The tenth day of the Armenian Lacrosse and Daily Bible Readings journey brought Coach Johnny Mouradian to the open-air workshop in Zovuni, where artisans are constructing the Monument of Jesus Christ that will eventually be installed on Mount Hatis.
Unlike the previous stops on this journey, today’s reflection took place not at a completed church or historic monastery, but at a work in progress. Stone is still being shaped. Pieces are still coming together. The monument has yet to reach its permanent home.
It is a fitting setting for a passage that reminds us that God’s work often begins quietly, long before the world sees its final result.
Standing among the sculptors and craftsmen, Coach Mouradian reflected on Luke 1:39-41.
“At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Luke 1:39-41)
Only days earlier, Mary had received the angel Gabriel’s astonishing message that she would give birth to the Son of God.
She did not remain still.
She immediately traveled to visit her relative Elizabeth, who herself was experiencing God’s miraculous work through the coming birth of John the Baptist.
When the two women met, Scripture tells us that Elizabeth’s unborn child leaped for joy, recognizing Christ’s presence even before His birth.
The encounter is one of quiet faith.
There are no crowds. No miracles witnessed by thousands. No sermons delivered from mountaintops.
There are simply two women who trusted God’s promises before they could fully understand them.
That trust makes today’s location especially meaningful.
The future Monument of Jesus Christ is still under construction. Like every major undertaking, it requires vision, craftsmanship, patience, and perseverance before it can stand completed. Each stone placed today contributes to something that future generations will one day experience.
Faith often unfolds the same way.
God’s work is frequently accomplished through ordinary acts of obedience that seem small in the moment. A conversation. A visit. A word of encouragement. A decision to trust Him before the outcome is visible.
Mary’s journey to Elizabeth reminds us that faith is active. She did not simply receive God’s calling. She responded to it.
The workshop in Zovuni reflects that same principle.
Every sculptor, engineer, and craftsman contributes one piece at a time. The monument cannot be completed in a single day, but every day’s work brings the larger vision closer to reality.
Throughout Armenia, the country’s churches and monasteries tell a similar story. They were not built overnight. They are the product of generations who believed that what they were creating would outlast them.
The Christian life follows that same pattern.
It is built through daily acts of faithfulness that may not always be visible but ultimately become part of something far greater than ourselves.
As the Armenian Lacrosse and Daily Bible Readings journey enters its final stretch, today’s stop reminds us that God’s work is often unfolding even when it remains unfinished. Like the monument rising piece by piece in Zovuni, faith grows through patient obedience, trusting that the Master Builder is completing His work in His perfect time.
Coach Mouradian concluded the day’s reflection with the invitation that has accompanied the journey across Armenia:
“Bring a friend to church. Bring a family member to church this Sunday.”
Tomorrow, the road trip continues to Akhtala Monastery Fortress, where another chapter of Scripture will be read within the walls of one of Armenia’s most remarkable medieval monasteries.
