The generosity of New Jersey resident and FAR donor John Thomas reached a church full of children in Armenia on Easter Sunday.
Orphans, along with children who have lost at least one of their parents, gathered together for worship at the small church in the town of Berd, which is perched near the Azeri border. Among them was Alvina, whose father was killed by an Azeri sniper’s bullet just before she was born. Hers is a story similar to others in this region who lost their fathers during the military conflict with Azerbaijan during the 1990s and its subsequent skirmishes. The history of unrest keeps residents continually living in fear.
Yet, for at least one day that fear subsided a bit when each child was invited to pray with priest Der Hayr Aram before receiving Mr. Thomas’ small gifts and monetary stipend — an amazing help for these families.