For a Lebanese-born immigrant living in the United States for decades, my story is one filled with resilience, patience, and healing faith. My family heritage extends far beyond my years of being rooted in faith and religious backgrounds.
My grandparents on both sides were survivors of the Armenian Genocide. My maternal grandfather was the Dean of Seminary in Turkey and was assassinated as one of the leading intellectuals during the atrocities. My grandmother was raised in a devout Christian household as the daughter of a pastor. My father moved to Palestine at two years of age with his parents, where he attended the local seminary and joined the British Armed Forces to become an interpreter with his command of many languages. My mother was a registered nurse and a school teacher in Lebanon, also serving as a Sunday School Teacher in the Armenian Apostolic Church where we attended church every.
Hagop Bedikian with Dr. Lee
In Lebanon my father worked for the United States Embassy and was kidnapped as a government employee for 40 days; only released because he was able to converse with his kidnappers in fluent Arabic. I was 15 at the time and this event resulted in a terrifying trauma. My mother would gather me and my younger brother for nightly prayers asking our Lord for peace and the safe return for my dad.
My parents decided to leave our home and move to Los Angeles with the whole family, seeking a more promising future for us and arrived in Los Angeles in December 1976, with four pieces of luggage and $400 to our name.
After enduring several years of adjustment and hard work, I was admitted to UCLA to study Electrical Engineering, minoring in Armenian Studies. After two years, the Engineering Program at UCLA was extremely theoretical, so I decided to embark on a practical program. After some research and inquiry, l transferred to Cal Poly University, Pomona, where I graduated cum laude with Honors and received many job offers.
Hagop Bedikian with Pastor GregAfter years of prosperity, my parents and I purchased a home. Just as we felt the product of our hard work, my 57-year-old mother was diagnosed with sudden acute leukemia. She spent nine months in the hospital, where I was beside her daily from early morning until midnight. Several weeks after my 27th birthday, my mother died on a Saturday evening in the presence of my father, brother and me. To this day, her death was the most painful experience in my life, yet one that resulted with me looking to my faith for healing and comfort.
The focus now was on keeping our dad healthy. My brother and I decided to make our mother’s dream come true by starting a family business. I invested the resources and my brother invested his time. A few years later, we both married and each had a daughter. Unfortunately, our marriages were cut short. Our family was split into five households, as our father was hospitalized with a sudden heart failure and placed in a nursing home. The kids lived with their moms and my brother and I were on our own.
I attended to our father’s needs and managed the photo business while focusing on graduate school in environmental engineering at USC.
1999 was a turning point. I accepted the Lord on my knees at Church on The Way in Van Nuys, CA at the Holy Spirit Conference. I learned the seminary program at Kings Seminary and enrolled in the Biblical Studies program, helping our pastor in the Hospital and Prison Ministry. These were years of Spiritual Growth and maturity in knowing our Lord Jesus Christ. My brother joined me at Lake Avenue Church in Men’s Ministry, where our daughters volunteered in the Children’s Ministry. Professionally, I continued my engineering career both in working and part-time teaching in engineering at CSULA.
After dad passed away, while I was home alone I experienced a sudden mild stroke. I raised my right hand and prayed. The Lord gave me the strength to crawl to reach my cell phone. I could barely speak and was taken to the ER with elevated blood pressure. After a month in the hospital, I was transported to a nursing home for several months of rehabilitation.
Praise God, I was given life through prayer and supplication. Currently, I serve in the Glendale Adventist Hospital and assist the Chaplain as a volunteer. I conduct weekly Bible Studies in my current residence, a retirement home. I continue to regularly attend various church programs and biblical discussions at local churches.
Ever since childhood, I grew up in church and developed a deep faith that helped me overcome the many crises in my life. Through faith, patience, and perseverance, as James wrote, I am reaching for the goal to reach sanctification.
My desired goal is to study theology and advance in my theological doctrine and knowledge, hoping to teach theology professionally. I have understood the significant impact the Bible and the Lord have on my life, to bring me comfort and peace when all else in my life was in chaos. I hope to instill this same feeling of consolation and reassurance to others who face terrible life crises of their own. From this program, I believe I will learn invaluable lessons from my peers and discussions, to continue opening my eyes and heart to the Lord and His blessings.