From Pain to Hope

How the loss of their son became a source of hope for others

Rudolf and Ruzanna never imagined that the greatest loss of their lives would become the very place God would use them most.

In April 2016, conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan erupted into a brutal four-day war. Sixty Armenian soldiers were killed, including 19-year-old Henrik—the youngest child of Rudolf and Ruzanna. In a single moment, their world shattered.

Yet, in ways they could never have foreseen, God began to transform their grief into a source of comfort and hope for others.

A life shaped by conflict
Today, Rudolf and Ruzanna live near Yerevan, Armenia’s capital. To those who meet them, their warmth, humour, and deep affection for one another give little hint of the sorrow they have carried. But conflict has shaped both their lives from an early age.

Rudolf grew up in Baku, Azerbaijan. After completing military service, he worked as a sailor on the Caspian Sea and dreamed of becoming a ship’s captain. That future disappeared in 1988, when violent attacks against the Armenian minority forced his family to flee. With little more than what they could carry, they escaped by train to Armenia.

Ruzanna grew up in Soviet-era Armenia and, as a young woman, joined the Communist Youth Party—a common step for those wanting to get ahead. But at 23, her life changed when she encountered Jesus. She left the party, turned away from communism, and began following Christ.

She later married Rudolf, and together they raised three children. Life was modest, but joyful—until the day Henrik was killed.

Grief that shook everything
Henrik began his military service at just 19. He left home confident, grounded in faith, and deeply committed to Jesus. No one imagined it would be the last time they saw him walk through their front door.

His death devastated the family.

“I kept asking God why He allowed this,” Ruzanna says. “I felt forgotten. I couldn’t pray. I couldn’t praise Him.”

Rudolf’s grief affected him physically. He developed heart problems and required medication.
“I cried day and night,” he recalls. “I wanted to be alone. I couldn’t even sing anymore.”

For months, the pain felt unbearable. What sustained them were God’s promises.

Rudolf kept a small notebook filled with Bible verses that spoke to him. He read them repeatedly throughout the day, reminding himself of God’s truth. One verse in particular began to shift his heart—Romans 8:28: that God works all things together for good for those who love Him.

“I sensed God calling me to stop focusing on what I had lost, and instead serve His kingdom,” Rudolf says. At first, it felt impossible. But he chose to obey.

Comforted, so they could comfort others
Rudolf began studying theology. Slowly, healing began.

“It gave me hope to see Rudolf coming back to life,” Ruzanna says. “Not being swallowed by grief.”

When war broke out again in 2020, Rudolf and Ruzanna sensed God leading them to walk alongside others who were suffering. They began visiting grieving families and cemeteries, sitting with parents who had also lost children.

“Sometimes people told us, ‘You can’t understand this pain,’” Rudolf says. “And we would say, ‘Yes, we can.’ Then we shared our story—and pointed them to the only One who truly brings comfort.”

Through these conversations, many people came to faith in Jesus.

But God wasn’t finished yet.

A father to the next generation
One day, as Rudolf reflected on Henrik’s life, a thought unsettled him: What if Henrik had survived—but lost his faith instead?

That question stirred a deep burden for young people across Armenia who were growing up without God’s Word.

Rudolf began leading a Project Philip Bible study group for teenagers at his church. Today, around 14 teens meet each week—some of whom first encountered the Bible years earlier through Bible League children’s programs.

They sing, read Scripture, and talk openly about faith and life. Though Rudolf’s grey hair sets him apart, the teenagers affectionately call him “Rudik.” Many come from broken homes, where a father figure is absent. Rudolf listens, teaches patiently, and walks alongside them.

“The Bible is like a mirror,” one teenage girl explains. “It shows us what’s really in our hearts.”

Rudolf sees the hunger in these young people and knows how urgently they need God’s Word.
“So many people in Armenia—even Christians—don’t truly know Scripture,” he says.

As the group closes one evening, a girl reads from 2 Timothy 3:15—about the Scriptures that lead to salvation. For Rudolf, it’s a powerful reminder, he lost his son.

Today, Rudolf continues to invest in the next generation—sharing God’s Word and walking alongside young people searching for hope and truth. Please pray for strength and wisdom as he leads Bible study groups, and pray for the Church in Armenia, that God would meet deep spiritual hunger, raise up faithful leaders, and bring renewal and hope through His Word.

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