Children's Camp 2011

At the pool
Once again, I had the privilege to be a leader at the Children’s Camp in Anjar. My first experience last year was so amazing that I decided to volunteer again. Therefore, I would like to thank the committee for selecting me and giving me the chance to serve as a leader at the Children’s Camp.


Games
We were overall 61 children and 14 leaders. The number of leaders may sound big, but I still ask myself how we could have run this Camp smoothly without each and everyone’s help. The leaders’ group included: Hagop Akbasharian, our main leader, Liza Hekimian, our badkamaper, Jiro Ghazarian, Jano Baghboudarian, Zaven Bardakjian, Sero Kelougian, Gassia Danaoghlian, Aline Tahazian, Garin Haidostian, Anita Andonian, Arine Baghdoyan, Lory Aintablian, Palig Kilaghbian and myself, Vahe Jebejian.


Lunch
Everyday the children woke up at 8 o’clock, did some physical exercises, and then had their breakfast. Afterwards, they had their devotion, menig bah, with their room leader. Worship was led by the leaders. The band (Lory Aintablian – piano and Jiro Ghazarian – guitar) added warmth and enthusiasm to the time of worship and singing. Right after this session, Liza Hekimian presented the message of the day in a very creative manner, using puppets and drama to explain her message. The children had teamwork, where they discussed the daily message and did some crafts according to the message of the day. Lunch was followed with a break of approximately one and a half hours that was followed by games, shower, and dinner.


Menig bah
The theme of this year’s Camp was Prayer, a topic which I consider and find very appropriate to teach young children as they come to know, understand, read and grow their interest in the Bible and Jesus Christ. Liza Hekimian presented many aspects of prayer and about how we should pray for the well-being of others and not just for ourselves. One subject that I liked the most and I think generated a lot of discussion among the children was about forgiveness. The children asked questions such as: “But baron how many times should I forgive?” “Should I forgive without even someone saying sorry or asking for forgiveness?”


Sunday at church
Every night we had a different program: a general knowledge quiz, where the children were just as out of control as they were having fun, an Armenian night, where the children sang on top of their voices! And so it goes on… The last day I think was the best night for the children. They enjoyed the company of the marching band of Anjar! The smile on the kids’ faces was just priceless! Children who had been quiet for different reasons during the Camp were now clapping and moving to the beat. They were so happy!


Worship
This Camp was not only a great time for the children but also a very inspiring time for us leaders. I think all of us during this Camp grew in the Lord much more. Thanks to Hagop Akbasharian, who organized creative prayer times every morning before the children woke up, we enjoyed the Lord’s presence among us. I even remember one leader say, “During different moments of the Camp, the little child in me woke up. It was as if my spirit was enjoying and rejoicing in the Lord as a little child!” Praise the Lord!


Finally, I want to express my deep gratitude to the people who made this year’s Camp an amazing experience for both the children and us!


Vahé Jébéjian

Mrs. Maral Deyirmenjian Preaching in the Mrouj Church

On Sunday, August 21 - the eighth worship service, for the summer of year 2011, was held in Mrouj Church. Mrs. Maral Deyirmenjian, principal of the Armenian Evangelical Central High School, gave the sermon. Ms. Ani Baboghlanian, a member of Elders' Committee of the Emmanuel Church, led the worship. After the service, the church had fellowship and reception.











Book Launch Announcement: Towards Golgotha

Title: Towards Golgotha

Location: Haigazian University (Auditorium)

Date: Friday, September 9, 2011

Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm

Description:
HAIGAZIAN UNIVERSITY PRESS cordially invites you to the launch of:

TOWARDS GOLGOTHA
The Memoirs of Hagop Arsenian, a Genocide Survivor
Translated and Annotated by Arda Arsenian Ekmekji

Guest Speaker: H.E. Dr. Tarek Mitri

Remembering Mrs. Alice Khachadoorian-Shnorhokian, Who Tells Us What She Saw of the Genocide

This is a repost, published in 2009






Memories and Witnessings

Zabel Vasslian: I saw her about four years ago. She still remembered who I was (from 5th grade Sunday school). She remembered who was in my Sunday school class - I thought hard to remember, and she was right!. She remembered my mom from their early twenties... She gave me a quick two minute education on stroke signs, and told how she felt she was having a stroke, and called the first aid, and how she recovered so quickly because she took early action.

Hratch Svajian: I Have fond memories of Rev Manasseh and Alice Yeretsgin. My first memory of the reverend was when he came to Tripoli to deliver a sermon at the church . and we gave him a ride with our car. I was a little kid at the time but was somehow inspired by him and can’t even put it into words in what way. Then when we moved to Beirut, I always enjoyed hearing him when he visited AEC for chapel service, or reading his articles in Chanaser. Later, on during the war, they lived close to us in Marmekhael and we developed a special friendship with badveli and had many informal visits. During those times I was studying in Armenia and he was working on a book about the origin of the Armenian evangelical movement in Armenia which he strongly believed had started from within the Orthodox church and much before the western missionary influence in the diaspora. He wanted me to interview people in Armenia and get him additional information about the movement so he could include in his book . I enjoyed discussing various topics with him and have been inspired by him in ways that I can remember with fondness. After my mother died in 1979 and my sister Hasmig delivered her baby two days later, the yeretsgin often came to help out with various things and was very helpful having been a nurse. It’s nice to see that at that age she is still alert and intelligent.

Battling against the Forces of Evil

This is repost, published in 2009

Negative energy, karma and positive thinking – these are the 21st century’s buzz words used by famous psychology gurus all over the world.

The constant advice that psychologists impart on us today is to possess good karma, impede negative energy, and propagate positive thinking. Words like evil or sin have all but vanished from the books and lectures of our academicians and scientists to the extent that people now mock and belittle anyone who speaks of the presence of evil. The world claims that there is no such thing called evil – only the proliferation and retraction of negative energy. No sane person would believe in evil spirits insisting that these are fairytales that the media sells through children’s books.

I understand that one cannot have tangible proof about the reality of evil because evil has no physical form. So how can we be sure that we are not alone on this planet? I personally believe in the presence of evil – it is real and it lurks among us. However, I cannot fully explain evil because it is part of the unseen spiritual realm, while we humans belong to the physical realm.

So what exactly is evil? Socrates describes evil as merely ignorance, while Plato illustrates it as the absence of good. During the Bible study at the Emmanuel church youth gathering, a friend described evil as anything that hinders the work of God; another described it to be the source of laziness; and yet another friend considered any disagreement among believers as stemming from evil.

Now the Bible mentions that one of the gifts of the spirit is the gift of discernment which means that those who possess it have the ability to identify evil in a person or in a gathering or place. However, everyone is prone to advocating – consciously or unconsciously – the diabolical schemas of the forces of darkness. I believe that evil breathes hatred, murder, disagreements, wickedness and malice among people. But it works behind the scene; it never plays up from front. It’s because of its subtle maneuvers that people underestimate its role among us.

Paul announces in Ephesians 6:12 that we do not fight against flesh and blood but against the evil spirits against which we have been embarking on a spiritual warfare. Hence, we as believers in Christ should always be aware that our fight is not against flesh and blood but against the higher powers of this world, against the forces of evil. Therefore, we should all be on guard to not let evil gain a foothold among us.

From a personal point of view, I have felt the works of evil within the church itself. Unfortunately, we never realize that the evil works heavily among the community of believers to tear it apart. There is countless number of believers who have retreated from the church community and cut themselves off because somewhere we weren’t aware that many times we were perpetuating and advocating the works of the dark forces. I only ask God that He may give us the wisdom to accept our wrongdoings and the humility and power to rekindle the long lost fellowship with our forgotten brothers and sisters in Christ.

As a conclusion, I want to say this: Whenever we face fierce disagreements, hatred or divisions in our households, among friends, colleagues or within the church, we must be aware that evil is working among us trying to create havoc through and among us. Our duty as believers in Christ is to stand still, hold our ground and resist the forces of darkness at all cost.

ManoChil

Rev. Soghomon Kilaghbian Preaching in the Mrouj Church

On Sunday, August 14 - the seventh worship service, for the summer of year 2011, was held in Mrouj Church. Rev. Soghomon Kilaghbian , pastor of the Armenian Evangelical Church in Ashrafieh, gave the sermon. Mr. Samuel Svajian, a member of Elders' Committee of the Emmanuel Church, led the worship. After the service, the church had fellowship and reception.