Chapter 34

HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS

Vahram’s custom was to rise early in the morning, read the Bible and pray, and then go to the market where he would talk with people and sell books. The fact that he knew very little Arabic did not deter him. He would use every method to spread the Word of God: singing a hymn, playing the violin, using visual aids and speaking a few phrases in Arabic, such as, "Do not harden your heart, dear friend; repent and believe on Christ as savior!" Visiting hospitals, he would talk with the patients and inspire them with joy and hope. Around Amman were nearly seventy villages — some near, some far. Every day he would make his way to one of them. The purpose of his visits was always the same: to make the savior known to the people.

It is said of the famous evangelist, D. L. Moody (1837-1899), that he spoke about Christ to at least one person each day. As for Vahram, it is hard to speculate the number of people he dealt with daily. His fellowship with the Lord was unbroken. He would pray, receive fresh encouragement and go on to tell people about His salvation. The Lord spoke to him anew with the words, "Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water" (Psalm l14:7,8). This clear declaration filled his soul with assurance and courage. It was normal for him to receive such frequent encouragement from the Lord.

Visions that came from God have already been mentioned, also his being healed in answer to prayer. On certain occasions his praying for the sick and their finding health was also touched upon. But he along with the apostle Paul would voice the testimony, "And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated" (II Corinthians 12:7). Vahram laid no claims to uncommon power of healing, to a special position of receiving visions or extraordinary communication with God. He was totally unpresumptuous. His stance would have been apropos in our time when there is great emphasis on personal achievement in the realm of religion.

In Amman a four-year-old boy suddenly could not walk, or even stand. He was constantly crying out in pain. The doctors could not diagnose the affliction. He was brought to Vahram, who laid hands on him and prayed in faith. Giving glory to the name of Christ, he said, "Let him walk!" The Lord immediately healed him. Vahram never talked about the incident. Perhaps there were similar occurrences, but if so, none became common property.

Calling sinners to repentance, Vahram often referred to Hebrews 3:7,8 and in this connection he often used a funny illustration: A man was once invited to an evangelistic meeting by close friends, which he finally accepted.- During the message he was agitated. Not wanting to listen, he stuck his fingers in his ears. 'soon a fly settled on his nose, and instinctively he took his hand from one ear to shoo the fly away. At that very moment the speaker was repeating the scripture: "Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, 'Today, when you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness'." That instant, his sinful heart was pricked. He listened to the rest of the message, repented and received Christ as savior. On another evening when Vahram was preaching, someone brought his brother along, who was known for his hard-heartedness. During the meeting the man persisted in rejection. Suddenly he stood up and shouted, "This man is lying!" Pandemonium ensued. The man became more indignant. "If I'm-wrong, may God strike me!" he cried. His brother wished the ground could have opened up and swallowed him, and he regretted a thousand times ever bringing him.

Home they went, the rebellious brother muttering to himself all the way. Arriving at home he demanded in his usual harsh way, "Start the fire under the boiler! I'm going to have a bath. Then I'll eat." His mother complied. But time passed and he failed to come out of the bathroom. They banged on the door, and from inside they heard groaning. Breaking open the bolted door, they entered and found him dying. His believing family cried to God to spare his life. He revived. As soon as he came to, he gasped, "I want to repent: God truly did strike me. Never again will I trifle with God." That day in the bathroom his heart was opened to Christ, and he gained assurance that his sins were forgiven.

The next morning he went to the market-place and related to everyone what had happened, calling them to repentance. "Do not harden your hearts," he said. "I was stupidly hardened. I was on the brink of going down into eternity still in my sins, but God pitied me. And He will pity you." That night he went to the meeting and testified to the very people he had troubled the previous evening. Now joyfully and fervently he declared, "God told me that it's dangerous to ridicule Him, to open my mouth against Him. Listen, God had mercy on a miserable man like me and extended his grace to me. He saved me from death and from that which is worse than death, from hell itself! All thanks be to His name!"

An unsaved young man was married to a girl from a believing family. He constantly ridiculed their faith and poked fun at the people who attended the meetings. He went to a village outside Amman and found himself entering a meeting where Vahram was preaching. After the message, testimonies were given, hymns sung and then the time for prayer came. People stood up one after another and prayed. After awhile he stood up and began, "Oh Lord,...!" and stopped. Someone else stood to pray, but he continued standing. God granted him the spirit of repentance. Still on his feet, he repented publicly and received assurance that his sins were forgiven. He was totally changed. After this he began to pray, full of faith. In ensuing meetings he would pray two or three times. His joyful testimony was that God had first convicted him of sin, then made him stand up and finally brought him to repentance.

Under the influence of the Holy Spirit the revival that started in Amman spread widely. Even today after so many years older people still remember with praise and thanksgiving that great spiritual awakening. Men and women who repented and came to Christ were afterwards baptised. Heartfelt joy was evident at the baptisms. Those who testified and were immersed in the waters of baptism prayed and gave glory to God for their salvation. They knew that by this act they were giving witness to their passing from death to life. People came to observe this ordinance with which they were totally unaccustomed. Even some of these were convicted and turned to Jesus then and there. The chain reaction was continuing under the control of the Holy Spirit.

Strangely, the evangelist himself had not been baptised as a believer. He had undergone infant baptism at the Armenian Gregorian church. Finally the hour had arrived for Vahram to enter the waters of baptism. It was Leroy Whitman, an English missionary, who baptised him in the Jordan River. He had been instrumental in promoting Vahram’s ministries in the land. Vahram remembered this as one of the happy occasions of his life. .And another happy occasion was the service of his ordination. Leroy Whitman was among several pastors who examined and laid their hands on him in a solemn ordination service. Those who remember that day tell how Vahram’s face was shining. Naturally, Vahram had been ordained by his Lord while in Istanbul. He had already carried an effective ministry for many years. Ordination by his Lord was what counted.

Chapter 35

LIVING MEMORIES OF THE JORDAN REVIVAL

Memories of the revival in Jordan, and especially in Amman in 1950-1951, still generate deep joy in the believers who lived those glorious days. Their children, now adults, were told about everything and even they relate stories of the revival. Many Accounts emerge from those unusual days which are compiled in this chapter.

It was at the end of the Arab-Israeli war. As a result of that initial conflict, a great number of people moved to Jordan. The grief and despair which followed the war with the vast number of refugees prepared the ground to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ among them.

At his arrival in Amman, Vahram naturally attached himself to the Armenians who could also speak Turkish. These believers introduced him to Leroy Whitman, who was pastor of the Free Evangelical church. Mr. Whitman was a man with many years of service in the Middle East and a deep knowledge of the Lord. He sensed the spiritual gifts in this man from Turkey and invited him to preach in a church hall in the heart of Amman.

There was an air of excited anticipation as people filled the hall. The Lord's presence was already in the place. This was attributable in part to Vahram’s earnest intercessory life, deep faith and expectancy. Something was sure to happen. People did not know who this outsider was, but they could tell that a man of God was in their midst. Rising to speak, his usual smile on his face, he began with a simple but earnest prayer. God was visiting this downtown church with profound words emanating from the heart of His faithful servant. His long years of conscientious and selfless service had made him an effective preacher before God and men.

He spoke very simply in Turkish through his Armenian interpreter, Nazareth Ajemian. He exalted the Lord Jesus Christ and pointed his hearers to the cross. Those who remember that first evening in Amman still recall the thrill and delight they experienced. At the end of the simple forty-five minute message, he invited people to pray short prayers. Those who had never realised before that they were sinners were repenting in tears. Young people, especially, were responding to the call to repentance. Hearts that had been stony for years suddenly were melting. It was a very special, unforgettable evening. One of the firstfruits of that evening was Ibrahim Deir, who today, after several decades of walking with God, faithfully continues his witness for Jesus Christ, while engaged in business and serving as a local Gideon.

The meeting was so electrifying that it was agreed to invite Vahram to preach again the following evening. This he was very willing to do. The second evening, the church was even more packed. One of the fruits of that evening was Fawaz Ameish, a young man of seventeen, who had been passing through a period of spiritual uncertainty. "I could not resist the power of the Holy Spirit," he says, "as I listened to God's message and was captivated by the freshness of the truth flowing from the mouth of the earnest preacher." Fawaz committed his life to the savior that evening. Later, the Lord called him into His service. Fawaz has been serving his savior as pastor of the Baptist church in Amman for about twenty-five years, never forgetting the evening that changed the course of his life.

It was evident to all that these meetings were too useful to be stopped. So evening after evening they continued with increasing fervor, devotion and enthusiasm. This went on for a full nine months without a break. Perhaps a trained preacher well-versed in theology would find it difficult to prepare a fresh message day after day for so long a duration. But this evangelist who hadn't had the opportunity to complete even his first class at school knew how to draw living water with joy from the wells of salvation. Every evening with his uncomplicated messages, he brought his hearers into the reality of salvation through Christ. Amman, named Philadelphia in Roman days and mentioned in the New Testament as one of the Decapolis, was witnessing a brilliant moment in her long history.

Interest and enthusiasm increased from night to night, with new people in attendance. Those who met Jesus Christ as their savior, receiving life from Him, will be made known in the glory of eternity. While Vahram was preaching tirelessly every single evening, the taxing work of translating the messages into Arabic took its toll on the interpreters. The three who shared in this ministry, Samuel and Nazareth Ajemian, two Armenian brothers, and Ishak Jemil, an Assyrian, took turns. All of them were effective interpreters under the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Ameish says that when Vahram came to the pulpit his face would be glowing. It is not difficult to comprehend that the radiance in his face was an outflow of the fire within. His rapport with his audience was remarkable even though he couldn't talk to them in their own language. Not only did he have eye-contact, but there was also a beautiful meeting of minds. He inspired confidence. It was as if people turned to the savior because he believed they would. It happened as he expected.

At the conclusion of a message he would invite everyone to stand up and pray in hushed tones. Then he encouraged both men and women to pray short prayers individually. Those pricked in heart started praying one after another, confessing their sins and turning to Jesus Christ in repentance. Then people separated into approximately fifteen prayer groups. Some found new birth; others recommitted their lives to the savior. Every evening the winds of genuine revival were blowing in the hall. It was a true moving of the spirit, something they had never experienced before. Later, Vahram gathered the prayer group leaders together, asking them to pray short prayers in turn.

The length of the meetings was always about three hours. Hearts were broken and many tears were shed. But the ministry was not yet over for the day. Every evening he was invited to a different home where hymns were sung to the accompaniment of his violin, prayers would be offered up and fresh testimonies heard. Believers' insatiable delight in fellowship kept them together until after midnight.

Mari Barsamian, a sister greatly influenced by the revival relates this anecdote: "We were in a home where Vahram was staying, and continued visiting until late. Vahram had already retired to his room. In the small hours of the morning, as I passed his room on my way out, I saw his light was still on. Peeping in, I caught sight of him wrapped in his quilt sitting on the bed, deep in earnest prayer." A brother adds this recollection: "During the day we would see Vahram in the marketplace passionately selling scripture portions. When Muslims declined to accept a Gospel portion, he would offer the book of Psalms or suggest the book of Proverbs saying, "Won't you read the sayings of Sultan Suleyman?" This opened the way to sell a large number of Gospel portions.

One evening he came to the meeting looking downcast. Asked by a brother the reason for his sadness, he replied, "'If someone curses my earthly father I feel bad, but when an irreverent person curses my heavenly Father, my heart is torn to pieces. Come, let's pray for that man." Full of the Holy Spirit, he would always be ready for the meeting. Every evening brought new hearers and gradually the number of seekers grew. Young people's interest especially was captivated more and more. The number of those who abandoned their sin and discovered the meaning of life was increasing all the time. Meanwhile, Pastor Leroy Whitman left his pulpit to Vahram in order to pursue an evangelistic tour throughout Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. In this way he carried the fire of revival to other regions.

The nine months were an unusual time in the life of the church in Amman. Truly it was 'evangelism explosion' before the term was coined. Throughout the full nine months, seven days a week, every evening people were converted to Jesus Christ. A great number from every strata repented, trusted in Christ and joined the ranks of the church. Their faith and devotion continued throughout life. Most converts advanced in holiness, becoming fruitful and useful in the service of their Master. Some emigrated to other lands and carried the flame of revival with them. During his ordination service, Vahram was also dedicated as special evangelist of the Free Evangelical church in Amman. Now the testimony of this church through his ministry was spreading to other lands.

A new chapter was to open at Ajloun in the Gilead mountains, following the nine months in Amman. The Baptists had just taken over a hospital. It was previously run by a British physician, Dr. McLean, who started it in the early forties. From the very outset he was plagued with numerous difficulties in operating it. Roads were unpaved and during the rainy season, a mass of mud. There was a cistern, but no running water or electricity. When a patient needed surgery, he would have to be carried on a horse-drawn wagon to distant Amman or elsewhere. The poor doctor was overworked and overwhelmed with the conditions. Not long after its inception, he gave the hospital outright to the Baptists. They accepted it in view of the opportunity to start a church in Ajloun. Who was better fitted for the task of moving this project forward than Vahram?

So a two-fold responsibility became his: ministering nightly for the forming of the new church, and to the personnel of the hospital during the day. All this work he accomplished, speaking through an interpreter. He also found ample time to visit villages around Ajloun, witnessing and selling scripture portions. In the midst of this all-encompassing work, God was preparing the way for a visit to Jerusalem.

Chapter 36

JERUSALEM AT LAST

Since coming to the Middle East, visiting Jerusalem was Vahram’s cherished ambition. Jerusalem, where the son of God lived, taught, performed miracles and as the prophets foretold, was crucified between two thieves. This was the very place where He was buried and rose triumphantly on the third day, afterward ascending into the heavens from the nearby Mount of Olives. After having proclaimed Christ's name in so many countries to multitudes, it was worth visiting the city which rejected Christ, over which He wept. At last the opportunity was here.

In those days, Jerusalem being under Jordanian administration made it a simple matter to travel from Amman. As everywhere else, churches in this city welcomed Vahram warmly and offered the pulpit to him. Again he preached with God's unction, witnessing conversions and also restoration of lapsed believers. It was his special joy to walk in the marketplaces and streets giving bold witness for Christ and trying to sell scripture portions to everybody. He took this as his own responsibility.

In his preaching from the pulpit, his theme would often centre on the various aspects of Christ's ministry in Jerusalem. His visit to the Garden of Gethsemane, to Golgotha and the Mount of Olives touched his heart deeply. He lamented that the peace of Christ was neither appreciated nor accepted in this city. He prayed earnestly for Christ's feet to stand on the Mount of Olives once again. He recalled the words of Isaiah 66:13: "As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem."

As he walked through the city, he reminisced over the past significance of Jerusalem and was thrilled with its glorious future, as he often referred to Christ's second coming in his messages. A city that was dwelt in for over a thousand years before Christ and is being inhabited until the present had witnessed too many wars and too much destruction. He walked around the walls and observed the gates for which Jerusalem was called 'The city of Gates'. There had been approximately twenty gates. These were named according to the kind of carriages or animals that went through them: sheep Gate, Water Gate and Damascus Gate, because it led to the road for Damascus. The city that Vahram visited had eight gates. One of them had been walled up with stone and made part of the wall. According to a common tradition, when the Messiah comes, it will be opened (Zechariah 14:4).

Although Vahram was an experienced preacher who had read and studied the Bible for many years, this first-hand knowledge of Jerusalem brought an entirely new perspective to his thinking. After Jerusalem he visited Bethlehem, the place were Jesus was born into this world in a cattle-shed. The fact that the eternal Word assumed a human body in this insignificant place in poor circumstances, far removed from any pomp and show became vividly real to him. Vahram thanked God again for assigning him a simple way of life. Here his longing for the return of Christ and the establishment of His kingdom of peace and righteousness was rekindled.

Chapter 37

RETURN TO ISTANBUL

How quickly time had sped by since bidding farewell to the brothers and sisters at the Galata wharf in Istanbul about two years had passed. What a rich and joyful time it had been, packed with unforgettable revivals and other experiences. But now it was time to return to Istanbul. On departure he had told those around him that he planned to return after six months. But God had other plans and kept Vahram away for a period five times that long.

As he set out from Jerusalem for Beirut, he was rejoicing in the Lord for what had been accomplished. The many new believers he was leaving behind had become a part of him. En route, he stopped in Damascus to see the brothers and sisters. After a short journey, he reached Beirut. He could not spend much time there as he wanted to return home. Finally he boarded a ship bound for Istanbul. He was looking forward to a reunion with the old friends who would be waiting for him. Again he was able to utilise the sea voyage as an opportunity for evangelism, which afforded splendid experiences in witnessing. For the past two years the fellow-believers in Istanbul had been unceasingly and earnestly praying for him and for the meetings he had in all the places he went.

The friends in the scattered fellowships of Istanbul wholeheartedly welcomed their beloved Vahram back. He was valued as a brother who had had many years of fruitful service among his people from the time of his own conversion and their conversion (Acts 14:26-28). Immediately the house meetings resumed, where Vahram related his enriching experiences and productive labors under God's mighty hand. He also explained in detail about brothers and sisters in the lands of his travels with whom he had enjoyed such valuable communion. In this way, he established a tie between those believers and the ones in Istanbul. God was again opening up a productive period of service both in Istanbul and Anatolia.

It was Vahram’s practice to refer to a scripture verse before he prayed or preached. It is a custom of the Muslims to utter the word 'Bismillah' before they begin any kind of work. So Vahram reasoned, why shouldn't he begin his spiritual work with a verse of scripture? An example of this can be shown from one day in Beirut when he started his message with this verse: "To Him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever" (Psalm 136:4).

While his heart was full of joy at the mighty deeds of God in the Middle East, the Holy Spirit seemed to be stretching his thinking to other spheres of service. So he prayed, "Oh Lord, where do you want me to serve you in my remaining years? If I am to take up my work again in Istanbul where I left off, I am ready to accept this with joy. If you are going to open new fields to me, I will accept this with equal delight. I simply want to know your sovereign will."

While still engaged in his ministry in the Middle East, he had received an earnest letter from his sister and brother-in-law, Dikranuhi and Misak Balian, who were living in Buenos Aires, Argentina, pleading with him, "When are you coming to visit us?" There were great opportunities for preaching the Gospel in south America, they wrote. And everywhere people were eager to hear the Good News. So they were inviting him to Argentina.

Being greatly encouraged with the Lord's blessing upon his ministry in the Middle East, Vahram wrote in a letter to his sister Beatrice in Istanbul, "Perhaps it is God's design that I should go to south America." And he asked her to pray about it. The Holy Spirit had for a long time been impressing the same desire for her brother upon Beatrice. So she wrote: "Yes, I believe it must be the Lord's will that you go to south America and serve Him there."

Returning to Istanbul Vahram continued to pray over this matter, without telling his friends. Whenever he was seeking the Lord's guidance he didn't consult with anyone. Once he had received the Lord's answer he would then share with others the particular leading of his Lord. He now persevered in prayer, full of faith and confidence. It was not long before he received a positive reply. Now he was to trust God to work out the details about his departure. In the meantime, the meetings in Istanbul were making headway. Believers were strengthened and sinners saved.

After a few years, Vahram’s sister in south America sent the required invitation, along with a ticket for the ship sailing from Beirut. But entry into Argentina was more difficult than expected. Even with an invitation one was not necessarily accepted. But Vahram’s mission was underwritten by the Lord Himself and He would accomplish it. Humanly speaking, the brothers and sisters were sad at the prospect of his going. But at the same time they did not want to hinder him. God's work was not limited to one person's efforts. With this conviction, they committed him into the Lord's safe-keeping and sent him on his way to Beirut with prayer, hymns and their good wishes. By now, it was 1956. He travelled by train and as always, he sold many books and witnessed to people along the way. He felt a new urgency to make Jesus Christ known to everyone.

Chapter 38

LAST VISIT TO JORDAN

Not knowing if and when he would return to the Middle East, Vahram determined that he wanted to spend some time in Jordan again. This verse came to mind: "come, let us return and visit the brethren in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are" (Acts 15:36). so he journeyed from Beirut to Amman.

On his first Sunday morning, Pastor Leroy Whitman welcomed him with open arms. Vahram, his face shining, took his place at the pulpit with a deep sense of gratitude to his heavenly Father. When he caught sight of Ibrahim Deir, one of the firstfruits of the revival sitting in the midst of other brothers and sisters, he was profoundly moved. Burying his face in his hands, he wept, and again the winds of revival began to blow as they had done five years before. He offered up thanks to Christ for His unfailing faithfulness.

Fawaz Ameish, who had been restored to his savior at the previous Amman meetings, was now serving as pastor at the Ajloun Baptist church, where the memory of Vahram’s preaching and assistance at the founding was still fresh. The southern Baptist Mission, under whose auspices the hospital at Ajloun now operated, invited Vahram for a week of meetings. All the hospital staff joined hand in hand to form a circle to welcome him. Those who knew him from the 1950 meetings gave their testimonies. Called upon to speak, Vahram asked in his usual manner for everyone to pray short prayers in turn, including the doctors and other staff, some of whom had never prayed in public before. For the first time in their lives they prayed aloud, and a fresh awakening broke out. Vahram’s preaching from the start was marked by conversions and renewal.

One day the hospital director asked Pastor Fawaz to arrange Vahram’s schedule for just one day. This is how. the day went, taken from his notes which he keeps to this day: "This morning we started with a special service for hospital staff. Our time was limited. At the close of his message, Vahram invited anyone who felt the Lord had been speaking to him, to come to the lounge for prayer. We stayed there the greater part of the day counselling people continuously. Many of them repented of their sins with tears and received Christ into their hearts. As each person left the room, Vahram would say, 'Let us pray for him!' Then after singing a hymn together, we would move on to the next person." Pastor Fawaz makes this interesting observation: "That day I understood what it meant to be moving along in the Spirit all the time. We were truly in the Lord's presence and had no thought for anything but this great work. The Lord of the Harvest had opened up to us a gloriously fruitful field and we were laboring in it earnestly and joyfully.

"At four in the afternoon, eight of us travelling in a Chevrolet station wagon set out for a nearby town. Vahram’s enthusiasm was plain for all to see, as full of joy he sang the hymn, 'Jesus shall come', all the way. Suddenly, at one point, he asked the driver to stop, calling an impromptu prayer meeting. Three times he did this.

"Coming into a village we stopped. A crowd gathered around the car listening to the hymns we were singing. It was a Muslim village. Vahram got out of the car and began handing out scripture portions in Arabic. Then we moved on and arrived in Jerash, where a lively meeting awaited us in the Baptist church. Vahram certainly had a share in the founding of this church, which continues to the present day. His past influence in the places we visited was distinctly remembered. To this day when an Arab believer is asked how he is, he replies in Vahram’s Turkish, 'Hamdolsun! '

"One evening an interesting incident occurred in the Ajloun meeting. A group of about forty young rabble-rousers came in with the intention of upsetting the service. One of them who was politically oriented, a Marxist, shouted, 'I've got some questions to ask you! When Ishak Jemil, the interpreter, said there would be time for questions at the end of the meeting, they all sat down to listen. Discussion with young people was nothing new to Vahram. It was something he took special pleasure in and always found to be worthwhile.

"At question-time they accused Vahram of being a foreign agent and asked why he had been sent from Turkey to the Arabs. He answered in his customary direct and convincing manner, 'I only come because I love you. I don't understand politics, neither am I involved in politics. I have not been sent here by the Turkish government but by the Lord Jesus Christ. As a matter of fact I have been commissioned to the Lord's work by the church in Amman, and sent by that church to the whole world!'." The young men were not satisfied with the reply. One of them, an electrician, abruptly cut off the lights, plunging the hall into darkness. But the meeting itself had finished anyway, so everyone went home. It so happened that the ringleader of the group had a heart problem. Time elapsed. He had a crisis and was taken to the Baptist hospital. In the meantime, Maurice Girges, an evangelist from Beirut, came to conduct meetings in Ajloun. During his preaching, the ringleader was genuinely converted. Afterwards he movingly confessed, 'I was the one who cut off the electricity when Vahram was answering our questions'. "

Vahram was always humming hymns. Two were his favorites: 'Hisus Ismi Shirin Bana!' and, 'Mahsher Günü!' . When he was witnessing to unbelievers he used to sing this second song. Along with these, many of the songs he sang were translated into Arabic, becoming part of the believers' hymnody. In fact, many believers who didn't know Turkish memorised some of Vahram’s Turkish songs."

After Vahram’s last visit to Ajloun, pastor Fawaz Ameish never saw him again. But while attending the 1983 congress for World Evangelism in Amsterdam he met some South American delegates on a bus tour of the city. Conversation eventually turned to the subject of Vahram Tatikian. They had all known him, each one testifying to the benefit he had derived from his preaching. One of the delegates from Argentina called out, 'Mejdan!', the Arabic word for 'glory'. There was no stopping the South Americans from telling one story after another concerning Vahram. Every remembrance of him was still fresh in their minds. As the Scripture says, 'The memory of the righteous is a blessing...' (Proverbs 10:7a).

One of Pastor Fawaz's unforgettable stories is as follows: "My mother was very devoted to her church and was resolutely unwilling to cut her links with it. Many times we invited her to come to our meetings, but she would always refuse. 'In that case,' said Vahram, 'I will go to her church!' One day he entered her church, looking around with reverence and respect. His bright smiling face so impressed my elderly mother that she said, 'I thought one of God's angels had come to church to visit us'."

Chapter 44

A CHURCH REVIVED IN CORDOBA

In August 1958 Vahram moved on to Cordoba, Argentina's third largest city. Joseph was with him as his interpreter. They visited an Armenian church whose whole congregation had lost interest in anything spiritual. They were meeting simply out of habit. A meaningless and tasteless exercise was being repeated every Sunday. The church was without a pastor and people were saying that if one didn't come within two weeks, they would lock the place up. A medical doctor had been trying to carry on some how, but his heart was not in it. He resigned because he had nothing to say to the handful of people. When Vahram met him he began to weep. "In front of me I saw a man who was in 'Babylonian captivity' ", he said painfully. Vahram was so burdened for him that he ;made him a subject of daily intercession. He visited him every day, giving him encouragement from God's word.

Once again the desperate man in Jesus' parable came to mind: "For a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him" (Luke 11:6). This tragic condition of preachers common in so many places, had reached a lamentable depth here. How was God going to use His faithful servant to deal with this plight?

Vahram suggested holding meetings in that church. A few accepted the proposal. The sparsely attended meetings picked up momentum. They were all touched and came to a spiritual awakening in their lives. The Lord of the Harvest answered Vahram's prayers. This doctor who had been on the verge of disbanding the congregation was now reclaimed for the ministry. at his return, others who had previously forsaken the church came back. The doctor assumed the task of interpreting Vahram's messages. The Holy Spirit granted new life to a dying church. People discovered life's meaning (revelation 3:2).

Vahram's ministry soon spread to other churches in the city. Many young people were saved and attached themselves fully to the Lord. They went straight to the public squares and with loudspeakers proclaimed salvation through Jesus Christ. Wide distribution of Christian literature was part of their earnest outreach. Wide distribution of Christian literature was part of their earnest outreach. These were young people who had just been converted. The remarkable transformation in their lives sobered people to consider the cause of the complete turnabout.

Vahram organized children's rallies at which many youngsters received the Lord. This is how he expressed his joy in a letter: "The kids feel so chirpy - they love to sing the new songs they learned. They are giving their hearts to Jesus in every meeting." Vahram felt a special concern for people behind bars. As he had done in other cities, he got permission to visit the prison in Cordoba, too. It wasn't easy, but God intervened and opened the gate for him. With Joseph's help he ministered to the prisoners every Sunday, and these heavily burdened people heard the message of love and joy. They were shown a whole new way of life.

In Cordoba as in other cities Vahram was keen to sell books to the public. He bought up all the Bibles, New Testaments and Christian books from various book-shops and went out to the streets to sell them. People who had never thought of purchasing such books were activated to desire them. And many bought them readily. His old trade which began in Istanbul never lost its zest. He did this everywhere. During the years of his service for Christ the Scriptures which he brought to people in who-knows-how- many-languages, pointed the way of heaven to many a buyer. We shall never know how many tens of thousands of Scriptures or portions Vahram sold. An encouragement to many a hesitant believer in the churches!