Page:Kvartalshilsen (Kvinnelige misjonsarbeidere). 1921 Vol. 14 nr. 4.pdf/4

 

My dear friends!

This summer I received a letter from a young Armenian from Musch, whom God in his great mercy has saved from many hardships, and which I thought I should never see again, as he was seized by the Turkish government and sent away the day before I had to flee from Musch in mid-February 1916, when the Russians were very near. We were considering staying in Musch because I was neutral; but as all Armenians were driven inland, I also decided to flee.

This young man from Constantinople writes to me on June 18, 1921:

... 3 days ago, I visited Sister Alma and was very pleased to have her address. - - - After I parted from you in Musch, I - loaded with government documents - was driven off to Bitlis and then on to Diabekir, where I was jailed for a week. However, on the instructions of some Musch gendarmes, I got out from the prison at Vesi Bey's mediation - which was previously a commander in Musch - and was handed over to some Turkish soldiers who were overseeing the workers who were to repair the roads, to work there. It is impossible to describe the hardships that I went through there, and I do not want to burden you with hearing about it, but I must admit that I always had a vivid hope of getting out alive, and I was not disappointed.

The first information about you I got in 1917 through the German Consulate in Aleppo, where you had inquired about me and, if I am not mistaken, had sought me out. For a long time, I have wanted to write to you to thank you; but I did not manage to get your address, and the German Consulate refused to give it to me.

Of my family, my sister in Erzeroum is rescued and now resides in Erivan with her husband. My cousin from Bitlis is saved with her two sons, they had already moved to Aleppo even before the war, likewise is my cousin's brother's wife saved and I live with them. A year ago, I traveled with my cousin to the Armenian Republic for business; at first everything went well; but later, because of the Bolsheviks, I had to leave everything and flee and reached Constantinople this year at Easter time.

Now, unfortunately, I have nothing to do. My closest relatives and everything I owned I lost in this war and even the precious time was lost. For so long I had to live among the wild Kurds, and when I finally came to Aleppo, I could hardly speak Armenian. I hear you want to come to Constantinople, and I was very happy about that. Then maybe God gives me a second time to personally press your hand and thank you a thousand times. My prayer is that 