VIEW GALLERY: Covering the AMAA Office of Stepanakert to protect from rain

Some of the Evangelical Church of Armenia members gather for a Bible Study

Prayer time at the sanctuary of the Evangelical Church of Armenia in Stepanakert

Clean-up the AMAA office of Stepanakert

Clean-up broken glass and explosion debris

On Monday, November 10, AMAA Armenia Representative Harout Nercessian received instructions from Zaven Khanjian, AMAA Executive Director/CEO, to embark on the opening of the AMAA Stepanakert office as soon as possible, followed by the opening of the Askeran office, the Kindergartens in Stepanakert, Askeran and Martakert and the Askeran Shogh Center.

Khanjian emphasized “The timely opening of the AMAA Artsakh offices and services are imperative to invigorate life in Artsakh, bring back the displaced population, assist those who return and try to bring back life to normalcy as much as we can.”

In response, the AMAA Yerevan office mobilized a team and on the first opportune moment, on Sunday, November 15, a team of eight AMAA and Evangelical Church of Armenia employees drove to Stepanakert to clean up and restore the bomb damaged AMAA office and Evangelical Church of Armenia sanctuary and the AMAA Kindergarten building. The eight colleagues were Rev. Hovhanness Hovsepyan, Rev. Avedis Khatchaturyan, Armen Stepanyan, Vahagn Keshishyan, Harout Nercessian, Victor Karapetyan, Armen Movsissyan and Manvel Asaturyan.

Within six hours, the team cleaned up the broken glass and explosion debris and covered the broken windows with Nylon. The two ECA pastors led the first worship service since the start of the war on September 27.

On Monday morning, Viktor Karapetyan, AMAA Artsakh Representative, opened the AMAA office. All AMAA Artsakh employees will soon return to the various AMAA services in Stepanakert, Askeran and Martakert. The AMAA Shushi employees will continue their services out of the AMAA Stepanakert, Askeran and Martakert offices, Kindergartens and Shogh Centers. It is important to note that, during the war, AMAA Artsakh Representative Victor Karapertyan continued to serve the people of Artsakh by visiting them in their shelters and giving them much needed food supplies, medicines and other necessities.

These are difficult times for the people of Armenia. We mourned the loss of Shushi, Kalbajar and other areas of Artsakh. Yet, we need to move forward and do everything in our power to assist in the repopulation of our beloved Artsakh, which is the pride and joy of Armenians around the globe.

Despite the painful circumstances, the AMAA is committed to the people of Artsakh and will assist the returning families. As Mr. Khanjian later added “We maintain our hope in an internationally recognized free and sovereign Artsakh and commit to do our share in sustaining Artsakh’s continued development and the welfare of its people. Artsakh without its population will remain a hopeless orphan. We aspire to bring its children back to their homes.”