Yesterday I explained the significance of April 24th as the beginning of the genocide of the Armenian people. I promised to tell you Edgar’s story. Edgar is an Armenian/Argentine pastor and missions leader who lives in metro Buenos Aires.

During the 1915 genocide Edgar’s grandmother lost no less than 40 members of her family. By the grace of God she escaped to Argentina. While many Armenian people are filled with hatred and bitterness against the Turks to this day, she decided to raise her family in a different way. She always told them that the Turkish soldiers were just following orders and it would not be right to be consumed with hatred and vengeful thoughts. Her children took the same approach. As Edgar was growing up his parents simply would not tolerate any hint of resentment toward the Turks or anyone else for that matter.

A few years ago Edgar was invited to attend a conference in Arizona with the goal of discussing how to evangelize Turkey. Some statistics suggest that Turkey, once was the very heart of vibrant first century Christianity, is the least evangelized nation on earth. Edgar took another pastor friend from Uruguay with him to the conference.

The two Armenian pastor friends had heard that a few Turkish pastors had also been invited to the conference. They wondered how that would be and how they should handle this opportunity to be in such close proximity to Turks. Though neither of them was prejudiced, they were realistically aware of the incredible hatred and animosity between the Turkish and Armenian peoples. Arriving at the conference, they determined to ask the organizers for an immediate opportunity to ask forgiveness of the Turkish pastors on behalf of their people.

The conference organizers were quite taken back by the request of these two Armenian pastors from South America. “What? Aren’t the Turks the ones who massacred your people? Shouldn’t they be the ones to apologize to you?”

The Armenians explained that they were not concerned for any apology from the Turks, and that they could only be responsible for their own actions and attitudes. The truth is, they explained, many Armenian people carried the baggage of decades of hatred and bitterness. This is what they had to confess and get off their collective hearts and consciences.

The conference leaders suggested that they wait until the last night of the conference when they were planning to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, feeling that would be an appropriate opportunity. Edgar and his friend continued to insist that they would prefer to do this as soon as possible, but eventually yielded to the wishes of the organizers.

The first night of the conference was in full gear when, suddenly, a Turkish pastor ran to the front and grabbed a microphone. Apologizing for interrupting, he explained that he was under deep conviction and just couldn’t wait a minute longer. He had heard that a couple of Armenian pastors were in attendance and he had to clear his conscience. He eloquently asked forgiveness of the Armenian pastors on behalf of his people.

You can guess what happened next. There was an unprecedented time of mutual confession, forgiveness, embracing, weeping and rejoicing. Everyone got a lot more conference than they had anticipated.

Edgar went back to Argentina and began the Friends of the Turks Fellowship (Confraternidad Amigos de los Turcos). To this day Edgar continues to cast his vision of seeing the Turkish people come to Christ and being an agent of transformation to promote reconciliation and healing between the two peoples.

When I think of Edgar’s story it makes it hard to understand people who allow far less offenses to drive a wedge between people whether two church members, marriage partners, friends or co-workers.