Dr. Bahram Fessehazion
1943 – 2000
He lived a great man of God
Yes,
indeed a great man of God will be missed. As everyone of you described,
everybody I heard giving their speech at the funeral service was echoing the
same words. Bahram was loving, who always in whatever situation, has a smiling
face. Confident and yet humble, courageous but meek, who manifests our Lord's
love when he shared Christ with people. He preached, served, worshiped, obeyed,
and loved the Lord Jesus Christ with a passion.
What amazed me was Bahram's love and service was being described by people such as a delegation from the State of Ohio (government officials), the Eritrean Community of Columbus, the non Christian relatives and friends, and we who know him in Christ (Eritreans and Americans alike) had the same description of him. What a character and personality to carry everywhere he goes and to every life he touched. "I thought he was like that with me only " people were saying to each other as I did. Then came "how could he get enough time to write, call and be involved with all of us like this"? Most people including me saw who really Bahram was at the funeral service. I estimated the people who came to pay their last respect to Bahram to be 600-700 people, who came from Europe, Canada and from most of the states. Bahram's main concern was for the Gospel to be spread and to pass on the legacy of faith to our children. What really made me happy and full of joy at the funeral service was when his dear son David said that he preached his first sermon the previous Sunday and that his father saw and heard him. David is 18 and he started to stand at the pulpit. David received the torch from his father. Let me share with you some of Bahram's involvement as it appeared on the leaflet prepared for his memory.
- Founder and Chairman of Besserat Evangelical Society for 18 years.
- Member of the Board of Trustees of Mount Vernon Nazarene College.
- Chairman of the Eritrean Strategy Committee for the Church of the Nazarene.
- Associate Pastor of the Eritrean Mission Church in Columbus, Ohio.
- Advisory Board Member of Central Ohio Adolescent Center.
- Distinguished member of Eritrean Community.
- Recipient of the Distinguished Refugees Resettlement Volunteer Service, and award given by the State of Ohio
- Employee of the State of Ohio for 20 years.
His body was buried with the highest honor the Americans get for their service to their country. The flag of the United States was handed to his wife. But Bahram is in the arms of God with a crown of righteousness as our Lord promised to those who ran the race and kept the faith.
May The God of Comfort comfort all who are grieving the loss of a great man of God.
Article by Sarah Ghebremichael