Page:«Armenia og armenierne.» (Bodil Biørn okt. 1944).pdf/12

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I do not know how else I would have managed. Then I started to work in the refugee camps among the sick and among the women. There were several smaller camps and a large one of 12-15,000 people. They lived there in small miserable cottages or in large communal barracks. An open sewer ran through the large camp, which was very unhealthy. The Armenians sought to decorate small gardens in front of the houses. Many lacked beddings, food and the essentials. Many were happy if they had dry bread to eat. There was plenty to address, and I was happy that God trusted us with this service among the most miserable. Close to Aleppo was a large Armenian district - Norkiugh - with many small new houses where about 6,000 people lived, and there was also a great need there. One had to pay the base rent, for the doors, windows, etc. Again, we got to help someone with their new home. We also helped several others to self-help.

Spiritually, too, there was great distress. After all, many of these newly arrived refugees had lived among the Kurds for 10 years and worked for them to save their lives. They had completely forgotten their Christianity, not even The Lord's Prayer. It was especially among the Gregorian women - those who belonged to the old Armenian church - I began as they were the most ignorant. Protestants usually have more light. Most of the refugees came from the Charput area, from Musch, Urfa and Zeitun. These all spoke Armenian, while those who came from Cilicia mostly spoke Turkish as the Turks there did not allow the Armenian language. To my aid, I had a Bible woman who spoke both Armenian and Turkish. At first, we started out in a big nice building where a lot of refugees were gathered. We worshipped there once a week with quite a few women. There we also started a Sunday school and also one in the Akkaba-camp where many children came.

In Norkiugh and in 4 different campsites, we held meetings for women once a week, and the Bible woman taught them Bible knowledge, reading and writing. In addition, we had two evening schools for women where 2 believing Armenian teachers taught. For a time, we also had one for the men. It was a pleasure to note the progress of these ignorant women. They came faithfully. Although they had been working all day, they came to the evening school twice a week from 8-10. They learned Bible knowledge, reading, writing, and some calculus. There was a revival among them in 1932, and several came to life in God and surrendered to Him. Praise be to the Lord.

Once a week I had a meeting for the believing women in our home. I first held a devotion and then there was testimony and prayer, and it was heartening to hear many of these poor women's testimonies. May they be preserved by God's grace.

Several widows were supported by Norwegian friends, most of them old and blind. It was great to be able to help these lonely old people with monthly contributions. Each month they also got to hear the gospel in a simple way. Several of them were very ignorant, but some were God's children like old Vartuhi Kujumdjan in whose cabin we held meetings. She was very happy to hear the word of God, and she also testified to the others. For many sick people, we were given help to provide a doctor, medicine, food, etc. In the Akkaba-camp, many old people lived in the creepy, cold basement homes. Among them were several with eye diseases. There I met Mariam Magarian, an old lonely woman who had lost all of her family, and who had come all the way from Charput. She had cataracts. I got a good Armenian ophthalmologist to operate her eye, and she got her eyesight back. As she could read, I gave her a really nice Testament. She faithfully came to our meetings and was converted. She sent a sincere greeting to the Norwegian friends. She said to me: "How grateful