Forever Homes for Abandoned Armenians

I have been in Armenia since Monday, and have spent such precious days with our residents.  Today we celebrated Nor Dari (New Year) a little late together.  We had a table full of festive food and the residents sang carol after carol.  I think they literally sang to their heart's content, and to mine.  They recited poems, expressed wishes for the coming year, and we spoke of treasured memories from last year.  It was a sweet time. 

Perhaps the sweetest part was that we were *all* gathered.  Not one of the residents was missing.  Anna and Sassoon have been home for almost two years now and the life has come back to them.  It has filled them up again.  Their eyes dance when they smile.  They smile.  And they have found a way, through practice and careful guidance from our amazing staff, to live peaceably with the other residents.  

As I watched them sing and clap and eat, I was reminded of the simple fact that this is why we do what we do.  So that these dear people can gather around a table and break bread and toast to another year and know a little bit of love in their lives.  

On this trip I have also been able to meet our newest resident, Arsen.  He is a gentle soul, quiet and reserved, for the most part.  Arsen is more recently orphaned, so experienced a lifetime of love from his mother and father.  This is evident when you meet him -- and I see anew the beautiful gift that it is to be loved, and the poverty for our other residents to not have experienced such love as children.  Arsen told me the first day that he is only staying at Warm Hearth temporarily.  I imagine that it is very hard to accept, after a lifetime of familial love, that one has to begin again.  There is love at Warm Hearth, and for him, but I recognize that it isn't the same as the love of a family.  

Even so, we continue to do our best to be a family to our residents.  My sister, who is here with me (as is my father), noticed a family tree in the hallway of our home that has each of our residents' photos along with the year they were born.  What a precious testament to what we are trying to do.  I am grateful for the staff member who has so has internalized the spirit of our work that she thought to do this for our residents.  

Thank you for your part in our efforts.  Thank you for your commitment.  It has made all the difference to these fourteen people who call Warm Hearth home.  

Sincerely,

Natalie (for us all)