# 4 • JUNE 2013
ORTHODOX MISSION
QUARTERLY PERIODICAL OF THE ORTHODOX MISSIONARY FRATERNITY
1963-2013: Fellow travelers in the Orthodox Mission in the nations for 50 years
orthodox mission
Founded in 1963 Honored by the Patriarchate of Alexandria April-June 2013 / Issue 4 (GR221) Editor: Nostis Psarras Ss. Missionaries Cyril and Methodius
Authors are responsible for their own articles.
In this issue
Owner
3 Ss. Cyril and Methodius 4 A touch of hope 5 India 8 Indonesia 11 Fiji 14 Uganda 17 Kenya 20 Mauritius 26 Pygmies 30 Malawi 33 Life and death 36 Mission in the Congo DR 41 Diamonds of love 45 Columns of gratitude You can give your love for the Orthodox Mission Abroad at the Fraternity's office, on our website via PayPal, or by deposit in this bank account:
EMPORIKI BANK • ΙΒΑΝ: GR03 0120 4050 0000 0008 0765 011 • BIC: EMPOGRAA Receipts of payments are issued and sent to the donators.
Orthodox Missionary Fraternity
6, Mackenzie King st., Hagia Sophia sq. GR546 22 THESSALONIKI
2310 279910 fax. 2310 279902
http://orthodoxmission.org.gr
ierapostoli@hotmail.com Recognized charitable, philanthropic, not-for-profit greek corporation. Aim: Moral and material support for the worldwide Eastern Orthodox Mission Spiritual founder : Archim. Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos Founders
: Pantelis Bayas Panagiotis Papademetracopoulos
Great Benefactor : P. Papademetracopoulos
Board of Directors Constantinos Daoudakis Chairman
Nostis Psarras Emmanuel Moustakes Demetrios Sotercos Constantinos Metallidis Evangelia Traicoudi Nicoleta Modiotou Peke Azariadou Angelos Voyatzis
Vice chairman Secretary General Τreasurer Secretary Assistant Treasurer Assistant Member Member Member
Holy Missionaries Cyril and Methodius: 1150 years of holy presence in the nations Saints Methodius and Cyril were born of pious parents from Thessalonica in the years 815 and 827 respectively. When they were baptized, they received the names Michael and Constantine. The light of the Holy Spirit started rising at the dawn of their life. In their youth, they were incessantly cultivating the humble spirit, while studying at Universities of Constantinople at the same time. Their Christian wisdom was already giving off spiritual scents from the bouquet of their virtues. In the year 863, on the Moravian ruler’s request, the holy Patriarch Photios gave his blessing for their holy mission of the Slavs’ conversion to Christianity. The spiritual embrace, in perfect harmony with the purity of their feelings and intentions, opened the way to the soul of the Slavs into the Orthodox Faith towards the Kingdom of Heaven. As Apostles bearing the Holy Spirit, invoking the Grace of the Holy Triune God, they created a new alphabet relying on the Greek one in order to render the sounds of the Slavonic language. This year, 1,150 years will have been completed since their missionary ministry to the Slavonic nations, which venerate and honor them by dedicating to them Holy Churches and spiritual as well as scientific institutes, which the Saints grace with their Holy Names. The Orthodox Missionary Fraternity regards them as its spiritual patrons. In the 50 years of its existence, it prays for their blessing on its sacred work to the nations. 3|
A touch of hope at the sunset of a child’s life The Orthodox Missionary Fraternity in its quiet course is hopefully heading for the completion of 50 years since it was founded. Its social sensibility against child mortality makes it gain recognition in its continuous efforts for the children’s survival. People’s fervent kindness guides it in that God-pleasing work. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ enlightens spiritually every single beneficent donor to affectionately embrace charity, as a communicant of liberation from misery. In its humble course of ministry, our Fraternity selflessly performs humanitarian aid projects, rejuvenating with dewdrops of love the withered little shoots – the orphans and the poor children of the much-afflicted peoples. Since 1963, in cooperation with industrious Missionaries and the nobility of your soul, we have created orphanages, schools at all levels of education, medical clinics, surgeries, drinking water wells, have provided common meals, have sent off food and clothing and many others…God willing, and of course, with your precious help, we intend to go on…
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The spring of clear acts is running through our conscience.
INDIA Dear brothers, Christ is Risen! I am writing these few lines with feelings of deep gratitude in order to thank you for your continuous love, support and aid to the Mission in India. Despite the hard, tragic times our country is currently facing, you have miraculously managed to support us financially during the last three months (March to May 2013) with a considerable amount of money (12,300 ₏ in total). I would like to send my heartfelt thanks to all the donors, who keep on giving from the little they have now, and humbly wish the Light and the Joy of the Lord’s Resurrection fill their lives.
No matter how hard we try to cut down on the expenses, the needs for such an extensive and multifarious work are still plentiful and urgent; therefore, every single euro is of vital importance to us. We pray to God so that His Love and Providence do not abandon either our Greek compatriots who are suffering or us in the far-off India. Please include us in your prayers so that the Lord enlightens and supports us in this hard struggle and blesses our humble ministry to His own Work. With heartfelt thanks and love in Christ Sister Nektaria 5|
Children' s little stories Looking at our children’s pictures, it is really hard to think of the sufferings they went through in the first years of their lives. Seeing the living conditions as well as the provisions they have in our Orphanages, one cannot imagine from what terrible conditions they got away. In the text that follows, we depict the past of two of our children. Their stories are different. Common denominator is the wretchedness and the neglect/ abandonment which scarred their infancy, a fact that characterizes the earlier life of all of our orphans.
M
aria (Poja) was brought up on the streets of Calcutta. When she came to the Orphanage 4 years ago, we saw a child whose little body was full of sores due to skin infections. Immediately she reached out her hand for money saying “taka, taka, daw”, which means “Money, money, give me money”, since she experienced the hard face of life from her infancy: during the day she begged in order to survive and at night she slept alone on the streets. On entering the Orphanage, she was relieved of her dirty, shabby clothes and a hot bath welcomed her wretched little body. Her skin had so many sores that even the contact with the water and the soap hurt. A good portion of a hot meal is what followed, and right after
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that a second and a third one. .. Little Maria could not believe her eyes: she had so much food without having to beg! And it was not only the food: medical treatment and proper medication healed the sores on her body and she was relieved of the skin problems that total lack of care and hygiene had caused. But above all, it is love that comes to heal all the wounds of orphanage and abandonment. In the 4 years that Maria has been with us, she came to know the meaning of the words “care”, “affection”, “joy”, “company”, “play”. She already knows how to write and read, and despite her young age (she is going to nursery school in a month), she can communicate very well in English.
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mong the boys of our Orphanage is little Ronny. Ronny was born in the slum huts that spring up in every corner of Calcutta. He was like a wild beast when he came to the “Saint Ignatius” Orphanage2 years ago. He was a nervous and unruly child, who could only communicate through dirty words, which could make even adults blush. An enraged boy, full of violence and reaction inside of him due to the cruelty his pure eyes faced in the slum areas where he lived. He would kick, call names and spit in order to keep the people around him
at a safe distance. God knows what kind of abuse he had undergone to react this way. From the very first day he was surprised at the fact that no one reacted violently to his attitude. The only things he found in us were love and a warm hug. His change was extremely fast and spectacular: he has become one of the most eager to help and obedient little children we have, happy and sweet-spoken. He likes school and he gladly puts on his uniform in the morning in order to go to nursery school. He has been in the orphanage for 2 years now.
When these children are playing in the yard after having done their homework, sometimes they look at the gate of our Orphanage in case some relative of theirs visits them. So far no one has shown up. They have no relatives at all. They are all alone in the world, like many of our orphans. However, despite their young age, they know that in a distant country, there are some Orthodox people who care about them, some people who cater for their needs without knowing them in person. These people comprise the big family of this Orphanage, thanks to whom the children’s needs and dreams can be realized. That’s why they are happy and grateful. They have no way to pay back your great donation; however, from their pure innocent heart there is a wish for you going upwards in their daily prayer: “Thank you” Sister Nektaria 7|
INDONESIA
Vision for the future With God’s help, we managed to spend the holy days of Easter in an atmosphere full of reverence this year too. We may be a little tired, but our heart is full of the joy of God, the joy of the Resurrection. I have just returned from my visit to our Saint Ephraim community, where I went to see the process of works in our school of Saint John the Forerunner. They are about to finish, it is only the doors and the seats left. Of course, there is still time before the school year starts in the middle of July. Apart from that, we are waiting for the operation permit from the state. My brothers, we have all the liturgical books (Divine Liturgy, Baptism, Marriage, Funeral, Pre-sanctified Liturgy, Sup|8
plications, the Akathist Hymn) translated into the Indonesian language. We have been using them for more than 10 years now, but we encountered plenty of mistakes, which we have corrected. That is why we are planning to have the corrected translations printed, in order to distribute them to several communities. If possible we would like to do it this year, and we can also have the name of the sponsor printed in the book. For this work we need approximately 5,000 € for 1,500 books. The works on our Theotokos Hospital are about to finish. There are still some complements regarding the equipment (beds, personal computers, oxygen cylinders…). As I have mentioned before, 31,200 € is required for its purchase. You have
already sent us 10,000 €, and we have bought a part of the stuff required. We thank you from the bottom of our heart for your generous offer. Therefore, what we need is an extra 20,000€ in order to get this work completed. On the occasion of the Feast of Easter 2013, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for some of your great works here in the Orthodox Mission of Indonesia. • Thank you for the Schools you have built. Saint Sophia Orthodox School has got 400 pupils (from Primary to Senior High). The Computer Academy comprises 150 students. The buildings of Saint Sophia and the Academy are donations of the
Orthodox Missionary Fraternity. • You have built several churches, one in Pargambiran village dedicated to the Annunciation of the Theotokos, another in Siparbue village dedicated to the Lord’s Resurrection and a third one in Hiligeo, Nias, dedicated to the Holy Apostles Paul and Martha. • In addition, you are taking part in the completion of the Construction of the Theotokos Hospital at the city of Medan, especially on the third floor. • A part of the farm in the village of Lae Rias, where we have planted corn, has been bought by you. How many things haven’t you given for the Orthodox
The Orthodox College in Medan was funded by our Fraternity 9|
Mission of Indonesia, really! Even your heart! This is something you have done for the Orthodox Mission worldwide as well as for the little Orthodox Mission here in Indonesia. The foundations for the establishment of Orthodoxy in Sumatra have been set by you during the 12 years of my ministry here. I am praying to God, first of all, to give us His blessing to prepare the second generation of believers so that they can continue the work with the right spirit; second, to stand on our feet financially, so that the works of the Mission can be functioning properly. It is with confidence that I look upon our youth, the future of the Church, who will graduate from University in 3 years at the latest
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and will be able to work properly so as to bring a good spirit into our community as well as create economic resources for it. These are my dreams so that Orthodoxy can move forward in distant Indonesia. In order to achieve this, my brothers, I still need your hands, your help, until Orthodoxy in Indonesia grows mature in all respects. That’s all our news, my brothers. I am really grateful to you for having supported the God-pleasing work of the Mission in our country. May our loving God, the owner of the Orthodox Mission in Indonesia, grant you His goods generously. Christ is Risen! Kristus Sudah Bangkit! Fr Chrysostomos Manalu
Dedicatory plaque
FIJI
“A living symbol of the Risen Lord� This is the advice I was given by a great Missionary, the Archimandrite Gervasios Raftopoulos, on the day of my tonsure to a Monk. It was that unforgettable morning when at the end of the Matins His Eminence Metropolitan Amphilochios of New Zealand tonsured me to a Monk by giving me by his own will the name Fanourios. Father Gervasios happened to be there because those days he was on the Fiji Islands in order to visit the inmates of the prison there, as he had done in New Zealand before. A holy man. A man of sacrifice and offer. Father Gervasios is a true Missionary in every sense of the word. It was the best wish I was
given after my tonsure to a Monk and my consecration to a Missionary of the Eastern Orthodox Church within the boundaries of the Metropolis of New Zealand. Although I had been previously engaged in the Mission to Alaska, India and Thailand, it is on Fiji that I found what I was really looking for. The tropical climate, the simplicity and kindness of the inhabitants, and most of all the ecumenical spirit of that local church, where, as I saw in New Zealand when I was called by our revered Elder Metropolitan Amphilochios for my ordination to a Deacon and a Priest, clerics coming from Greece, Russia, Serbia and Romania concelebrate the Holy Liturgy and 11|
the flock from these countries as a Monk and a Missionary. as well as natives from New I hope more local people Zealand, Fiji and Tonga at- follow my example. I long to tend the services in unison. see the children of the Mission Father Gervasios gave me dedicate themselves to Orthoa wish: to be a living sym- doxy and work hard, the men bol of the Risen Lord, and and the women love each call all the people I associ- other and have the Church ate with into the love of the as the center of their lives. Lord and His Body, which is I am determined to supthe Holy Orthodox Church. I port their faith through cathope I will be able to live on echesis and preaching but Fiji, the place of my repent- mainly through sacramental ance, at the Monastery of the life. When the time of God Dormition of the Theotokos, comes, Fiji as well as other isa God-pleasing life, taking lands will comprise a time-readvantage of my studies on sistant ecclesiastical society, Theology and my vocation whose native Christians will
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Orphanage under construction in Lautoka
From the ordination of priest-monk Phanourios
be able to read and chant the Holy Services by themselves, catechize the newcomers into Orthodoxy, do the icon-painting of their Churches and offer further support to the Mission in Oceania. The Elder teaches the indigenous believers and helps them meet their material needs through the cultivation of their lands and other jobs. My wish and fervent prayer is for the Orthodox Churches and the schools to rise and multiply in this vast area of Oceania, like the orphanage and the big Church of the Holy Trini-
ty, which are already under construction in the beautiful suburb of Laotoka, Saweni. With the wishes of Saint Fanourios and of our revered Elder Metropolitan Amphilochios, I have found what my heart truly longed for: to serve God and His newly founded Mission in Oceania. Christ is Risen! Priest-monk Phanourios Deeply touched, our Fraternity wishes that the Grace of the Holy Triune God cover him protectively throughout his life. 13|
UGANDA
O
The struggle goes on
ur times are changing at a very quick pace and things in Africa are becoming more and more complicated. It is no longer easy to watch the rapid changes involving the local events. Meanwhile, the internal impressions are not as clear as the external ones, which are accumulated every day through the automatic mass media. Despite this chaotic situation though, our struggle still goes on.
Mobilization of the Deans
Condition of Priests and Since the determination of the communities in general nine deaneries (that is, the disThere are 67 clerics within 105 tricts under the jurisdiction of the communities, which have been Deans) in the diocese of Uganda marked into 9 ecclesiastical disin 2002, it was believed that the tricts and deaneries. All of them Bishop would bring money and try to work properly, except for cars to give out to the Deans, so two regions, where the problems that they could start their work! are really big and demand a very However, the challenges caused careful handling in order to be by the financial crisis in Europe solved. These backward regions drove the Deans to exceptional are Lira in the North and Fort activities regarding the organi- Portal in the West sation of the districts. Below you can see some inAfter serious discussions, they reached an understanding: “it is imperative that all members should participate actively and promote the work of the Church towards all directions.”
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dicative figures in brief:
• 250,000 - 300,000 people comprising the orthodox population of Uganda • - 9 deaneries: 3 in the centre,
2 in the east, 2 in the west and 2 in the north. • 67 clerics • 47 brick-built churches (25 functioning) • -105 parishes and sub-parishes, communities • 100 catechists (male and female) • 51 big teams of mothers • 50 small teams of youth • 18 surgeries, 1 small central hospital • 9 doctors of various specialties • 99 schools: 23 high schools (junior and senior), 26 primary schools, 50 kindergartens with catechetical • classes • 650 teachers: 160 + in auxiliary jobs at the schools • 19 boarding schools, 3,000 boarders (lots of orphans among them) • more than 20,000 pupils of all levels of education • 3 teams of builders • 1086 wardens assisting Clerics, Mothers and Youth, and serving at Churches, Communities, Surgeries, • Schools, Boarding schools, Orphanages • 2 priest-monks, 2 rassophore nuns • A special team: General Commissioner, Chief Secretary, Scribe, Accountant, Education Secretary, Driver • 1 non-governmental organisation named Social Philanthropic Care of the Orthodox Church of Uganda. 15|
Hopes in the field of Education
tribute to the tuition fees of the young students.
The Orthodox Church of Uganda is now a Church of young people. This is so simply because the leakage from the Orthodox Church to heterodox religions has stopped thanks to education. We have got schools of our own, though not as well organised as those of the other denominations. For the time being, the whole effort relies entirely on schools and education.
From the beginning we abandoned the “free education” system of Orthodox students in schools and introduced the “participation” system on the part of parents or relatives with a “minimum operational contribution” at almost all levels of education (except for the Theological Seminary). This way, thanks to the donations of our Greek brothers, we were able to construct additional schools and help more children to be educated. Last but not least, we have managed to have all the people involved in the field of education paid with a small monthly salary.
For this very reason within the last two years we have invested in education more than 2 billion Ugandan shillings (580,000 €) in order to construct new schools, improve the old ones and con
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From the Holy Metropolis
School class under the tree; the teacher feeds her baby
KENYA
Ten years of life of our first Orphanage Ten years ago we were informed of the need to support some helpless and abandoned children. Convinced of this necessity, we decided to respond and looked for a place of our own in order to accommodate all those little children, to whom we also provide food, clothes, pay for their tuition and many others. “O, my God!” I thought to myself. “Will we be able to make it?” We are starting with no money, no preparations. There were already fifteen little children on the list. How could we start though? Depending on which prospects, which projects, which persons, and especially in which place and with what staff? Here in Africa everything
works out in a miraculous way. Each and every person has been called for one specific purpose and behind his action lies the plan of God. The idea was worth-praising and would definitely offer great and valuable services to the little children. Years ago the Holy Metropolis was accommodating a female monastic fraternity. The building installations already existed but after the nuns left, they remained closed and deserted. This is how the place required was found. Here in the Mission we always say, when we want to start something new, “we cross ourselves and move on”. We talked about it, examined everything in detail, and things 17|
started getting under way. We visited the place and started the first preparations. We found local people who would staff the place. A spur of the moment decision then, honors the name of Orthodoxy today, not only in that region but in Kenya in general because it turned out to be a model orphanage. We started with thirty-five little children. This way, we had entered a new phase in the course of the Mission in Kenya. Our effort became known every time we had visitors from out of Kenya. They could see that our effort was genuine and offered substantial help to those children who really needed protection. Meanwhile, among
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the staff was a seminarian, victim of the civil war in Congo, who eventually took charge of the whole project, showing fervent zeal and exemplary dedication, since he had lost his own parents and had personal experience; he was living the drama of orphanage himself. We did our best to make sure that they had everything they needed. Our seminarian was not only responsible for the protection and encouragement of the children but he also turned out to be the one who catechized them into the Orthodox faith. Right beside them was the parish of Saint Nicodemus, where now, every Sunday these children attend the Divine Liturgy and participate in the Holy Mysteries of our Church. Eventually,
The orphanage at the foot of Mount Kenya
Breakfast for Kenyan orphans
after profound and appropriate catechesis, the children are baptized and become full members of our One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Almost ten years have passed. The needs have increased. There are one hundred and fifty little children that are currently being hosted there. The installations were in need of almost full restoration. Also more buildings were required. The “Sophia Foundation for the Children” which is seated in Cyprus, has undertaken all the expenses for the restoration of the whole building complex. With great sensibility and excellent specifications, the procedure for the construction of the new buildings has been completed.
The new orphanage comprises spacious, comfortable kitchen facilities and separate wards for hosting the boys and girls of the institution. We have also created a fully-functioning kindergarten and a primary school that caters for the needs of the children there. It is worth mentioning here that two more orphanages have been built, which will be functioning soon. On Tuesday the 21st of May we had the inauguration ceremony of the orphanage, which is situated in the district of Laikipia. We are thankful to God for offering His generous blessings to the work of our Church in the field of the Mission. † Makarios, bishop of Kenya 19|
MAURITIUS
The so called "paradises" and Paradise About 1,000 kilometers east of Madagascar within the more often than not wild ocean, so close to the much-afflicted land of Madagascar, but at the same time so far away from its world, lies another “paradise”, like a water lily in the waters of the ocean. A shield-shaped circumferential layout of an underwater coral substrate knows perfectly well how to protect its beautiful coastline, thus creating a circular white veil round this “inaccessible” ocean bride. A bride who plenty of people want to get close to, and they have achieved it to a certain extent, but who still remains an unsolved mystery for us, a new, unknown world, differ|20
ent, sometimes beautiful but quite often discouragingly difficult, sometimes full of joy and sometimes full of sorrow and difficulties that seem to be insuperable indeed.. Welcome to “paradise”. This is the first sign one notices at the staircase of the airport on the island of Mauritius; a fabricated title, of course, coming from the commercial world of tourism planning that calculates everything, but at the same time a phrase that sounds like a riddle to one’s ears. 1.3 million souls are hosted within the heart of this little “paradise’ .The third most densely populated place
worldwide, at least until a few years ago. 60% of the population is devoted to the religion of Hinduism. Hinduism prevails in this tiny country as the dominant and official religion; it is the element that literally “dresses� the neighborhoods of Mauritius and paints in bright colors the people who live there permanently. From the very beginning, the cold sight of the Hindu deities in every neighborhood, the magnificent small or big carved marble temples with the coldness that characterizes them and their white inexpressive moribund image, the monstrous figures of their deities and many times their inhuman
face, unintentionally predispose one negatively. On the other hand, 20% of the population belongs to a world familiar to us, of course not always so congenial: Islam, the second dominant religion. Through its loud self-projection, hooked on money, and for the time being, hiding its cruel aspect, it tries to impose its presence and reminds us that we have this very wellknown neighbor right in front of us to make our struggle even more difficult. As for the rest of the population, about 20%, many times even 30%, belongs to Catholicism, Lutheranism and the remaining more or less known medley of protestant denom-
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Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior in Port Louis
inations which drown the already weak people and create the usual chaotic picture that characterizes the West, in that corner of the African land as well. The city bus stops at garage Bala, in the capital city of Port Louis. The feet are already familiar with the way. They go past the Hindu temple where the driver drops you off, heading close to a second guru mosque-or rather shed for mind to rest in speech-preparing at the same time your soul for the hidden grandeur made especially for you by God’s Providence, your life, the wishful thinking of the few noble souls, and finally by Faith that is smold|22
ering like a little flame, like a small-big miracle in this corner of the Divine Creation. The Holy Church of the Transfiguration of Christ Savior at Port Louis. This is true Paradise in the fake tourist man-made “paradise” of Mauritius. A vigil lamp that I found half-extinguished. I am saying this with bitterness but also – I don’t know why-with a hidden joy. In co-operation with the faithful of the Church who are really very few-two to three dozen at the most, we took the decision to start from the very beginning. A big step, perhaps. Perhaps not. The anxiety and the
question inside the soul remain big. We are hopeful. We trust in God’s mercy. Not in weak hands. We trust neither in feeble human logic nor in calculating or planning. We trust in absolutely nothing human. We set our hopes on Him who performed this miracle that we still have right in front of our eyes, and in the hearts of the children of God, those who the earth is now hiding in its motherly guts, among whom the one who built this Church, the late first Bishop of Madagascar Nectarios, but also those who are currently striving and praying and blessing the unworthy and weak of our members. To them and to Almighty God belongs eternal gratitude and praise.
Therefore, let us start this struggle from the beginning, no matter how bitter it might seem. Every single sacrifice, hides its own Golgotha and its own Resurrection. Let us welcome ourselves to Paradise, then. To this hidden, real Paradise this time, which is beclouded by the hell the human mind has called paradise�. This is Paradise for us, our last and only hope for Salvation, the Ark of the shelter of our soul. Our Church. The Church even here in Mauritius, which survives miraculously and incomprehensibly within decay and death. Priest-monk Polycarpos of St. Anna, Mount Athos
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Everyday life in the joungle of the Pygmies - Congo
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PYGMIES The addiction to the violation of nature, which is a creation of God, captures the mind into pain. It makes big efforts to escape, seeking the supremacy of serenity. It expects to see images of purity of daily existence. A journey to Africa, bathed in a reverie of love, takes as far as the mouth of the legendary river Congo and its tributaries. It is there, in the tropical rainforests, where the diminutive Pygmies live. You see them crowned with “leaves of truth” on the forehead, because they ignore the meaning of “lying”. This word has never existed in the vocabulary of their race. The meeting of the Pygmies with history takes place mainly in the central basin of Africa. They were already known to Homer and Herodotus due to their short stature. The average height of men is no more than 1.45 m. Their name is owned |26
WHERE THERE IS NO LIE to the Greeks since the word “pygmy” refers to their height and compares them to the fist (’pygmi’ in greek). The Pygmies were the first people to settle in the area of Congo, followed by the big negroid family called Bantu. Later they were repulsed by the latter, and today they are dispersed in small groups known by different names: Babongo, Bagyeli, Batwa, Bambuti, Babenga, Aka…. Nowadays, a part of them has become hooked on the bait of technical social development, working in the cities. However, their picturesque villages still impart a tasteful touch to the image of the jungle. Every circular hut, like most of them, is thatched and is supported by little tree trunks. The circumference remains open so that the air can go through and cool them from the suffocating heat and humidity. 27|
When the dawn bids farewell in the night, it finds them ready to participate in their daily working routine. Some go hunting, others go fishing in the rivers in their pirogues and others climb up the huge trees in order to collect fruit, even honey from natural hives. Only women cultivate “manioka�. From the dried roots of this bush they produce flour with which they make a kind of gruel. It is usually eaten with meat or fish and a variety of fruit. From infancy the children of the Pygmies are trained in archery while women around the huts knit their hunting nets with thin branches of vine. They are 40-80 m long and 80 cm high. A 12-yearold boy is ready to grow into a man by hunting with a bow and carrying a net on his shoulders. He encircles the animal by spreading the net, and then it is easy to aim at it with his arrow. Many times the long marches in the forest make them spend the night in |28
trees and continue the next morning until they achieve their goal. However, when they return to the village carrying an antelope, they all start a joyful dance that shows acknowledgement of the hunters’ dexterity. The most formal dance is that of the Elephant, which is indicative of the hunter’s big strength. Times goes by, leaving the Pygmies in the freedom of the jungle. The Orthodox Missionary Fraternity, showing great sensibility towards the tribe of the Pygmies, has affectionately embraced one of their villages on the banks of the Ubangi river, near the little town of Impfondo in the northeastern part of Congo-Brazzaville. The missionary Fr Theologos humbly crossed the threshold of their heart! His simplicity and kindness were united with their own merits and made spiritual fruit flourish in their souls, by baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen! 29|
MALAWI
Achievements of the Resurrection Primary School Dear brothers, Rejoice in the Lord, for Christ is Risen. With the blessing of His Eminence our Archbishop Joachim, we spent the Easter period in Malawi this year as well. Through the splendid and full of reverence services of the Holy Week, we are glad to find out that this Easter, the joy of the Resurrection touched and filled with light and hope a lot of African hearts. We are also very glad to see the newly-established Resurrection parish be granted God’s blessing and spiritual joys. The parishioners’ gratitude is growing day by day and is manifested in several ways, |30
and as the Primary School has been operating for quite some time now, the number of pupils is increasing! This parish as well as the Primary School next to the Church, is a clear confession of faith, as parents, passers-by and pupils ask about our faith and seem to be getting more and more interested and aware of the truth and uniqueness of Orthodoxy! This is why we are taking very good care of the school curriculum. So, apart from the official state curriculum, our School offers at the same time an Orthodox one, so that little by little, we will be able to sow the seed of Orthodoxy into the hearts not only of the children
but also of the teachers.
brought up within Orthodoxy!
For this reason within the school premises we have established a lending library with Orthodox books in English and Chichewa, from which pupils and teachers can borrow books.
In the state exams, our school was ranked 20th in order of merit among 700,000 pupils! This is a great miracle and blessing of Jesus Christ and of our Blessed Virgin Mary. Given the fact that the school has only been operating for two years now, the grace and blessing of the Most Merciful God is evident.
Lessons start with all the pupils saying the Trisagion prayer and the Creed in both languages on a daily basis. Every Friday our parish priest speaks to the whole school about Orthodoxy and our faith for an hour, and also, once a month a Blessing takes place along with a Divine Liturgy, with the participation of the whole school. Therefore, we can say that some people from the new generation are
This might be the reason why some people felt hatred for us and tried to cast magic spells on us, and generally tried to defame us unfairly. However, this great success has already had a big impact, and everybody speaks well about Orthodoxy now.
Pupils of our school holding Easter eggs
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We have been so greatly strengthened by the Resurrection Primary School that we pray that God grants us a High School as well in the same city as the Primary School, i.e., in Blantyre. This will conduce to our providing a complete education along with manners and principles, where faith will be offered to them pure and unadulterated. Dear brothers, we thank you so much for always standing by our side; once more, listen to this noble wish of ours and help us, to the extent that you can, of course. This project is urgent because the children who are about to finish the
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last grade of Primary School should immediately continue their studies in a High School. We pray to God that a noble donor will be found for the High School. Finally, we should not forget to thank our beloved brothers who gave our Mission the possibility to drill another seven wells and bring the most precious good, water, to our much-afflicted Malawian brothers. May the joy of the Resurrection accompany us all every day and shed light on all sorts of difficulties that we have to face. Amen. Fr Ermolaos Iatrou
One the funded by our Fraternity Ένα of από ταwells πηγάδια της Αδελφότητάς μας
“And death is betrothed to life….” This verse from the Matins service of the Dormition of the Theotokos is one of the strongest expressions one can find in the hymnology of our Church. And if you hear it in the land of Africa, where you feel that life and death have actually been ”betrothed” and interrelated in a truly paradoxical connection and relation, which can only be comprehensible and viable through the spectrum of Faith. Therefore, death is what is needed for this beloved people of God as well in order to live truly. It takes sacrifice on the part of some people, sacrifice of their country, their home, their peace and quiet, even a part of
their spirituality, in order to give you, beloved people, this highly respected gift of Faith. Some others have to sacrifice a part of their property, many times even their whole fortune so that you can be fed, stranger and friend, brother from far away. “Death” takes place within your very existence so that you can be reborn and reach the life-giving waters of the bath of your regeneration, which in any case is for you death and life during the blessed day of the Holy Mystery of Baptism, which marks the boundaries between death and life; darkness and light; sin and virtue. Sacrifice every single step of 33|
the way, on the dusty clothes, the thirsty mouth, the sweaty forehead, the shaky knees, generally on the feeble body which can hardly sustain you. All these, in order to conduce to the evangelization of this people, unknown to you until yesterday, friend and brother and even more than your own relatives today, you industrious worker of this vineyard. It’s a kind of “death” as well to see many times the people you love hate you. To feel the bitterness of the mother who loses her child on her shriveled from hunger and undernourishment breasts.
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To want to give but many times not to be able to do so, because you are hindered by superior powers, unknown and dissimilar to your own personality and philosophy. To anticipate with pain and anguish day after day the personal response of every single man to the Divine Call of the Gospel, which is pronounced by your unworthy and humble lips. “Death” for the resurrection in Christ of a literally “new-born” Church. Death for Life. In the face of Our Lady and
Hut-house in Madagascar
Awesome Protection of all Orthodox Christians, death weds life. This principle and fundamental axiom of faith simply had to be fulfilled on the Mother of us all. After the example of her Son, she is the second one to fulfill the rule of death for life. “For he that is dead is freed from sin” (Romans 6:7) This is the axiom of our Faith. This is the mystery that has taken place in our Church over the centuries, which is only experienced in her motherly guts. Hopefully, by the grace of God, His Most Pure
Mother and our Saints on this part of the African land as well. We have to taste “death” first: this is so in order to untie its bonds which we have been bearing on our mortal existence. For a people to be resurrected, sacrifice and self-denial are demanded. May our Most Holy Lady bless and strengthen all those who participate in this God-pleasing missionary work and support this big effort. Priest-monk Polycarpos of St. Anna, Mount Athos 35|
T
Mission in the DR Congo
he essence and real meaning of the Mission as a command and will of God is founded and included in the Lord’s words to His disciples after His Resurrection; “As the Father hath sent me, even so send I you” (John, 20:21) and “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…” (Matthew 28:1920). Mission means: • Reaching out to our fellowmen in order to meet them, talk to them, help them, sympathize with them and show compassion to them, motivated by love according to the model of God coming down
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into this world. A model missionary is God Himself when descending from Heaven for the salvation of the human race. Christ did not wait for the return of man to Him but went out Himself and found the lost man, and as a Good Samaritan and shepherd, He drove him into the fold, into God’s arms, the “inn” of His Church. • The command of God. The previous words of the Lord do not mean “exhortation” but “command”. The Mission is a command of Christ. As a command, the Mission was fulfilled by the Apostles, who dispersed all over the world and
preached the Gospel, without considering effort, sacrifices, dangers, even their own life. • Obligation and duty: the Apostle Paul regarded the command of the Mission as a spiritual obligation and duty. He said that he was under obligation to Jesus Christ, if he did not evangelize. His conscience, his whole being, his existence was identified with the duty of the Mission, to proclaim Christ to all nations. “For woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel” (I Corinthians, 9:16) and “I am under obligation both to the Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish” (Romans, 1:14). The Mission is the duty of all Orthodox Church, clergy and laity.
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n the area of the missionary and pastoral jurisdiction and ministry of the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria all over Africa within the last few years, under the inspired spiritual guidance of His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch Theodore II, the tree of Mission has flourished, has grown wider and has borne rich spiritual fruit. The Holy Metropolises 37|
and Bishoprics have doubled. Capable clerics who spare no pains have been chosen and appointed as bishops and missionaries and have been sent to different African countries in order to propagate Orthodoxy, which the African continent awaits and thirsts to get to know. The Orthodox flock is on a constant increase. Daily thousands of Africans are catechized and baptized into the Orthodox faith, are united with Christ and become members of His One, Holy, Catholic (Orthodox) Church. Beyond, over and behind the people’s eyes, the drums of war, the economic crises, the fuss and (loud) pub-
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licity of the powerful on earth, Christ does His job quietly and secretly. He fights against the ruler of darkness of this century, the devil, in order to win the souls of men, having the Orthodox missionaries all over the world as His partners.
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t the invitation of His Eminence Metropolitan Nikiphoros of Central Africa, and with the help of God, I went to Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the see of the Holy Metropolis is situated, in order to see at first hand the missionary work that is being accomplished there. I went there twice, once in June 2012 for one and a half month and
Catechism in Kiwkit
the other in November (2012) for three and a half months (until mid-February 2013). The missionary work is immense. The prospects and opportunities for the development of Orthodoxy are incredible. Challenges as well as invitations occur on a daily basis. Individuals, groups of natives, villages and whole regions ask for and invite His Eminence the Orthodox Metropolitan Nikiphoros to come himself or send for priests, catechists and missionaries so that they can be catechized and baptized by them. His Eminence is almost all alone from dawn to dusk. He is on the run all day. His duties as well as the problems that occur are numerous. He is
particularly engrossed in the operation of the Theological School at a university level. As a dean and head of studies for all departments, as a professor of many courses, as a supplier and in charge of the boarding school that lodges 85 students, as the one responsible for the maintenance of the building installations and machinery, as a spiritual father, guide and shepherd of clerics and catechists in Kinshasa and all over the Congo Republic. He ministers to everything patiently. With the blessing and spiritual guidance of the Metropolitan, I was engaged in the following missionary activities: 1.
Teaching
two
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courses at the School of Theology, 30 hours of teaching per course. 2. Catechism. Its fruitful result was 48 natives (young and old) to be baptized Orthodox at the Holy Church of Saint Mark in Kinshasa. 3. Visits to Orthodox schools of the H. Metropolis, at Saint Mark in Kinshasa and in Kasangulu. 4. Pastoral work in churches. 5. Supervision of projects in the hinterland, at Gungu, which is 700 km away from Kinshasa, where the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity has undertaken the construction of two projects: the Holy Church of the Annunciation of the Theotokos and a primary school. 6. Laying the foundations of the Holy Church of the Archangels and Taxiarchs in Kinshasa, which is funded by the same Fraternity. 7. Preparations for the creation of a new missionary division in a big city of the Congo, Kikwit, with approximately 600,000 inhabitants, which is 520 km away from Kinshasa.
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During our visit with His Eminence to the Mayor of the city of Kikwit, the latter told us: “I am well aware of the fact that the Orthodox Church is the oldest Christian Church. I have a question, though: where have you been all this time? Why were you so late in coming over?” We answered him: “Better late than never.” Now God considered it the right time for the Orthodox Church to come here, too… ”He promised to help us bring Orthodoxy into their town. In Kikwit there is a group of 300 catechumens who are fervent in spirit and ask His Eminenceto send for an Orthodox priest and make a Holy Church for them. Such voices are heard from all over Congo and Africa. They reach out and wait for us. God listens to the call of the people who seek Him, and rewards the efforts and sacrifices of the selflessly working missionaries and their partners in His vineyard. Blessed be His Most Holy Name. Vaios Prantzos Professor, Civil Engineer, Theologian, Regular member of the Fraternity
Diamonds of love and sacrifice from the Lion Mountain Range Going through the most joyful period of the year, that is, the Easter period, my mind and heart cannot help overflowing with joy, hope and nostalgia, since they are still on the missionary division of Sierra Leone, just one month after my return. It’s there that I experienced the moving adventure of Faith, it’s there that the Chancellor, Fr, Themistocles Adamopoulos chose to follow the Crucified Christ to the corner of Africa, where reside the poorest of the poor.
the blessings of the Pope and Patriarch Theodore the II of Alexandria and all Africa and the financial contribution of the friends of the Mission from the little they have, within the last seven years the newly established but so fervently struggling Orthodox Church of Sierra Leone carries out in a wondrous way a diverse missionary, philanthropic as well as educational work despite the adversities and the numerous problems that can occur any time.
By the grace of God, with
First of all, as regards the
Mr. Georgiou examining an amputee's family
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catechetical work and that of worship, I was greatly impressed by the spirit of freedom and love with which the Church embraces those souls that seek the Truth and come to hear the Word of God, which is preached in a simple, experiential way. The christening of the catechumens is not held roughly and hastily but after a long period of catechesis and a fully conscious decision on their part. Two highly emotional moments were when the priest knelt down in order to give the Holy Communion to some handicapped people in a wheelchair, and at the Vesper of Forgiveness, with the faithful exchanging words of |42
sincere forgiveness with each other and the priests forming a circle of unity in an atmosphere full of reverence during the period of the Great Lent. As for the part of charity, on the outskirts of the capital city, in the region of Waterloo, Fr Themistocles established what the Patriarch called on a recent tour to Sierra Leone ‘the pride of the Patriarchate’, the village of Saint Moses the Black for the war amputees. This compound of residences consists of lodgings for the disabled and their families, clinic, school, workshop and church, and offers its services to the most vulnerable and helpless citizens of this country: the
homeless amputees. The recent fifteen-year-tragedy of the civil war in conjunction with diseases like polio, have left countless victims with mutilations or disabilities. Those people, stigmatized and marginalized, found a warm embrace of God to shelter their dreams. In such an exceptional place is the clinic of Saint Mary Magdalene and Saint Olympia, where for a week, along with a local cardiologist, we examined more than 350 patients from the surrounding areas and helped them with the right medical treatment. Apart from malaria, undernourishment, tropical and skin infections, we observed increased percentages of hypertension due to the
psychosomatic impact caused by the war. Next step is the construction of a special clinic for the creation of prosthetics for the amputees, a worth-supporting effort. Fr. Themistocles lays special emphasis on the part of education, mainly of those children that have exceptional educational capabilities. The capital city of Sierra Leone has been named “the Athens of Africa� due to its tradition in the field of education. The school of the Orthodox Church in Syke street offers free education to more than 1,500 children with primary and secondary schools. Unforgettable will be the memory of the school wall, where in clear Greek
Catechism in the Amputees' Village
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letters stands out the phrase “Love God, love Knowledge”. Within the school premises we gave the students a dental examination and lectures on oral hygiene, preventive hygiene and medical emergencies. The same place hosts the activities and events of the Orthodox Youth Fellowship, where we had a catechetical class and a video projection with pictures from the Orthodox tradition. Also, there is a college for students operating with distinguished professors from all over the world. Before leaving for Sierra Leone, I filled my overweight luggage with little holy icons and crosses, books, school stuff, balloons and the communion bread that my mother knead-
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ed for the Divine Liturgy. On my return, the same suitcases were carrying some solid diamonds from the bloodstained land of Sierra Leone. Those were the sincere and guileless communion of love with the brother there, the pure smiles on the children’s faces, the chances for ritual services in the Orthodox Churches, and Fr. Themistocles’s phrase “It’s God we should glorify, not grumble”. Unconsciously came to my mind one of Saint Symeon the New Theologian’s sayings, which fits this humble Orthodox missionary division: “There is a little joy that laughs at death”. Christ is Risen! Christos Georgiou Doctor, Dentist, Regular member of the Fraternity
Columns of gratitude and heartfelt thanksgiving Donations from 02/01/2013 to 04/30/2013
Names can be found on the printed issue. Withheld in online publication for reasons of privacy.
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References The pictures on these pages are provided cost-free under a Creative Commons BY-SA 3.0 or BY 3.0 license by their holders: 11 Mundoexplora 14 Jan Tik 17 Steve Garvie 21 whl.travel 45 Saparevo 46-47 Jackwickes
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ierapostoli
exierapostoli
omfthess
@orthodoxmission.org.gr 47|
1963-2013: Fellow travelers in the Orthodox Mission in the nations for 50 years