His father was a soldier in the Turkish army and died during the Russian-Turkish war. His mother gave him and his sister to a well-known Turk hoping to save their lives in this way. His mother was deported with many other women. When Hovhannes saw his mother going away he cried bitterly. The Turk could not endure it and allowed them to follow the caravan. Hovhannes took his sister and run after the leaving mass of people designed to exil and death, hoping to meet once more his mother. Unfortunately, he was too little, the caravan had already made miles and miles. On the road some Kourds were coming when they saw Hovhannes and his sister they came towards them. Within a few moments they took both of them to their village. One of them married his sister and he himself was given as a present to the chief of the village. Hovhannes worked eight years as a farmer in that village. An Armenian boy who was going to Aleppo told him about the orphanages here. Hovhannes fled from the Turk and came with the boy to this city. He was not able to support himself so we took him in our reception house.
Hovhannes' sister is still living in the village.
Hovhannes went to find his sister and bring her to us, but he did not return.
Left our care: |