Jinishian Jottings - Emergency Appeal for Citizens of Artsakh (the Nagorno- Karabakh Republic)

They left their homeland in fear of persecution and ethnic cleansing …   A heartbreaking tragedy is unfolding in Armenia due to the continuous greedy and barbaric invasions by Azerbaijan. More than 120,000 innocent people of Artsakh (the Nagorno- Karabakh Republic), who had been starving for more than nine months under a severe blockade, are now being forced to leave their homeland to save their lives. They are escaping in fear of persecution and ethnic cleansing, leaving behind an irreplaceable cultural and religious landscape that includes at least 300 Armenian cultural heritage sites, from exquisite medieval monasteries to historic cemeteries with famous iconic Armenian engraved cross stones. As recent history of just the past two years proves, the risk of dismantling, destruction and falsification of these cultural and religious sites is inevitable.

Even more devastating is that their escape is very rough and unsafe. There are numerous casualties and assaults on the road until they get to Armenia. Moreover, young men crossing the border are under the danger of unlawful detention. Most of them are destined to replenish the list of missing, which currently exceeds 500 people. As of Sept. 29, 2023, more than 80,000 forcibly displaced people are in Armenia already — the rest are blocked on the roads. All of them are in a critical state: their bodies exhausted from malnutrition and continuous escape, their hope shaken by injustice and betrayal, and their minds severely traumatized by war. Most of them are ill and need immediate medical care. Once fed and recovered, they will need a place to stay and work to take care of their families. Later, they will undergo a range of psychological and physiological consequences from the trauma of relocation and transition into a new life they never chose. We all could relate to this to some extent.

What can we do together now to assist in immediate relief? Provide medication and rehabilitation services to those severely harmed. Provide food and means to cover basic human needs. Provide free physical and psychological treatment to the injured at the Dr. Norayr Baboumian Sevan Rehabilitation Center. What do we plan to do later as a development program for those who have already settled? Provide knowledge, skills and capital to start small businesses. Involve children and youth in our Education and Civil Society projects to speed up their integration into their new environment.   As there are about 120,000 people affected, including children and the elderly, more resources will enable us to assist more people. We have been blessed to be on this noble journey together with you, inspired by your trust and generosity. I strongly believe that droplets of kindness save the world, which helps me continue to be part of a mission that supports countries literally on fire.

No gift is too small: Whether you cover daily or monthly basic human needs, or contribute to a long-term sustainability plan, we know that it will be life-changing for these children and their families.

May God bless and save you and your family, Eliza Minasyan,  Coordinator Jinishian Memorial Program Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Your gifts go directly to build up health, faith, farms and businesses by empowering local JMP teams in Armenia, Lebanon, Syria, Istanbul, Jerusalem, Artsakh and Georgia. To make the greatest impact, consider making a monthly gift.

Give Securely Online