TEXAS BAPTIST TEAM DISCOVERS ONGOING NEEDS IN ARMENIA
By Crystal Donahue
Dallas Baptist Standard
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June 3 2009
TX
GYUMRI, Armenia–Three Texas Baptists on a fact-finding mission
to Armenia discovered a country lacking resources and medical
attention–and a people still devastated by a catastrophe that struck
their nation two decades ago.
A 1988 earthquake killed more than 60,000 people, injured 15,000 and
left 500,000 homeless in Armenia. Karen Morrow, Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship’s strategic coordinator for unreached Middle-Eastern people
groups; Linda Fredrikson, children’s minister at Lakeshore Drive
Baptist Church in Weatherford; and Warren Hatley, a Dallas surgeon
who works in occupational medicine, participated in the exploratory
mission to determine how Christians in the United States can respond
to Armenia’s needs.
"It was a vision trip," Morrow said. "The logistical part was the
main thing. We wanted to be able to come back (to the United States)
and recruit doctors, nurses and dentists, but we needed to be able
to tell them what’s there first."
The mission team worked through Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and
in partnership with the Armenian Christian Medical Association,
a grassroots movement founded in 2006 by surgeon Jany Haddad and
Executive Director Kristina Ashrafyan.
"CBF has partnered with the Baptist church Haddad is a member
of in Syria on several projects over the past six years," Morrow
said. "Dr. Haddad invited us to come and see what God was doing
in Armenia … and partner with ACMA to bring in medical personnel
to help increase the level of training of Armenian doctors, nurses
and dentists."
Haddad is joined by more than 25 other medical volunteers who donate
their equipment, money and time to make trips twice a year to offer
free medical services to the Armenian people.
On his most recent trip, Haddad completed 117 outpatient surgeries in
five days. The procedures–including hernia repairs, thyroid surgeries
and gallbladder removals–were performed free of charge.
The Texas Baptist mission team recognized the opportunity to send
in specialized medical professionals to provide advanced training to
Armenian doctors and nurses.
"Part of our strategy is not to do the work ourselves, but to help
facilitate others to do the work," Morrow said.
The Armenian Christian Medical Association and the CBF hope to
enlist medical professionals representing different specialties to
hold seminars and lectures to help equip Armenians with additional
training and knowledge in crisis and trauma management.
"We want people to know that we love Jesus Christ and he calls us to
serve in this manner," Morrow said. ACMA and Haddad "lay the gospel
out for patients … and God is blessing their work. It’s a very
well-coordinated system that seeks to serve the people."
Even though American volunteers can share freely the gospel, they
can expect some obstacles, Hatley said.
"It’s hard to get into Armenia because there are no direct flights,"
he said.
Additionally, not all Armenians speak English.
"It was frustrating not being able to communicate directly with the
people … but surgery transcends the language barrier … and there
were translators to help."
Despite those minor complications, Hatley said "it was a great
opportunity to bless others with the skills you have and use every
day."
The blessings were more than the mission team had expected. In fact,
Fredrikson had never even desired to do mission work abroad, but God
had different plans for the licensed professional counselor.
"Several months ago, I heard the Lord say: "Get a passport. The
world is mine and I am going to show you things. … There is danger,
but there is safety in my hands."
In obedience, Fredrikson traveled with Morrow as a part of a prayer
team for a women’s conference. But shortly after the women’s arrival
to Turkey, Fredrikson felt led to do more.
In the first 48 hours, without any sleep, she wrote four children’s
programs, spoke at a Turkish women’s conference on trauma crisis
training, visited an orphanage, answered questions, led a Bible study
for 50 people and was interviewed on television.
Even though she felt unprepared, God provided and guided, especially
when she and Morrow went to a hospital located at the epicenter of
the earthquake in Armenia, Fredrikson said.
"When we got there, they put a doctor’s coat on me and ushered us into
the surgery room where Dr. Haddad was performing surgeries," she said.
"Most of the patients were women. I noticed many of them were terrified
… and had tears in their eyes."
Fredrikson gestured to them to ask if they needed prayer. Even though
they didn’t understand English, they agreed and closed their eyes.
"I could see peace come over them as the Holy Spirit was moving,"
she said.
The Armenians were thankful for their American visitors. The women were
made honorary members of the Armenian Christian Medical Association,
which is sanctioned by the Armenian government.
God continued to work in unimaginable ways, Fredrikson said. In a
small village church one Sunday, she and Morrow were asked to pray
for the people after the service.
At another community, Fredrikson faced social and ethical
questions. One woman said: "I am pregnant. I already have eight
children and my husband doesn’t want any more. My husband wants to
kill it, is that all right?"
Another asked: "When I pray, God gives me visions. Is that
OK?" Fredrikson said God provided answers for her to share with
the people.
The next day, Fredrikson spoke for a program at the University in
Yerevon. Afterwards, one of the professors invited Fredrikson and
Morrow to her small, earthquake-damaged house for tea. After seeing
the woman’s living conditions, 15 people to one house with open
rooms under unfavorable weather conditions, Fredrikson thought,
"How do these people survive?" It made her realize how blessed she is.
"I experienced God in more of a real way than I ever have before
… and it was the most wonderful experience I’ve ever hard," she said.
Her prayer on the trip was to have spiritual eyes and ears, which
she feels God gave her.
"I believe I was seeing through the eyes of Jesus," Fredrikson said. "I
feel such a connection to the Armenian people. …(God) said to me:
‘Well of course you do. I am in you, and I am in them. You are bonded
together through the Spirit.’"
Volunteers became aware of the sense of impending danger Armenians
feel because they live on a fault line and know another earthquake
could occur any time.
"It’s a time bomb waiting to happen," Morrow said. "It’s not a matter
of if it will happen; it’s a matter of when."
Fredrikson, Morrow and Hatley expressed thanks for the evangelism
opportunities they had, and they look forward to watching God move
in Armenia though medical evangelism in the future.
"We were able to see God at work," Morrow said. "It came from listening
to God’s still small voice, being willing to say ‘yes’ even when we
didn’t know what his plan was and then walking in faith."
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