Vazgen Dan Margaryan

My name is Vazgen Margaryan, and I was born in Yerevan, Armenia, into the humble family of a simple builder. My childhood was marked by numerous challenges—at school, in our neighborhood, and at home. Fear was a constant companion. However, from a young age, I found solace in my faith, learning about Christ and believing in Him. Inspired by the teachings of the Bible, I prayed for those who caused me pain.
Our family faced significant financial hardships. There were days when we had nothing but bread and onions to eat. Despite these struggles, I am profoundly grateful to God and my parents for their resilience and support. I grew up with a sister who shared these trials with me, and now I have a brother, 17 years my junior, both of whom are blessings in my life.
In the 5th grade, my parents decided to send my sister and me to a Christian school. The school was quite far, and since we often couldn't afford the bus fare, we would pay for one ticket instead of two, leading to frequent conflicts with drivers. We would share a seat or stand to avoid trouble, but disputes were unavoidable. After a year, I returned to my old school while my sister continued at the Christian school. The Christian school was not free, and I often worried about the financial strain it placed on my parents, although I appreciated their sacrifice and love.
After high school, I enrolled in university with the ambition of creating and implementing a new program. However, when I presented my plan to the dean, he told me it was impossible, leaving me disheartened. I then awaited my mandatory military service, which every young man in our country must fulfill for two years upon turning 18. Military life was tough, filled with conflict and a struggle for dominance.
Upon completing my service, I shifted my focus to agriculture at university but left due to the corruption and outdated curriculum. I then took a night job at a hostel and concurrently studied at a Bible school. During this time, I met a beautiful girl named Diana at a model casting. We became friends and eventually decided to live together secretly, as it was considered dishonorable in our culture to live together without marriage. After nearly seven years, we decided to marry officially.
Our journey together was filled with various attempts to start a business, facing failure after failure for different reasons. After our wedding, we took a more pragmatic approach. By then, we had established a marketing organization and had studied various businesses, understanding their workings and the nuances required for success. We ventured into larger construction projects, export, marketing, and trading.
Then we welcomed our first child, a beautiful baby girl named Noemi, whom we considered a divine blessing. A year later, war erupted in our country. Despite our comfortable life with a luxurious home, car, high income, and a precious child, I felt compelled to join the fight. The allure of war, to me, was its potential as a path to heaven—a way to die honorably since suicide is considered a grave sin.
Answering the call to arms was agonizing, especially for my wife, who knew the odds of my safe return were slim. On the battlefield, I confronted the harrowing spirits of death, chaos, panic, anger, and hatred. No movie could ever capture the true terror and reality of war. Miraculously, I can recount seven distinct instances where God shielded me from death, demonstrating His mercy.
As our forces suffered devastating losses, retreat became inevitable. Many deserted, died, or fled. After days of enduring a mental state dominated by fear, a few friends and I decided to return home, feeling abandoned by our superiors. By some miracle, I made it back, with my wife meeting me halfway. The next day, waking up felt surreal, as if the war had been a terrible dream.
I turned to the Bible, seeking solace and answers. Before the war, my sole ambition had been to amass wealth. For weeks, I immersed myself in scripture, seeking understanding. Yet, the lure of wealth pulled me away from God once again. I pursued financial gain through morally dubious means, which led me down a dark path filled with smoking, drinking, drugs, and constant partying. Disobedience, quarrels with my parents, and an insatiable desire for more money consumed me. Pride took root, bolstered by my military experience, wealth, and connections.
Then, one fateful day, I crossed paths with criminals whose arrogance matched my own. A confrontation ensued, ending in a brutal fight that I narrowly won. Knowing these men were capable of murder, I took my wife to a hotel for safety. By that time, our second child, Adam, had been born. That night, our worst fears were realized. They ambushed us with automatic fire. I was wounded in the leg, and my beloved wife was killed instantly in the attack. I desperately tried to get her to a hospital, but it was too late. The police arrived, and I faced the unbearable news of her death. My friends abandoned me, and my world shattered.
Left alone with two children, I lost everything—wealth, friends, and the support of my wife's family, who harbored deep resentment towards me. We endured days so dire that we couldn't afford bread. In my despair, I contemplated suicide multiple times, desperately searching for meaning and wisdom in my suffering. Each time, God intervened, saving me from myself.
Today, my life has transformed remarkably. I plan to detail this journey in an upcoming book, where I will share how everything changed. This account has captured the essence of my experiences, but the intricate tales of war, loss, pain, and hardship will be elaborated in separate books.