Jesus Caritas

'Armenia is a small country between Turkey and the Caspian Sea. There are Armenians scattered throughout the Middle East; they are one of the oldest Christian populations in existence. Brother Charles was a witness to a sad chapter in their history when was living as a Trappist in Akbes, Syria. Beginning in 1895, Ottoman Turks massacred over 100,000 Armenians, and that was just a prelude to the genocide of the early 20th century.

Monastery of Akbes where Brother Charles lived as a Trappist monk

The persecutions reached Akbes in 1896. The silent complicity of the 'Great Powers' was a source of particular outrage to him. He wrote in June of that year: 'All around us, there were horrors... massacres, fires, and looting...' The troops in Marach, the closest town to us, killed 4,500 Christians in just two days.' The Europeans have been placed under the protection of the Turkish government; they have even posted soldiers at our gate to make sure that no one harms us. It is so painful to be in good standing with those who cut the throats of our brothers. Shame on Europe. With one word they could have prevented these horrors but did not. It is also true that the outside world knows very little about what goes on here. The Turkish government has paid off the press, giving enormous sums of money to certain newspapers so that they only publish the official press releases.But the governments know what is going on through their embassies and consulates.'

Ashken and Lubica

The following sharing is from Ashken, a postulant from Armenia:

I was born in Armenia in a small city called Gyumri, near the Turkish border. When I was 10 or 12, I started reading Armenian history, about the wars, and about the monasteries which were so numerous in the early days of Christianity. Today the monasteries are practically empty... I've always had a desire for religious life yet I couldn't imagine how one could do that, because I wasn't very close to the Church. I had no examples [Armenia had been incorporated into the Soviet Union].

Armenian monastery

I used to go to Church to light a candle, and I felt the need for prayer growing in me more and more. For a while, too, I prayed,

'If you exist, O God, lead me, show me the way.'

In the summer of 2003, I started going to Mass every Sunday. There I met the group called 'Faith and Light' [for family members of the handicapped, founded by Jean Vanier]. I learned that there were Armenian Sisters, the Sisters of Mother Teresa. I learned too that there was a Little Sister of Jesus working in the hospital at Achotsk, a little village not far from my home.

The hospital in Achotsk

I went often with a friend to spend time sharing on the Gospel texts and for prayer, and she spoke to us about the Little Sisters, about Brother Charles and Little sister Magdeleine.

In response to my desire to know more, the Little Sisters suggested to me to go to Poland for three months, to see how they live in different communities. That was a time of discovery and of broadening my horizons. It was the first time I'd ever been out of my country.

Celebration at the Community in Czestochowa

In Achotsk and in Poland, I loved the time of adoration, and the work among the people. The days were quite busy, and in prayer in the evening we gave thanks for what had been given us to live, and we entrusted the people we'd met to God... Even if we don't feel anything, God is giving his joy and his peace. I saw how happy the people were to meet the Little Sisters.

Next, they advised me to study a bit of basic theology. I took some courses in the neighbouring country, Georgia. They gave me a deeper understanding of my faith, of religious vocation, of life itself, so my life could be for God.

During that period I lived with a Russian family who'd been in Georgia a long time. I was there when war broke out between Georgia and Ossetia. The priest and my family were afraid for me. But I thought it was better to stay with that family. The elderly lady was sick, and happy to have someone with her, and I felt how you can live among people who need someone to talk to, and be a source of faith and hope and love for them.

After that I returned to Armenia and asked to enter the Little Sisters. Since I also had a desire to get to know and live among Turkish people, Muslims, I entered in Turkey.

Istambul with an Armenian friend

That was a great joy for me, because until then I didn't know there were Little Sisters in Turkey; I had never met a Turk nor a Muslim. There I was, in the country I had learned to think of as 'the enemy!' I was touched by the way the neighbours welcomed me, and how happy they were to know I was Armenian and that I wanted to know Turkish people, and live with them.

I wanted us to be able to live together in a friendly way, but I had never dreamed of actually going to Turkey. There are always 'walls! The borders were closed and I thought it would be impossible. It is impossible for us, but for God everything is possible.

Brother Charles loved the Muslim people very much, and that gave me the desire to love more, with all my heart, and not to see people as evil. I wanted us to be friends, to have no more separations between us, Turks and Armenians. After all, there were some Turkish families who had helped and saved Armenians...

With friends in Istanbul

In Turkey I lived with Little sisters Marie-Claude, Sofia, and Diana. The Muslim neighbours were kind and welcoming. I began learning French, and the Little Sisters spoke to me about Little sister Magdeleine.

When Little sister Magdeleine began in Algeria, the neighbours, Athman, Tahar, and Ali built the community house with her. Her friends were very close, they liked working with her and listening to her, and she liked it too. I am struck by her courage, by the power of her friendship.

I also love our contemplative life very much, completely mixed in among the people. As Little sister Magdeleine said, it's a matter of being with the Muslims - and with all people - in a very open manner, so that faith doesn't become an obstacle.

We are called to live unity. All countries, all religions, all cultures have beauty and goodness, they complete each other, and all together they form the face of the Creation God made. God looked at it and saw that it was good...

Little sister Magdeleine shows us a simple, easy way, the life of Nazareth, Jesus' life. She tells us, together with Brother Charles, that what she's proposing is just the Gospel: living God's Word in all of our life.

All Jesus asks us to do is love!

Friends of the Little sisters in Achotsk