#7 • MARCH 2014
orthodox mission
orthodox mission
Founded in 1963 Honored by the Patriarchate of Alexandria January-March 2014 / Issue 7 (gr224) Editor: Nostis Psarras Ss. Missionaries Cyril and Methodius
Authors are responsible for their own articles.
IN THIS ISSUE
Owner
4 Review 2013 7 Financial Statement 8 India 10 Indonesia 12 Guatemala 14 Fiji 17 Guinea 18 Sierra Leone 19 Kenya 26 Tanzania - Mwanza 28 Malawi 30 Madagascar
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
40 Who are you?
Founders
44 Columns of gratitude
Great Benefactor : P. Papademetracopoulos
35 Brazzaville & Gabon
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:
ALPHA BANK • ΙΒΑΝ: GR61 0140 4800 4050 0200 2000 170 • BIC: CRBAGRAA Receipts of payments are issued and sent to the donators.
: Pantelis Bayas Panagiotis 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
We pray that the joyful light of the Resurrection of our Lord will warm up the soul of every man.
Χριστός Ανέστη • Christ is risen • Christ est ressuscité • Cristo ha resucitado • Kristo Amefufukka • Христос воскрес
2013: YEAR IN REVIEW Edited by the president Mr Constantinos Daoudakis
Dear brothers, we all owe praise, honor and thanks to our Triune God, Who not only granted us to gaze at the sunrise of the New Year 2014, but also continuously bestows multiple blessings on us. Let's have a look at some of our activities during the year 2013. DIVINE LITURGY Our established Divine Liturgies were continued regularly at the underground Holy Church of Saint John the Baptist every second Sunday throughout the year 2013. PERIODICAL Our magazine is issued quarterly with publications that cover the activity of the missionary centers. Apart from the print edition, there is also a digital one in Greek and English.
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VISITS BY MISSIONARIES We were paid a lot of visits by missionaries, plenty of whom attended our monthly meetings and updated us on the progress of the ongoing projects as well as the needs and problems they are facing. We were visited by the Metropolitans of Guinea, Irinoupolis, Cameroon, Uganda, Central Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, the Bishops of Katanga, Burundi and Rwanda, Brazzaville and Gabon, and Missionaries from Malawi, Uganda, Irinoupolis, Madagascar and the Holy Mountain.
HUMANITARIAN AID The operation of the Fraternity warehouse at Philyron is a great blessing. It is there that we store all the things you offer (food, clothes and footwear, equipment for churches, schools, medical clinics, means of transport and many others). All these are loaded into containers by a large group of young volunteers, who are really praiseworthy. Also, on a weekly basis from our warehouse there is food distribution in small quantities to very poor families of the region.
MISSIONARY EXCURSIONS Seven members of our Fraternity visited at their own expense various missionary centers, where they offered their personal services. 5
FINANCIAL AID The most important target of the Fraternity is to provide from behind the lines moral as well as material help to all the missionary centers, supporting the missionaries in accomplishing their work, which is helping those people who live in ignorance to get to know our Lord Jesus Christ. In the year 2013 the Fraternity funded the vast majority of the missionary centers, as shown in the map on page 4. THANKS We would like to thank: • Our brothers in other cities who collaborated with us for collecting the contributions. • The ladies who volunteer their services at our meetings. • The treasurer Mr. Demetrios Sotirkos, who with his paint brush covers the needs of the newly erected Holy Churches for icons of saints.
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EPILOGUE The economic crisis which is stifling southern Europe has considerably decreased the financial aid of our Fraternity to the Missionary Centers. Let us all pray to our Benevolent Lord Jesus Christ that He grants the New Year to be better than the previous one and that He generously bestows His blessings upon the world.
Annual Financial Statement FINANCIAL REVIEW of year 2013
2013
REVENUES & other credits Ι. REVENUES (A+B+C) A CONTRIBUTIONS & MEMBERSHIP DUES B RENTS C DEPOSIT INTEREST TOTAL REVENUES ΙΙ. CASH 31/12/2012 TOTAL CREDITS
550.385,47 € 64.893,38 € 3.567,63 € 618.846,48 € 151.295,53 € 770.142,01 €
EXPENSES & other debits Ι. EXPENSES (A+B) Α GENERAL EXPENSES (1+2+3+4) 1 Payroll a) Salaries b) Social security contributions c) Withheld taxes
2 Functional expenses 3 Taxes 4 Other expenses TOTAL GENERAL EXPENSES B MISSION EXPENSES (1+2+3) 1 Cash transfers to missionary divisions 2 Humanitarian aid 3 Social assistance benefits TOTAL MISSION EXPENSES TOTAL EXPENSES ΙΙ. CASH 31/12/2013 A RESERVE B TEMPORARILY RESTRICTED NET ASSETS C OTHER CASH TOTAL CASH TOTAL DEBITS END OF YEAR
53.038,49 € 32.830,27 € 18.296,23 € 1.911,99 €
26.788,72 € 32.215,11 € 9.805,88 € 121.848,20 € 428.712,94 € 48.215,27 € 11.314,00 € 488.242,21 € 610.090,41 € 40.000,00 € 40.000,00 € 80.051,60 € 160.051,60 € 770.142,01 € 7
INDIA
Happiness comes back to Calcutta Dear brothers in Christ, Rejoice in the Lord! I apologize for being so late in replying to your love. Here in Calcutta, it took us a really long time to get ready for Christmas, cleaning the Orphanage from the tons of mud that the floods had left behind. Young and old got down to work. With God’s help, we managed to finish in time, which seemed like a miracle. By December 20th, everything was ready for the Annual Celebration of our School at the Girls’ Orphanage. At the big Hall of the school, which was beautifully decorated by our elder girls, our children chanted hymns. Then, plenty of hard work was also required for the preparation of 8
the Greek Church of Calcutta for Christmas. The Choir, consisting of the elder girls of the Orphanage, chanted with reverence at the Vigil Service, praising the Nativity of the God-man our Saviour Jesus Christ. Next, albeit rather belatedly, we got down to working on the translation of the ecclesiastical calendar 2014 with readings for each day. When it was handed to us completed, we distributed it to our flock in Calcutta and the surrounding villages. On New Year’s Day the Vigil Service was celebrated at the Girls’ Orphanage. At the end of the Matins Service, at midnight, as the year was turning, the Doxology was being chanted, followed by St Basil’s Divine Liturgy. Not only all the
children but also the Orthodox believers of the region rejoiced and chanted hymns until dawn. The Holy Dodekahemeron ended with the Divine Liturgy of the Epiphany and the Blessing of the Waters. We glorified God for His mercy on us and for taking us out of all the difficulties we went through during the last months. Then, we prepared the books for our 5 schools in the villages and we soon started the distribution.
The new school year started on January 2nd. Finally, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for your precious help, which hasn’t abandoned us. Your recent donation of 7,000 euros covered a lot of pressing needs. May God pay it back to you. I wish you a year spiritually fruitful and blessed by God with health, peace and love! With love in Christ Sister Nektaria
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INDONESIA
Times of joy and sorrow Dear brothers, Rejoice in the Lord ever! I’d like to wholeheartedly thank you for the amount of 10,000 €, you sent us anew for the purchase of an x-ray machine for our small hospital “Theotokos”. Our small Church, here in Sumatra, lives a mix of happy and sorrowful experiences, lately. On December 11th, we were blessed to have two new priests ordained for our Mission; fr. Theodosios and fr. Loucas will cover many pastoral needs of our faithful. Our biggest grief is the departure of Fr Athanasios Manalu on Christmas day 2013. He was ill and our benevolent God decided to take him with Him. Next to his simple house, he had a small workshop, but because of his long illness, it closed. 10
Presbytera Theodora along with his children wants to open it again, so that they can withstand the harsh conditions of their life, but they lack the financial resources. Furthermore, nearby, there is the Sinabung volcano. Last year, it blew lava, which caused many to die. People suffers a lot, our Mission raised some money and helped them partially. Lately, though, the volcano sends a lot of ash into the sky and people lives with fear away from their houses. If possible, you could also help them and deliver your love to these wounded brothers of ours. May God bless you with His wealthy goods. Many wishes Fr Chrysostomos Manalu
Fr Athanasios Manalu The humble & charismatic priest
That day, 25th December, a star from the sky fell into the city of Tarutung in Sumatra, Indonesia, in order to accompany your repose on the way to eternity! Blessed Fr Athanasios, you were an iconographer of artistic nature, having acquired your skill in a holy monastery in Greece. Your holy icons revealed the purity and brightness of your soul. You were an excellent carpenter, as well, imitating our Lord Jesus Christ in His ministry of work to society. At Siparbue, your birthplace, in the parish of our Savior’s Resurrection, the bell of our orthodox brothers’ hearts rings out mournfully. The five little children of yours, like little swans, stand by their affectionate mother, Presbytera Theodora. Your beloved brother Missionary Fr Chrysostomos stands captured by the grief over your loss, shedding uncontrollable tears at your farewell service on your way to God’s Kingdom of Heaven. Christ is risen! 11
GUATEMALA It is with grief that we announce to our readers the falling asleep in the Lord of the very reverend Archimandrite Fr Andrés Giron, who formally came to Orthodoxy a few years ago after a vigorous spiritual inquiry, offering his spiritual children as succulent fruits in front of our Most Merciful Lord's feet. His flock, ca. 350,000 souls in Guatemala and south Mexico, lost its spiritual leader. We pray that our Lord rests his soul in peace, as well as strengthen and secure in the Orthodox faith the people he left behind.
Dear Board Members, Your kind feelings and prayers for the rest in peace of the soul of the late Fr Andrés Giron were received like a balm of consolation for the pain that his sudden death caused to me and all the hundreds of thousands of our faithful in Guatemala. I firmly believe that the soul 12
of this truly industrious and fruitful cleric now resided in the bosom of our Lard. Passionate and unique -I could say- till his last breath, Fr. Giron lived only for the ministry of the faithful in Guatemala, who saw in his face their real father and caring protector. May God rest his soul in peace! With gratitude †Athenagoras of Mexico
That day, 18th February 2014, at the province of Peten in Guatemala, the silence covered the forest with the pale rays of the hazy dawn. The parrots fell silent and the colorful birds of the air stopped their daily music symphony.
Fr AndrĂŠs Giron
The Spirit-bearer of the Maya
Blessed Father AndrĂŠs, on hearing of your repose, the mournful tears of your spiritual Mayan children, joined the small lakes and rivers where your demure, humble figure walked at your farewell service. It is here that the first little sprouts of the Orthodox faith bloomed with God-inspired catechesis in the pure hearts of our neophyte Indian brothers. We bow to the immensity of your spirituality, your love for Jesus Christ. We bow to the highest step of your holy mission, your love for Maya Indians. We bow to your prayer of tears, your struggle for the salvation of the world. Christ is Risen! 13
FIJI ISLANDS
Waiting for your love Dear friends and fellow workers in the Lord, Our benevolent God blessed us to cross the threshold of the new year 2014, which His love and virtuousness gave us. Like everywhere else, here in the Antipodes life goes on at about the same pace. With the Most Merciful God making His sun rise on the evil and on the good and sending rain on the just and on the unjust alike and with those living and ruling the world, some of whom thank Him and praise Him while others deny Him and utter blasphemies against Him. In New Zealand there is a state of non-religiousness. Every14
one is free to believe or not to believe, to sin or to do good. Thanks be to God for the existence of the innate moral law. However, the presence of the Cross is a consolation for the Orthodox churches and especially for the Holy Monastery of Levin. The word of Orthodoxy spreads more and more. Orthodoxy is the sweet and only hope of our time. In Fiji and on the Oceania islands in general, poverty goes together with simplicity and the real humanity of life. The indigenous live the way God wants and do not go against His laws, as the supposedly civilized people of Europe, America and Australia do.
In Fiji islands, Orthodoxy advances slowly but firmly by the Grace of God. The building of the orphanage in Saweni, as seen in the photo, has been completed and soon the opening service is going to take place and the church will start functioning, much to the delight of the poor Fijians and all those who helped in this God-pleasing project. The foundation was laid on the same plot, which was bought with funds raised by the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity, and God willing, in a couple of weeks the construction of the Holy Trinity
church will proceed. This church will be our cathedral. The cost will reach 120,000 FJ$ (around 65,000 USD). We start off with the hope that this project will be completed as well and that we will be blessed to celebrate the first Divine Liturgy and chant the beautiful Trinitarian hymn: “As befits God, let us all praise, with songs inspired,the Father and the Son and the divine Spirit, three-personned might, one Kingship and Dominion.� Naturally, In the course of these projects there are also
The foundation of the Holy Trinity church; in the background the completed orphanage
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difficulties and suspensions caused either by nature (such as continuous rainfall) or by men (insincerities, clumsiness‌) On this occasion, first I want to thank the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity and secondly all the known and unknown contributors, who have helped and will help in these holy projects which are executed on the beautiful Fiji islands and by which Christ and His Church as well as our Orthodox countries are praised. May the Creator of the
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Universe, who sent His only begotten Son into the world to illuminate and save us, grant that despite our being weak and sinful, we will not forget Him or embitter Him with our ingratitude, but that we will always thank Him and praise Him day and night and every hour and every moment, just as the animals and birds and all the irrational creatures do on earth as well as the Angels and the spirits of the righteous do in Heaven. †Amphilochios of New Zealand
GUINEA
Planting the first sapling of Orthodoxy Dear friends of the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for your decision to support our missionary struggle in West Africa with 5,000 euros. I am particular touched by the fact that your financial aid comes at difficult times for our country but very important for Guinea because we are ready to buy the building plot where the first Orthodox school and the first Orthodox Church in Guinea will be erected. The latter will be dedicated to Ss Parthenios and Charalambos. Thus, through your support, we have secured the purchase of the plot. We are witnessing another example of God’s intervention. What
touches me even more, though, is the fact that the Fraternity places its trust in me and once it more supports my humble efforts in praise of the Lord. I can assure you that you are the only Missionary society in Greece which has been supporting me since the time I was a still a University student and offered my humble voluntary services to the Mission. I would like to thank you wholeheartedly for that. On Tuesday 11th February, with the help of God and the blessings of our Patriarch, I am leaving for Guinea and Sierra Leone. From there, I am going to keep you informed of the progress in our projects. Please, remember us in your prayers. With love in Christ, †George of Guinea 17
Support the completion of the Resurrection church Honorable Sirs, May the blessings of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. I would like to express my sincere thanks for your kind invitation to come to Thessalonica in order to present the projects of the Missionary work in Sierra Leone, in which you have supported us. Your assistance so far has been invaluable. For a two-year-period I hesitated to ask you for further support due to the economic crisis in Greece, so that you yourselves can be in a position to help other missionary divisions as well. However, there is one more issue for which I would like to ask for your help. It has to do with the Holy Church in Waterloo, which is dedicated to the Lord’s Resurrection and to St Moses the African.
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The first stage involves the levelling and smoothing of the church floor and the completion of the icon screen construction. The cost estimate is about 10,000 euros. The second stage involves the completion of the Church itself as far as this is possible. The cost estimate of this stage is about 40,000 euros. This church will meet the liturgical needs of the children of our school, the amputees and their families, as well as the faithful of the broader region. That is why we consider it to be particularly important. Once more, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks as well as my sincere appreciation and gratitude for your support. With love in Christ, Arch. Themistocles Adamopoulos
On March 9th, our Fraternity shipped a container of humanitarian aid to Sierra Leone
KENYA
Approaching the Turkana tribe I always remember with the best of thoughts and feelings the time, when I first walked on the holy land of Africa in 1977. My meeting with the people and the rich culture of the Turkana tribe was a revealing experience. This ethnic group consists of nomadic herders that live at Rift Valley Province in Kenya, in the region of Lake Turkana, a long and narrow lake on the border between Ethiopia and Sudan. They speak the Turkana language, which is a Nilotic language and similar to that of the Masaai. The people of this tribe, like the Samburu and Maasai, still hold on to their own traditions without wishing to change them at all.
Background of the tribe The Turkana tribe has its origins in the Karamojong region of north-eastern Uganda. Oral tradition has it that they reached Kenya, when hunting an untamed bull. The land they occupied is hard and arid. As a result, in comparison with other tribes, they were less affected by the English colonialism, because the British saw little value in their land. Culture and way of life As is the case with all stockbreeding tribes in Kenya, livestock, mainly cattle, comprises the core of their culture. Its people live a nomadic life, always moving from one place to another. 19
Traditional Turkana dress This tribe maintains a variety of colors regarding their emblems and clothing. The men dye their hair with a special colored soil, while the women are adorned with traditional jewelry and bead necklaces. The social status of a woman determines the quantity and style of the jewelry she wears. When setting eyes on a woman, a man can immediately discern her social status.
Art and Handicraft Some of their most beautiful creations are the bangles and necklaces for women. The craftsmen of the tribe also make a large number of other handicrafts, such as spears, clubs and knives. They are characterized by their skillfulness in metal work, wood carving and stone carving.
Faith and Religion Unfortunately, the majority of the Turkana are committed to their traditional African religion. They believe in a “god of the heavens”, whom they call “Akuj” or “Kuj”. They pray to him either directly or through the spirits of their ancestors. They usually invoke their god 20
in periods of crisis or during natural disasters, like extreme drought. In the 1970’s, the first Orthodox missionary, who visited them, catechized and baptized them, was His Eminence the current Most Reverend Metropolitan Amphilochios Tsoukos of New Zealand.
Life today Cattle still remains the main source of livelihood, especially in rural areas. Livestock provides food and can often be sold for money. Fishing in the lake is another important source of income for those who live nearby. Even though illiteracy rates are still high in the tribe, there are a small number of very well educated Turkana people who have joined other fields of the Kenyan economy.
Marriage For women, marriage takes place in the first and main phase of their adulthood. Girls get married between 15 and 20 years old. They usually have a say in the choice of their husband. A wedding can last two days and is probably the most important event in the social life of the Turkana, with big ceremonies, dancing and merriment. 21
An Orthodox Turkana narrates One quiet afternoon, I was walking to our church. Suddenly I saw a car moving towards the same direction. I realized it was the Metropolitan of Kenya and his entourage. His first question was to check out whether there was land available for the Orthodox Church to start its missionary work in that region. We showed him the land, and immediately his reaction was positive, saying that one day a beautiful Holy Church would be built there in the heart of that barren area of the Turkana, maybe a school and a medical center as well, in order to help the local people. And he added: I feel that God will open more doors here so that Or22
thodoxy can be established in this region. Now we had to find a place for our guests to eat and sleep. This was a traditional local lodging, plain, humble and yet so privileged, for there was at least a bed and clean water for one to rest. His Eminence seemed to be pleased because he had managed to reach the most remote part of our country. The next day, the Divine Liturgy was conducted in a makeshift place. At least two hundred catechumens came to see and live firsthand the grandeur of our Orthodox worship. In the end, he announced enthusiastically that he would take with him
the first catechumen, that is me, so that I would attend the Orthodox Teachers College and next the Patriarchal School. He finished his sermon explaining how important that day was to the whole of Orthodoxy since its message had reached the ends of the world. Next he distributed food as the region is constantly struck by drought and my people suffers from hunger. He also wanted to perform the first christenings there but that was not possible due to the fact that the rivers and lakes had no water because of the big drought.
It is a great thrill for me that the true Church has arrived in our region, at last. Our bishop saw with his own eyes how our tribe lives, how thirsty it is and also how it sleeps. He became aware of the drought which plagues the area, the epidemics, the rough by dust and sand roads, the illiteracy and so many other problems and sufferings. We pray to God for help and ask Him to grant us the chance to see eventually a new Church rise and flourish through your love, patience, endurance and His miraculous intervention. From the Holy Metropolis
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Δωρεά σάκκων με καλαμποκάλευρο στη φυλή Τουρκάνα - Κένυας Soupkitchen for Burundian orphans funded by our Fraternity
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TANZANIA - MWANZA
Youth concerns The Orthodox youth of our Holy Metropolis have the very same concerns and questions as every young person in the rest of the world: What will be their future? What will they invest their lives in? Where will they channel their dynamism and skills? Where will they work? How will they survive? Will they prefer to live in a village or a town? What does marriage, family mean? What do difficulties in life mean? In a place completely lacking in terms and conditions favorable to their educational and professional advancement, this questioning turns into a nightmare for the young people who were only able to graduate from primary or 26
middle school. And now what? And now where? Since there is no possibility of financial support from the family, emancipation on the part of the young man or woman is necessary and imperative. Especially for the Orthodox youth, there are questions related to their Christian identity and intention to consciously and responsibly live according to it. • How can I be adequately trained in topics of true faith and life with completeness and clarity in my own language? • How can I live a consistent Christian life and who will be the right companion to follow me on this path? • How can I be an active member of my Church, when I lack ex-
perience and do not meet the educational requirements? • Where will I look for a spiritual guide experienced in the life in Christ, when almost all my spiritual fathers and brothers are neophytes? Besides the typical questions described ή raised above, there may be other concerns as well. In any case, our youth contemplates, observes, reflects and expects our Church to guide them with sincerity and authenticity. Thus, we are greatly responsible for responding to these concerns of theirs. Because above and beyond material deprivation, the natives of Africa ask the Orthodox Church to give meaning to their life and existence. To genuinely reveal to them the person of Jesus
Christ, their Creator and Savior. To interpret for them the mystery of life and death. To convey the message of hope and resurrection to them. To get them drunk with the heady wine of the eternal Kingdom. To drive them crazy with the madness of Christ’s sacrificial love for them. This is the “what” of the Church and our faith in Him. It is our vision that more and more people discover in the face of the God-man “the Way, the Truth and the Life” of their lives; that His Kingdom spreads and gains ground inside our hearts, so that someday all people on Earth will become one living entity in the Christ, will be bathed and shine in His light and love. From the Holy Metropolis
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MALAWI
A church for Ngwara village Dear friends of the Mission, Rejoice in the Lord! We are writing from far-off Malawi in Africa in order to share with you the joys and sorrows of the Mission one more time. Always with the blessings of our Metropolitan, we keep up our humble ministry in praise of oυr Benevolent God, and our Church here is growing slowly but firmly. Through plenty of difficulties and with your valuable support so far, we have managed to erect a small number of churches and schools, thus meeting some of the neophytes’ needs. Unfortunately, neither our holy churches nor the schools are enough. In almost 10 parishes that have been formed, our orthodox brothers gather in thatched huts. It is there that 28
they pray. It is there that their holy services are conducted. In the rainy season the roofs are often leaky, or the mud bricks collapse. One of these parishes is the Chiradzulu region, in the mountainous village of Ngwara. In this village, we baptized the first orthodox Christians in the last four years. Their patience and endurance are admirable.They themselves made this thatched hut and gather on Sundays and feast days. One might expect that their interest in faith would decrease and that they would be turned away from our Church. On the contrary! They were not disappointed. Nor did they betray their faith.They often say: ”We were baptized Orthodox Christians, and with that faith we shall die.” They
often pray to God with tears in their eyes so that He reveals a devout donor to build them a proper church. That is the only request they have in their hearts: a Holy Church in which they will be able to worship our Triune God decently. We are deeply touched by their moving interest and sole concern, which is to have a strong, healthy parish. Actually, they have organized their parish very well. They have elected church-wardens. They discuss their problems all together and in groups they visit other Christians who are in greater need. Each one of them gives a few kwachas; This way, they manage to raise a scant amount of money and relieve some afflicted souls. This parish is an enviable
model of philanthropy and love. Brothers, let us not keep these good-hearted people waiting, for they are conscious believers who have applied the Bible to their lives. We appeal to your love: if any of you can afford it, let them offer this region a church. The one who builds a Holy Church in the Chiradzulu region, Ngwara village, will be granted a lot of blessings. These people will be deeply and eternally grateful to the one who will offer them a plain Holy Church. Their ardent prayers will be with him/her for ever. Their priest will be commemorating their benefactor and his/her family in the Divine Liturgy continuously. With love in Christ Fr Ermolaos Iatrou from Malawi
One of the many wells funded by our Fraternity
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MADAGASCAR
Difficult times for the Mission Dear friends of the Mission, rejoice in the Lord! First of all, I would like to thank you for your continuous support to the work which our Holy Metropolis has undertaken to accomplish in far off Madagascar by the Grace of God and the blessings of our Revered Head, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria Theodore II. The struggle still goes on, despite the difficulties we have to confront, economic as well as in human resources. However, how could we possibly stop such a Godpleasing work, when the Grace of the Most Holy Spirit is ahead of us and paves our way for the Evangelization of immortal souls? When the people who live isolated 30
in far off villages do not mind the efforts and the discomfort and walk for hours in order to reach us and ask from us to go and catechize them so that they find true God and join the body of the Church? Once, we went to a village 1,300 km away from our missionary centre for christenings. It was a long journey and special preparation for everything necessary was needed, because in such multi-day trips no mistake or omission is allowed. On the way, we stopped at a very distant village to have a lunch in one of the small shops along the road. Our presence and appearance aroused the local people’s interest. Before long a large number of them had gathered around us; then,
they were given the explanations they were looking for and their catechesis began. After giving them plenty of books on our Church, we left with the promise to visit this village again. We did visit it again and eventually we created a good parish there. In the field of Mission, surprises come one after the other. God grants us great moments but also tries us through a lot of temptations, efforts and difficulties. Last year, we were struck by heavy rainfall and cyclones. In the city of
Tulear the river dam was destroyed; as a result, the river inundated the city. A big part was flooded and in some places the water rose more than one meter. The damage was so severe that thousands of people were left homeless, without even the basic essentials. Among them were two priests. Our Church was not indifferent to the drama of our fellow men. It helped as much as it could the flood-stricken people with clothing and food. As for the two priests, the other clerics of our Holy Metropolis cut back on their
Ms Catherina Alexandrou, ophalmologist and regular member of our Fraternity, paying a missionary visit in Madagascar
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Another container left for Madagascar on February 19th
own stipend and raised a sum of money quite sufficient to help the two priests buy anew lots of the things that were damaged. One of the Holy Churches of our Metropolis in the Tsongobory region was flooded and plenty of items were damaged. The same happened to two other churches in other regions, Vatolatsaka and Besely; strong gusts of wind swept off the church roof and rendered the church non-operational. The priests had to conduct the Holy Liturgy outdoors. We have restored all three churches and equipped them anew; thank God, they have become operational again. In the last months, by the Grace of God and with the efforts of both priests and catechists, there 32
have been plenty of christenings in several villages. Fr Theodosios, Archimandrite of the Holy Metropolis of Ierissos and the Holy Mountain, with the blessings of His Eminence Metropolitan Theocletus, visited us again this year and along with indigenous priests, performed several christenings in the villages where there are catechumens. We would like to thank Fr Theodosios, who has been offering his services to our Metropolis for several years now, as well as His Eminence Metropolitan Theocletus for allowing him to come here and offer us his ministry for almost two months. Last November, with the blessings of His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch Theodore II, we had the
ordinations of two young men that were ministering to our Metropolis. The newly ordained clerics have graduated from our Theological Seminary and are expected to cover few of the many gaps our parishes have to deal with. The Theological Seminary cannot function properly due to the economic problems we ourselves have been facing as well lately. The crisis is becoming more and more evident as time goes by. We are trying to make ends meet and cut down on our expenses to the bare minimum. Dear brothers and friends of the Mission, lately we have been going through difficult times. The
financial crisis of Greece and Cyprus has had an obvious impact on us as well. We have cut down on our expenses, on our transportation, as well as on our working staff to a considerable extent. We have reached a point of not being able to cover the necessary expenses or the salaries of those people working for the Mission. We have already stopped the children’s breakfast, which we had been providing since our coming on duty here. These poor children are now deprived of even this plain breakfast since we could not afford to buy them biscuits. As a result, they have become even poorer since they go to school and to their jobs
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hungry. I would like to remind you that about 800 children used to have breakfast within the premises of the Mission on a daily basis, but during the school vacations, this number amounted to 1,200-1,300 daily. The door of the Mission is now closed for all those barefoot, ragged and with the bloated stomachs, poor children, who would come here from far away. Plenty of them had to walk for 3km. The same has happened with the food distribution to 130 families every Monday. We can no longer buy them food (rice, lentils, beans, corn flour etc) because we cannot afford it any more. The little food that was given to them helped the poor families pass the week without having to look in the garbage in order to sell what they would find,
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such as paper, nylon and anything else that could be sold. Another great project that had to stop was the Orphanage. Its construction has been completed, but we need you in order to finish plenty of jobs there. The rest of the working cost amounts to 100,000120,000 euros. I am well aware of the economic crisis that has struck Greece, but I am making an appeal to our beloved brothers and friends of the Mission to help us continue the work of our Church on the distant land of Madagascar, and “great will be your reward in Heaven”; according to the prophets, “he that has pity on the poor lends to the Lord” (Proverbs 19:17).
†Ignatios of Madagascar
Group baptisms
CONGO BRAZZAVILLE & GABON
A year of ministry on the African Equator It is almost a year since my arrival at the newly established Holy Diocese of Brazzaville and Gabon. A year of apprenticeship in the principles and mentality of the Congolese brothers, a year of anxiety for their spiritual progress – always in accordance with the Orthodox teaching and tradition, a year of exhaustive tension for the administrative reconstitution of the Diocese- according to the Holy Canons, the Patriarchal Clauses of the Second Throne Church of Alexandria and the legislation of the republics of the Congo-Brazzaville and Gabon. Also a year of conscious silence as an answer of pastoral responsibility to extremely dangerous for the cohesion of the newly founded local Church external blows… However, the Lord, “who only doeth wondrous things”, is the living God! Meeting with the Orthodox Pygmies This year I experienced the most intense feelings in my life and the secret way of God’s answering in the innermost recesses of the soul. The first meeting with the Orthodox Pygmies in North Congo is what dominates my thinking. A very old tribe that lives in the rainforests on anything nature can offer, inherently noble and good-hearted. When I first met them, they did not talk to me either about problems or future plans. They experience in practice the constant present of the ecclesiastical time, without planning for tomorrow. They did not fail to mention the benevolence and undivided love of the Orthodox Greeks who they came to know through Orthodoxy, the way this was expressed through the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity, which offered the amount of 7,380 euros for the purchase 35
Orthodox Pygmies welcoming His Eminence Panteleimon
of valuable primary necessities for their difficult living conditions in the woods. Axes, knives, files in order to grind their tools, and also cooking utensils were those items that they chose in advance as absolutely necessary. This amount also helped cover the annual rental for the small house that is used as a temporary “Church� for their operational needs as well as the monthly stipend of the trained Parish priest, Fr Sergio Mabelemo. It is with emotion that I remember the christenings on the banks of the serene river Oubangui. A pirogue was the stand from 36
where I performed the baptism of the neophytes, glorifying the Most Gracious God for the early Christian experience I was living. Six months later, the Benevolent God spoke in the heart of an anonymous donor, unknown to me as well, and on the Feast of the Presentation of the Theotokos, anniversary of my first Episcopal election, It was with trembling hands that I laid the foundation stone of the first Orthodox Church of John the Theologian and Saint Nicholas, so that it would light up North Congo like a far-shining spiritual lighthouse.
At Saint Efstathios Orphanage The living concerns, life, death, joy, dancing and singing are interrelated in Africa. Its inhabitants know how to deal with the totally different situations of their daily routine. However, when one is responsible for little orphaned children, things become more serious. To these pure souls food, clothes, shoes, medicine, school stuff, toys, are as important as Christian catechesis and proper upbringing. Being a celibate cleric myself, I have to admit I was not aware of the fact that being in charge of the Episcopal “Saint Efstathios” Orphanage involved parenting 25 boys aged 5-17, who have exactly the same needs, material as
well as emotional and spiritual, with all the other children in the world. Now I understand that I must be a child with the toddler and an adolescent with the adolescent, but at the same time I must remain their spiritual shepherd, coordinator and employer of the twelve–memberstaff that looks after them. Apart from moral strength, what is definitely needed is money, too. Money for clothing, food, wages, social security contributions… Again, our charitable brothers lent a helping hand through the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity by contributing with another 8,000 euros to this “home of love” during the last year.
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Material and spiritual reorganization Having to talk about finding blessing of the waters on the Epiphthe funds required at such difficult any Day, which was first conducted times for our dearest country, is with the immersion of the Precious something that made all of us here Cross into the rushing waters of the in Congo well aware of the need to River Congo. There are plenty of events, conlook for resources within the country itself. This can only be achieved cerns and joys that have taken place by means of numerous legal acts, since last year. The constant training endless and time-consuming pro- of the priests, the finding of spiritucedures for the safeguarding of ally healthy clergy candidates, the resources that could sustain and pastoral and administrative reconsupport the future operation of the stitution of the nine Parishes, the Diocese. There have been a large reorganization of the Radio Stanumber of flights to the capital city tion “the Voice of Orthodoxy”, the of Brazzaville for meetings with the smooth and lawful functioning of appropriate authorities, various ob- our Orthodox Schools with the 289 stacles on the way, complex legisla- students and the 26 teachers, the tion of the former French colonies, utterly important for the activaplenty of disappointments and ten- tion of the young “Orthodox Youth Convention”, the subscription of sion… And since mentally we are in the people in need, the ineffable the beautiful city of Brazzaville, it feelings during the first ordination is worth mentioning the totally new which I performed, that of fr Paul for the believers experience of the Diafouka. 38
A recent event was the pastoral visit to Gabon. By the Grace of God, Orthodoxy takes its first steps there as well. A lot of things are needed: the establishment of the first community, the first Orthodox Church, the first Gabonese cleric… History is nothing but a “sequence of events”. The history of the local Church of the Congo only started 30 years ago. The first Orthodox Congolese and later first priest, the late Floribert Tchizibou, sowed the seeds of Orthodoxy. The faithful who were baptized by his own hands are still alive. The Most Reverend Metropolitan Ignatius of Pentapolis and former Central Africa, having Fr Theologos Chrysanthakopoulos as his prime mover, who completed
fruitfully his missionary ministry in this corner of the African land, gave a big boost to the advancement of the local Church. And the highly experienced missionary of Africa, its Patriarch, my Father, Master and Benefactor, His Beatitude Theodore II, with the unanimous decision of the Holy Synod of our far-famed Patriarchate, decided that this Church grew mature enough to become a Diocese and have its first own Shepherd. When I was a little kid and people asked me “what will you be when you grow up?”, I would answer “a priest”. What I could never even conceive of though, was the cross and resurrection prelatic ministry in the African Equator and the thrilling experiences that this ministry involves! †Panteleimon of Brazzaville & Gabon
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Who are you? A play in six acts
1st ACT Small fires have already been lit in the streets of Antananarivo. Some of them by those living on the streets, others for the charcoals to start burning for the preparation of the morning beverage, which will cheat the poor people’s hunger. 5.30 am: Life in the city has already begun. Look at what vitality this eightyear-old boy is loading the jerrycan of water onto his back! The cart-driver is pulling hard the so-called “sareti” and is struggling to carry as quickly as possible the furniture that has been loaded 40
on it since the night before. He, himself, as usual, has undertaken the role of the driver as well as that of the beast of burden. The expected day-wage is 5,000 ariary, that is, 2 dollars. And this is so because the lady whose furniture he is being loaded with is well-off. On his way to work, young Tahiri thinks to himself: “People in my country are struggling to survive. This is what I have to do as well. I must make my own family too. I may be poor, but God will provide for me as he does for all the poor people like me in the world.”
2nd ACT The blade of the meat-cutting machine has jammed up, and the customer is waiting for his meat. Very patiently and carefully, Tahiri takes out the protective part of the machine and starts cleaning it with his hand deep inside of it. Suddenly the motor starts working‌ In no time, his right hand is cut off. Blood, pain, despair, tears, darkness. Everything around him seems to have collapsed. 3rd ACT In the surgery bed it is only a moan of pain one can hear. It took a moment for the mind to be lost and the dreams to be shattered. He is all alone. In the dizziness of sedation, what is left is pain and despair. Whatever he was building this morning, comes tumbling down now. His watery eyes can make out a black figure going up and down the corridor. He stands for a while at the door of the surgery. Then he leaves. He comes and goes. But who cares? The pain is so intense that it is the only thing that matters now. As he is thinking of all these, Tahiri closes his eyes, for the sharp pain stings his body and heart mercilessly.
Outdoor clinic
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4th ACT He has just recovered from the sedation but the pain still remains. While sobbing, his watery eyes fill with that black figure. Now it is as close as ever. The man dressed in black is at his bedside, his hand on his pillow. “Don’t cry. You will get well,” he says to him as sweetly and encouragingly as possible. Through the pain and wonder, the young man’s weak voice is heard to be asking: “Who are you?” 42
5th ACT Home since then. It’s been almost two months. He is still aching, but at least, now he lives in hope. The black figure is by his side again; he is an Orthodox priest, his best friend now. It is nearly dawn. –I wonder, will you forget me pretty soon? asks the priest. –Never, says Tahiri. Neither you nor your words. –I think one day we will be praying together. –I’d love to. The Roman Catholics do not like you, though. –But I do love them. I did not come here to steal but to give. The point is what you want. I have told you everything about God. Do you want to pray with me? –It would be wonderful and I’d love to. But the Catholics support me financially. I’m a Catholic. –I told you, I don’t steal. I only give. God will provide, my child. –I don’t forget how much you have stood by me for so long. And you are still by my side. I cannot forget you. –When you become Orthodox, this is going to be the greatest joy for me. The young man nods his head.
Their left hands are joined in one now. By letting its last rays fall on the two men, the sun is playing its wonderful game really artistically as it eliminates the difference in color on the firmly joined hands of the black and the white man. The young man looks at him. The priest pulls his hand hastily. He can hardly restrain his own tears. “I have to go now, he says. “I’ll be back soon. Don’t be afraid.” FINAL ACT The guardian Angel of the town is already spreading over his warm purple-yellow “salutsa”. Underneath lies Antananarivo, his city under protection. He has taken his “lefu” in his hands in order to protect the children the Almighty God has entrusted him with. He is by their side, ready to protect them from every enemy and console the pain and tears of all those poor creatures, for whom no one has ever prayed before. The night is falling. The two protagonists, each one on their own with their eyes shut, are already praying to the same God, separately the one from the other, and yet, the one for the other. The curtain comes down here. This episode of life was real. The “author” was God Himself. The protagonists were real characters, but were kept anonymous out of respect. It is really awesome how God raises the curtain of life for each person, in an episode that may be repeated every day, here in Antananarivo or in every corner of the earth, where darkness and bitterness are transformed into light and joy by the Grace of God. Hieromonk Polycarpos Mikragiannanites 43
Columns of gratitude and heartfelt thanksgiving Donations from 11.1.2013 to 1.31.2014
Donators' names can only be found in the printed edition.
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"For God loves a cheerful giver"
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Attributions 4 Prescott Pym 14 Michael Rawle 17 Teza Harinaivo Ramiandrisoa 19 Robert Montgomery 26 Aaron Knox 44 elPadawan 46 HerPhotographer
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