Armenia CropHovhannes is a husband and father in Armenia. He’s a member of a local church and now spends his time serving the Lord. But his life was much different before he accepted Christ.

“I was a very sinful, good-for-nothing person,” he says. “I lived separated from my wife and son for a long time. Many times, I considered committing suicide.”

His wife, a believer, began attending church with their son, and Hovhannes was not happy about it. “I treated both of them in such an awful manner,” he remembers. “However, as God’s Word says, a Christian wife can lead her husband to Christ through her behavior. Thank God, this happened to me!”

Hovhannes began attending church with his wife and soon after became a follower of Jesus. “The Lord’s Word came to help my separated family and strengthened our love and respect for each other.”

Hovhannes was so excited to be a follower of Jesus and began sharing the Word with everyone around him. He started visiting neighboring villages, searching for people with whom he could share the Gospel and start in-home Bible studies.

“These villages are five to six miles apart. I spent a lot of time walking from village to village,” he says. “This took a lot of time and my shoes were worn out quickly. Last year, my son bought me a simple car as a present.”

Now with his own transportation, Hovhannes could share even more, but he lacked materials and training to dig deeply into the Word. His church hosted a Project Philip Bible study training for leaders. “I’ve been able to start new home groups and children’s groups in many villages using Project Philip materials,” he says. He went on to complete Bible League’s Church Planter Training.

The pandemic made ministry difficult for Hovhannes. Though he wasn’t able to visit as many people personally, he started hosting online meetings. He’s been able to comfort those grieving, those who are sick, and those struggling with unemployment. “I praise the Lord that I was there to visit those desperate families to share the Word of God,” he says. He’s also started outdoor services so people can safely gather to worship.

Hovhannes is grateful to Bible League supporters who have made his ministry possible. “I am very thankful to all of you who have played a role in my spiritual growth by providing Christian materials, which I still use in my ministry,” he says. “I praise the Lord for your support as I reach as many people as I can.”

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