Svajian, Miss Caroline Keshishian, Miss Roubina Margossian, Miss Dzovig Arnelian, Mrs. Vartoug Barsoumian, Miss Zarmig Soussani all enjoyed being with the children, whom they wanted to serve with a caring heart and creative mind.









8:30 am was the time when kids gathered and got prepared to start their day. The program included worship time, Bible lesson, Psalm memorization, continuous story, and free games. Children of elementary age were asked to choose one of the following activity clubs: Crafts, Sports, Cooking, Dance, and Theatre. The groups gathered every Tuesday and Thursday, and each learned new things according to the specific club. The crafts group made interesting and creative items to be exhibited during the closing event. The cooking club prepared yummy food for the whole students to eat and enjoy. The dancers and theatre crew got prepared to perform in front of their parents during the closing event. As for the sports group, the participants followed the coach’s instructions in stretching, playing sports games, and staying fit.


Thursdays were announced as “Cultural Day”. During those days, the children were introduced to the history, culture, arts, and songs of each of Lebanon, Armenia, Italy, and France. The Kindergarten had its special program of crafts, story-telling, worship, games, and other recreational activities.


Fridays were reserved for outings. The children enjoyed visiting and playing at Beirut Mall’s Adventure World, Youpie Park, Blue Beach and Living Colors.
In addition to the visit of the “Parev Pokrigner” animation group to our center, other activities included a joint event with the Armenian Evangelical Emmanuel Church’s DVBS group, and a visit to the Old People’s Home (CAHL) where the children met with the older generation and sang, recited verses, and listened to the grandparents residing at the institution.


The whole program, along with the closing event, wouldn’t have been possible without the readiness of 17 leaders who chose to play an active role in making this summer remarkable for the children.


We thank God for being with us during the five weeks of DVBS, during which we enjoyed many blessings through His little creations and through the talents which He has endowed the leaders with. We pray that the seeds that were sewn be watered and nourished by His Spirit, according to His wisdom.


August 2010

Photos of the 2010 Summer Playground of the U.A.E.C.N.E. Social Action


Outing to Beirut Mall


Outing to Youpie Park


Outing to Youpie Park


Visit of the “Parev Pokrigner” animation group


Visit of the “Parev Pokrigner” animation group


Visit of the “Parev Pokrigner” animation group


Armenian Cultural Day


Lebanese Cultural Day


Lebanese Cultural Day


"Foul" Eating


"Foul" Eating


Dance group


KG Worship


KG


Swimming at Blue Beach


Swimming at Blue Beach


Returning Back from Blue Beach


Games


Games


Games


Visiting CAHL center


Visiting CAHL center


Visiting CAHL center

Personal Statement on Kamp Armen, by Garabet Orunöz (Turkey)

Deaf Friends,


Kamp Armen was our ATLANTIS which We had built with our own, very hands. I won’t say much... I was sent to Kamp Armen, because I was orphaned. My prayers are for Sara. Makasçi who sent me there, for Hrant Küçükgüzelyan who was our constitutive principal and for Hrant Dink who had been struggling against the camp’s seizure, May God bless them all!
Kamp Armen was the name of our childhood house. I had learned ‘the art of living’ in there. I had never seen my mother, but was never deprived of love. I had never felt that it was necessary to hide away the tears.
In Kamp Armen, I had learned not only to share, but also to jealous... the glory of success and to concede defeat; to come to terms... the value of having few, and that sometimes, too many is weary.
I got bored sometimes. I had tried to escape for a couple of rimes. I was caught. I got the bashing.

I was surrounded with nature, with our animals. We had a horse, a dog. We even had a couple of monkeys: cows, sheep, goats, turkeys, gooses, ducks, chickens, bees... I had learned how to take care of these animals; how to inoculate a tree and get three different fruits from the same branch in there.
I had learned the smell of the earth after rain in Kamp Armen. . . to look for the mushrooms, which I wiped on my trousers, in its garden; in the garden where I had also found my orphan sister afterwards.
I had learned how to light a fire in cold winter nights; to dream about my future in hot summer days, and not to lie under my circumstances in Kamp Armen.
I had learned not to let anyone to judge me when I am right and not to judge anybody for his/her rights; but to listen, but also to question... to resist for my rights and to standd still when I know I am right in Kamp Armen. I had learned to have a simple way of life; to say yes, and to say no; to say I want to and to say I don’t want to in Kamp Armen.
I had learned to finish school season with one outfit; to be clean, to appreciate kinship, teach it to the one who does not...
I had also learned in there to speak in short; that everything has an end, including the life itself.
I had learned that one has three rights to ask for (and I saved them for the end):
One, to respect hard work; two, to say ‘I love you’ and finally; three, to lose... I had learned them all, in Kamp Armen.


Garabet Orunöz