PARAMUS, N.J. and TAVUSH, Armenia — In September 2015, Haik Tevosyan, a soldier guarding the borders of Armenia in the Tavush Province was killed by an Azeri sniper.
Armenia’s President Serge Sargisian posthumously awarded the Military Medal to Haik Tevosyan for protecting the borders of the Motherland courageously.
Tevosyan’s family lives in vulnerable conditions in the village of Norashen, in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. Their income is at the minimum poverty wage. He leaves five children, three of whom are minors.
When the Armenian Missionary Association (AMAA) became aware of the situation of the Tevosyan family, the poor condition of their half-built home, and the fact that they do not own enough cattle to provide nutrition and income (in addition to a few sheep, which are kept in the yard), embarked on the renovation and repair of their home.
During the renovation, AMAA Executive Director/CEO Zaven Khanjian, who was in Armenia at the time, visited the Tevosyan family with other AMAA representatives, and brought some urgent necessities for the family members. After examining the dilapidated home and the condition of the family, Khanjian said. “The AMAA will keep the warmth of this hearth. We will do our utmost to offer to Haik’s wife and his children hope for a better future.”
The AMAA recognizes the daily struggle of border village life in Armenia. Constantly bombarded by sniper fire, the people in border villages face life and death decisions among their daily routines. In order to help these people, the AMAA has been actively involved in bettering the quality of life in border villages. Among many other projects, last year, with the cooperation of the AMA-Australia, the AMAA also helped build a new playground in Choratan, a border village. Projects such as these, help improve the quality of life in such a difficult situation.
