From massacre to deliverance

Today, Friday, April 24th, on Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, I am handing over the floor—or rather, the pen—to my father, Jean Keuchkerian. He is here to introduce you to Haïg: his father, my grandfather, and the sole survivor of the genocide within our family. If you wish to read his full account, "From Massacre to Deliverance," you can find the link by clicking here.

Why re-release my father’s book 35 years after its first edition? The answer is simple: to allow his childhood story to live again. It is a story that remains unforgettable, especially considering what is still happening today, not only to the Armenian people but to so many others.

The younger generation must understand that human nature has not changed. Even today, man is capable of inflicting the worst atrocities upon his neighbor. Yet, there is a constant: faith, hope, and love will always triumph over evil.

As my grandfather once told his son, Haïg:

"My son, you will stay alive. Smoke will continue to rise from our chimney, and our house will always be a home."

My father returned to his village some forty years after the genocide. My sister and I had the joy of joining him on that journey, where we saw his village, Tekmen, in Turkey, with our own eyes. There, he was reunited with his sister-in-law and the miller's son, both of whom had escaped the slaughter.

When the villagers saw us arrive, they assumed we had come to reclaim our houses and our land. Suspicion was written all over their faces, and the initial welcome was far from warm.

They asked us why we had come. My father replied in Turkish—a language he had never forgotten—telling them that because of everything he had been through, he had become a Christian. He told them he had forgiven them, and that if he hadn't, he never would have returned.

From that moment on, the atmosphere transformed. They spread blankets on the ground in front of his old house, laid out every kind of fruit imaginable, and we all rejoiced together.

A passage from the Book of Hebrews perfectly summarizes my father’s life:

"By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of his sons, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff."

In his final weeks of life, he sat almost motionless, leaning on his staff in front of his white-hot stove. He said very little, but there was a twinkle in his eyes that reminded us of his unwavering trust.

When the time came for my father to leave this earth, a peculiar event interrupted the final chapter of his life. My stepmother called to warn us that he was in his final moments and that we needed to come immediately if we wanted to see him one last time.

My eldest son, Samuel, and I rushed to Lamastre to say our last goodbyes. When we arrived, it was clear he was in his final hour. In the next room, his wife had already prepared the clothes and shoes she wanted him to wear for his final resting place. My son and I prayed with him, asking God to watch over him in his final moments and to walk with him through that final passage. We asked for God’s blessing and we waited.

A few moments later, a hospital staff member delivering meals burst loudly into the room, asking a rather absurd question for someone about to meet their Heavenly Father:

— "What does the old man want to eat?"

We were shocked by the lack of sensitivity, but do you know what happened next?

"The old man" suddenly sat bolt upright in bed. From the brink of death, he came back to life and answered the woman without a second thought:

"Pasta."

It was his favorite dish.

Completely stunned, I asked him what had happened, as he seemed to have regained all his strength. He replied:

"I saw a door open, and behind that door was death. I saw my wife crying in a corner and I said: 'No, not now,' and the door closed."

He left the hospital shortly after. God granted him two additional years of life.

Even though my father eventually passed away, his faith—like that of the many witnesses to God's grace surrounding us—still speaks today, even though he is gone, as the Bible says in Hebrews.

I hope his story encourages you to run the race that is set before you.

Jean Keuchkerian

If you are moved by the subject of forgiveness mentioned in my father’s story, I invite you to read my post on this topic: Forgive and Step Into Your Destiny. Don't forget, you can always contact me to talk or to pray.

Get the book "From Massacre to Deliverance" here.