When an Armenian family who had long been living in the Netherlands illegally received a deportation notice, the Bethel church of The Hague decided to protect the family from immigration services. Dutch law prevents police from entering a place of worship while a service is in progress, so the church hosted the Tamrazyan family and conducted round-the-clock religious services for more than three months, which attracted more than 12,000 visitors, nearly 1,000 preachers, and 150 volunteers.
Now the service has finally come to a close after the Dutch prime minister announced the government would review the cases of 700 children and their families, including the Tamrazyan family. For the Tamrazyan family, the review led to a pardon and a permanent residency permit in the Netherlands.
Yes, these are tense times in one of the most progressive countries in the world as far-right parties make their way into the mainstream, but what the Bethel church has done to protect this family shows a different, kinder side to the country.
