Hrayr Jebejian: Executive Secretary of the Bible Society in the Gulf

During his recent visit to the United Arab Emirates we had a meeting with Hrayr Jebejian, the Executive Secretary of the Bible Society in the Gulf, who provided us with details of the Bible Society?s activity in the Gulf and generally in the Middle East countries.

 

The Bible Society cooperates with all Christian denominations without prejudice. It organizes lectures and seminars, publishes books and prepares audio-visual resources. It publishes a quarterly newsletter called ?Dew in the Desert? (Nada Al Sahara), made available free of cost, with a circulation between 6000-8000.

 

The year 2006 was promoted as ?The Year of Family?. The Bible Society invited a drama team from Lebanon called ?Just for Kids?, which toured several Gulf countries. In the United Arab Emirates the team visited the Armenian Church in Sharjah. The enthusiastic invitations and posters attracted people of all ages in the Armenian Community.  

 

Talking about the administrative structure of the Bible Society in the Gulf countries, Jebejian referred to the establishment of the first (Regional) Board of Governance of the Bible Society in the Gulf in 2005. The Board met in Kuwait on 24 January 2006 in the presence of Peter Wigglesworth, the Area Secretary of the United Bible Societies of Europe and Middle East.

 

The Board of the Bible Society is made up of eight active and prominent lay and clergy people from five different countries in the Gulf, namely, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar and Oman.

 

Website: http://www.biblesociety.org/

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Hrayr Jebejian: A Biography

Born in Beirut, Lebanon, 8 February 1957. Lebanese national of Armenian origin. University education: Bachelor of Business Administration from Haigazian University in Beirut in 1981, and Master of Science in Agriculture Economics from American University of Beirut in 1984. Joined the Bible Society in Lebanon in 1981, and since 1993, the Executive Secretary of the Bible Society in the Gulf.

 

 

Initiated and assisted in the re-formation and re-organization of the Armenian Evangelical church in Cyprus in 2001 after a ?break? of 26 years.  

 

Living in Nicosia, Cyprus as of August 2005. This is because the office of the Bible Society in the Gulf was moved from Beirut, Lebanon to Nicosia, Cyprus. 

 

Traveled extensively in the Middle East, Europe (including East Europe and former Soviet Union countries), Asia, Australia, North and South America and South Africa. Active involvement in inter-church relations, also, in local and regional church and para-church conferences. Speaking/preaching assignments in various churches and communities while traveling.

 

Writing articles on socio/ ethnic- religious subjects in different Armenian newspapers in Lebanon and abroad.  

 

Married to Arda and have two children. Son Vahe 13 years old, and daughter Alik, 11. Played basketball for more than fifteen years. Music and reading are some of the hobbies.

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During special service in memory of Hrant Dink organized by the Armenian Evangelical Church in Cyprus on 10 Feb 2007, Hrayr Jebejian spoke about the life of Hrant Dink, an Armenian Evangelical, brought up and educated in the Armenian Evangelical Badanegan Doun in Gedik Pasha, Istanbul, under the leadership of Hrant Guzelian. Hrayr Jebejian highlighted the relation between Hrant Guzelian, the teacher, and Hrant Dink, the student, both being faithful to the Cross and Christian stewards of justice and truth. He concluded, ?They exiled the teacher, Hrant Guzelian, and assassinated the student, Hrant Dink, but can they silence truth? Hrant Dink remained faithful to the Cross and served it to the end. How far are we determined to go in the path of the Cross??