In 2001-2010, we carried out ‘The Kingdom of Heaven to Children’ program, which consists of the following stages: Prevention, Orientation, and Foster Care.
At Prevention stage, the Mercy Ministry Professional Team (a psychologist, a social worker, a pedagogue, and volunteers) prevents the child from getting into an orphanage.
At Orientation stage, the Professional Team discusses the family situation of the child (relationships between the family members, social conditions, risks to the child’s safety), and the results determine whether the child will continue to live with their biological family, or with a foster family.
At Foster Care stage, the child temporarily lives in a foster family, where their safety (if they were abused in their biological family), proper social conditions and education are secured. At the same time, the Mercy Ministry team works with their parents, so that in future the child could have opportunity to return to their biological family.
To make the voice of children heard.
To pass a Foster Care Program Bill constitutionally in the Republic of Armenia, due to which each abandoned child will have an opportunity to live in a warm family atmosphere.
To prevent children from getting into orphanages.
The Professional Team works in 3 directions:
Work with the biological parents
Work with the children
Work with the foster parents
In 2001-2010, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven to Children’ Program showed support to around 1.000 children, who were abused, beggars or socially deprived. The Ministry prevented children from getting into orphanages or boarding schools. They had opportunity to live in warm atmosphere of the biological or a foster family.
I express sincere gratitude for helping my granddaughter, Liana. It is already for 3 months that she is in a foster family, as life in her biological family was dangerous for her. Her mother and aunt had serious mental issues. The child lived in that atmosphere for around 10 years, and it influenced her behavior. Now, praise the Lord, changes are evident. Liana has become punctual and organized. Her results in school have been improved. She is always full of life and joy. One can see the hard and intense work done with her, for which I am grateful to Gohar and the Mercy Ministry Professional Team.
Siranush, Liana’s grandmother
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A Foster Family
Kyaram and Ruzanna Abrahamyan have taken Edgar Grigoryan under their care, with a written consent of Edgar’s mother. Edgar is the fifth child in the family; his father died, and his mother was unable to take care of her 6 children, the oldest being 11-years-old, and the youngest 6-months-old.
Today Edgar lives in Abrahamyans’ family, until social conditions of his biological family are improved with the support of governmental bodies and the Church.
I am Christian, and I want to serve Jesus Christ, Who is my Lord and God. Having found out that “Go and See” Mercy Ministry cares for orphaned and underprivileged children, I decided to do my part. I was told that there was a little boy, around 2-year-old, who needed care. After agreeing with my husband, we became foster parents for that child.
I will never forget October 25, 2005, when we brought this beautiful and clever boy to our home. We already had two adult children, and child’s prattle had not been heard in our home for long. Our joy was boundless. Our whole family was rejoicing over everything he was saying and doing.
To tell the truth, for the first couple of days I felt pity toward him, but as time went by, that feeling changed to love and affection. After he came to our family, the atmosphere of our home obviously changed. My husband became more cheerful; he loves little Edgar so much, as if he were his own son. Our son and daughter started to have deeper respect toward my husband and me. Now they appreciate more everything they have. My son loves to spend time with little Edgar, to play and walk with him. My daughter spends hours with little Edgar and plays with him as well.
Edgar really was a treasure hidden in darkness, which God found and gave to us. He is very clever for his age. He dreams to grow up sooner and to help his sisters and brother, so that they might have a nice house and never get sick.
We thank God for this wonderful child, and we are so glad that we can serve Jesus by taking care for little Edgar. Didn’t He say: “inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me”? (Mathew 25:40)
Ruzanna Abrahamyan
Due to the abundant mercy of God, there have been major changes in my life. After the devastating earthquake in Spitak, Armenia, together with our 12 family members, we started living in a small dormitory room. One day we were visited by the servants of the Mercy Ministry “Go and see”, who helped us a lot.
Through their word we started believing that we would have our own home, and so it happened. We received a beautiful house in Yerevan, Armenia. With the help of the servants of the Mercy Ministry I learned decorative arts and crafts, my thinking skills developed, my taste improved, and I learned to make necessary things out of unnecessary items.
My character changed. Before, I didn’t communicate with people and wasn’t indulgent to them, but now a lot has changed. For example, now I look for something good in bad things, I am filled with love towards people, I have become indulgent to them and started looking to the future with optimism. We used to have a lot of household chores, and as our family was large, I didn’t have enough time to do the things that I liked.
I was taught and helped to manage my time properly, use what I had and to correctly make up for what I did not have. Because of that knowledge, my life has become pleasant.
I have found the purpose and meaning of my life.
Karine Avagyan
14 years old, Yerevan, Armenia
On May 24, 2004, I returned home from prison very angry and upset. I wanted to take bad steps because my wife had left our five children unsupervised (my eldest child was 12 years old). She had been unfaithful to me and gone away with a man. But, thank God, I met a person in the right time, due to whom my life immediately changed.
He explained to me what true life was, as well as what the meaning of my life was and I started walking the right path. The former criminal was filled with faith and generosity thanks to the Mercy Ministry “Go and see”. If it were not for this program of mercy, I would have ended up in prison again.
I believed that it was necessary to start a new and correct life with my children, and I left my wife. I began to attend the seminars organized by the Mercy Ministry, after which I got rid of anger, received help and school clothes for my children. Because of God, the former criminal became an exemplary father.
I used to beat and scold my children a lot, but now I am a loving and caring parent, and my own children do not recognize me. People around me are astonished at all the changes they see in me.
I am deeply thankful to God and the Mercy Ministry that my life has been restored.
I am grateful to everyone.
Murad Sargsyan
Yerevan, Armenia
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN BELONGS TO CHILDREN THE 1ST STAGE
