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Refugees of different faiths find help in LA Armenian church

Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church, the Armenian Catholic Church of Los Angeles, has become not only a sanctuary for Armenians in Los Angeles, but also for scores of Syrian refugees who are Christian and Muslim escaping war and persecution.

Refugees of different faiths find help in LA Armenian church

Refugees of different faiths find help in LA Armenian church

STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 18, ARTSAKHPRESS: “I get about 15-20 calls from Syrians a day asking for financial, moral and logistical support. They’re desperate for asylum. I don’t discriminate on the basis of faith,” said the church pastor, Father David Bedrossian.

They land up on the church steps asking for “abouna” (Arabic for father), reported KPCC Southern California Public Radio.

To all the refugees, abouna is their teacher, translator, job consultant, marriage counselor, legal advisor, priest and father. They rely on him for sustenance in a foreign country.

With US President Donald Trump’s recent hardline stance on immigration barring Syrian refugees from entering the United States, the plight of the displaced has become a vital issue.

Even though the U.S. government moved quickly to comply with a federal judge’s order halting Trump’s travel ban, things are still on the edge. “I don’t want to get into the politics of the decision, but we need to find a place to house the persecuted. The onus should also be on the Muslim countries,” said Bedrossian.

He was born in 1968 in Qamishli, northeast Syria. Fifteen years ago, however, the pastor had to flee Qamishli, leaving behind his house, family, and parishioners. Since fleeing, six of his family members and friends have been killed in ISIS attacks. “My mother died in 2013 due to the paucity of doctors in Syria, and my younger brother died a year later because he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder,” he said.

After taking over as pastor in Los Angeles, Bedrossian has focused on refugees. “Earlier, we would get a few refugees per year, but now I get enquiries every week. It’s not possible to help everyone, so I focus on the neediest,” he said.


     

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