#6 • DECEMBER 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 October-Decmber 2013 / Issue 6 (gr223) Editor: Nostis Psarras Ss. Missionaries Cyril and Methodius
In this issue 4 Patriarchal wishes 8 India 11 Kenya 17 Mwanza 20 Madagascar 22 Malawi 26 Indonesia 31 Congo - Upper Katanga 32 Burundi & Rwanda 37 Guatemala 40 Shipments of love 42 Farewell 44 50 years together 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:
ALPHA BANK • ΙΒΑΝ: GR93 0140 4050 4050 0200 2000 170 • BIC: CRBAGRAA Receipts of payments are issued and sent to the donators.
Authors are responsible for their own articles. Owner
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 Christmas 2013 May you and the whole world live this new year in our newborn Christ's grace
patriarchal wishes |4
“Let’s not love in word only, or with the tongue only, but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:18)
The Church, as the mystery of the communion between God and man, is impossible to be defined and cannot be described by means of dogmatic formulations or interpretations. Founded on the work, the passion and the glory of Christ, the Church regenerates man spiritually and makes him partaker of God’s divine nature by grace. In the reorientation of the human existence within the Church itself, Mission has a crucial role, as a calling for witness and ministry, a calling upon the Nations for sowing and harvesting the “remaining fruit” (John 15:16). The Mission is a mission of propagation of the gospel truth. It is the duty of gathering the children of God, building them up in the body of the Church and guiding them in faith. However, “faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself” (James 2:17). And faith becomes alive, only when it is “working through love” (Gal. 5:6); but this love is “no common love, but that which cements us together, and makes us cleave inseparably to one another” (Saint John Chrysostom, Homily XI on Ephesians). This very inseparable coexistence of faith and deeds of love to those in need constitutes the cornerstone of the ministry of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa in its region of spiritual jurisdiction, from the Mediterranean Sea, in the north, to the Cape of Good Hope in the south, from the Horn of Eritrea in the east to the Cape Verde in the west. So, if there were a single word to be found in 5|
order to describe this “marrying” of faith and love in our missionary centers throughout Africa, then the most suitable one would be “humanity”. Since I remember myself ministering in the spiritual field of Africa, I recollect the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity supporting the struggle of the Church of Alexandria to meet the peoples of Africa, partake of the demands of their life, provide answers to their existential questions. But even now that by the grace of God I have shouldered the responsible task of being at the helm of the Church of Alexandria, the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity keeps on participating unconditionally in the challenge of the holy mission of making the nations of Africa fellow heirs and fellow partakers of the promise of God “in Christ Jesus through the Good News” (Eph. 3:6). Through its periodical publication, it proves its awareness of the fact that for the effectual calling of the peoples of Africa so that they can participate in the joyful message of the Gospel in word, in deed, in prayer, in worship and in the daily testimony of Christian life, it is absolutely essential that the devout flock of Motherlands should partake of the titanic task of the spiritual renovation of our African brothers in the spring of our Fathers’ Orthodoxy and the invigoration of their relationship with God through their engraftment into the evergreen Tradition of our Church. Through the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity periodical, thousands of known and unknown people become aware of this necessity and join our struggle, either by volunteering to offer invaluable services in our missionary centers, or by providing heartily out of their |6
surplus or out of their poverty, so that the requisite material needs of the mission can be met. All together, they become co-helpers in a proto-Christian process of taking African newcomers into true faith, transforming them and experientially depositing in their hearts the gold and silver of the true graces of faith for their ontological fulfillment. So, they arise in the spiritual greenhouse of Orthodox Africa as an “example to those who believe, in word, in their way of life, in love, in spirit, in faith” (1 Tim. 4:12). The Orthodox Missionary Fraternity has stood by our side in our struggles and agonies, has shared our hopes and visions, has unconditionally joined hands with us and has offered us its generous help. It is this Fraternity that we honor today on the occasion of its fiftieth anniversary of existence and activity in Christ. Moreover, we lavish on it our fatherly wishes and patriarchal blessings, reaffirming our tacit mutual commitment to jointly make every possible effort, each one from their own post, to form the New Creation in Christ. With ardent prayers unto the Lord,
†The Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa THEODORE II
In the Great City of Alexandria November 6th, 2013
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INDIA
Deluge of monsoons, tide of poverty Dear brothers, Rejoice in the Lord always! I feel deeply affected by your manifestation of love as well as the financial aid your Fraternity offered us these difficult days that we are going through here in India. It is important for us to know that some brothers remember us. Thank you for doing so now, as you have been doing since the beginning of the missionary work in India by the late Fr. Athanasios Anthides. It is true that I have been late in contacting you, because we have been through fire and water and diseases and needs and difficulties, especially during the last three months. Without electricity |8
or free time for correspondence and with a mind frequently blocking in front of deadlocks!... It seemed like a deluge coming from Heaven. It had been pouring with rain day and night since August 19th. The city of Calcutta was flooded, and so were we, in the girls’ Orphanage! Rivers and lakes overflew. Roads turned into rivers and the whole place became impassable. Transport in the city can only be conducted with makeshift dinghies made from tree logs. The first two days, the children seemed to be enjoying it. The rainwater was clear, and they were able to swim and play in the yard, but afterwards it was stirred with dung and sewage from spilt-over
sewers and turned into mire. The only good thing was that our yard was filled with fish. We haven’t bought any for three months. God brought them to our door! However, along with the fish, the water drifted in poisonous snakes, which were looking for a dry place… But the only dry place was our buildings, which are fortunately elevated. The water only came to a halt when it was 2 cm. below the top stair of the entrance. We have made makeshift bridges, on which you must keep a good balance in order to be able to move from one building to another. However, our biggest night-
mare was and still is the snakes. Lots of people in our region have died of a snakebite, two of whom were little children. God has protected us by now and, I hope He will be by our side till the end. Then came the epidemics, by which we weren’t spared. I am currently staying at the boys’ Orphanage. Most of the children are ill with chicken pox. Cherubim, the Orthodox lad in charge here, was also infected and left and so did the cooker with all the staff and the doorkeeper. 58 boys need care. Since I moved here, I’ve been struggling to do everything by myself, working night and day!... Pray that God will help me hold up, un-
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til everyone has recovered. As you know, our region is rural. Due to this torrential downpour though, people’s crops have been totally destroyed. To top it all, the typhoon has uprooted fruit trees and has blown down houses. Basic foodstuffs are now luxury goods. There is a great shortage of them, so prices have soared! Inaccessible to the majority. People are desperate, homeless and hungry. The come to our mission in hope and beseech for help. My heart breaks. Nobody believes me when I say that I am very sorry but I am unable to help, because I myself can hardly scrape out an existence. What can I say? On October 29th I needed 3,800 euros for the
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payroll of teachers, doctors and other staff, but there was only a little money left in our account. This is why initially I said that my mind blocks in front of deadlocks… If it was not for the good God and His love to find a solution at the last minute, we wouldn’t exist today. “For in Him we live, and move, and have our being.” God’s love is big, He often tests us “as gold in the furnace” and eventually He stretches forth His hand smiling and saying to us, “you of little faith, why did you doubt?” May God give you health and strength and bless the work of your Fraternity. Sister Nectaria
Over flooded fields
KENYA
Wandering through the land of the Maasai: Marriage In previous references, I have described moments of the way of life of that tribe which special anthropologists characterize as the most beautiful and original by far of all the tribes of the Black Continent. Of course we refer to the ancient and world famous Maasai tribe. Looking through their life, customs and habits, one clearly forms the impression that they are a people with physical strength and build that take great pride in their beauty. It is only natural that they are regarded as a tribe with unconquerable spirit and great inner conviction that they can conquer and impose themselves on the rest of the tribes. Since the ‘80s, when I first had
the honor and blessing to get to know them better, I have had the feeling that I am connected with them to such a extent that we feel like blood relatives. When joking, in order to justify this feeling, I often tell them that “since there is the myth that you come from Alexander the Great, therefore, I myself, as a genuine descendant of his, I feel that I belong to your race”. I strongly remember my first visit to their land, when on the way I came across herds of wild animals, like giraffes, zebras, deer, antelopes… On arriving at the place where I was supposed to stay, I was wondering how it could be possible for a newcomer European 11|
like me to enter their culture and tradition and feel as a part of their life. My first night there has been indelibly printed on my memory; I could never even imagine sleeping on a piece of wood, having domestic animals living next door. The little children were delighted to have a European visiting them and sharing the same schedule with them for the first time in their life. We had dinner all together-eating from the same pot and using our hands, not forks, and next those little children surrounded me and started singing and dancing for so long that they finally got very
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tired. So did I, that is why I ended up sleeping on that plank without even taking off my clothes. It was an exceptional and unforgettable experience. What really impressed me the most on them on my first visit though, which still impresses me and is something I experience every time I meet the Maasai people, is the innocence and simplicity that characterizes them. Since then it has been many times that I have seen these people in various phases of their life, happy and sad. What can be easily discerned on such occasions is the big devotion and love of the
Receiving a Maasai bride
majority of the Maasai people for the traditions of their race, which is evident at weddings. As a bishop that has been invited many times in order to perform the sacrament of marriage in the Orthodox Maasai, I was given the chance to get to know the complex procedures that are related to the realization of a Maasai wedding. From the moment a Maasai man and woman decide to get married until the wedding day, even at the best of times, there are a lot of important events that come in between, which are pretty often inviolable. This article aims at giving the readers an idea about the Maasai marriage. The Maasai girls get married at ages varying between 12 and 16,
unless they are in school. Those attending school, get married as soon as their education has been completed. For many years, according to the Maasai tradition, a girl would marry the man her father had chosen for her. Nowadays though, thanks to the women’s education, a girl has the right to choose her husband on her own; however, her father always has the final word. Therefore, when a Maasai girl is ready to get married and wishes to choose a man for her husband, she has to be very careful and choose one from a friendly family. The Maasai people do not usually like their children getting married to any other tribe than theirs. Moreover, they want and aim at their daughters getting 13|
married to men from a good family with a clean past. The first step for the wedding is taken by the groom’s family. The family sends a “delegation” of a few women bearing gifts to the bride’s family and inform them that they will soon be visiting them in order to ask for something specific. This way, they arrange a date for the next visit. That day, another delegation from the man’s family with his father ahead along with a very good friend of the bride’s father, go to the bride’s home in order to propose to her. The friend’s presence is supportive so that the girl’s father will not reject the proposal immediately. Since both families agree and give their consent to |14
this marriage, they arrange a date especially for the dowry. At that meeting, the two families agree on the dowry the groom’s family has to give so as to get the bride: a specific amount of money- a “blackset” number (proportionate to the number of male members in the family), sugar for all the women of the family, cattle (and usually a bear, a calf and a heifer). After that and provided there is agreement regarding the dowry, they finally set a date for the wedding. On the wedding eve, the groom, his father, his best man and other men from both sides meet at the bride’s house and have the last talks before the wedding. On this visit the promised dowry is delivered to the bride’s family,
and then her father gives her advice on her new life in front of everyone present: he tells her to be hard-working at her new home, respect everyone in her new family and make wise use of their cattle. It is worth mentioning here that this final meeting on the wedding eve is particularly important and decisive for the realization or not of the wedding. It is not a rare phenomenon to have weddings cancelled at the last minute (the evening before, the wedding morning or even a few hours just before the wedding ceremony) because there was no agreement on the dowry matter. I have personally witnessed plenty of such cases. This is why, given the possibility of a cancellation, the whole commu-
nity rejoices when a wedding takes place. On the wedding morning the bride wears traditional clothes and takes her parents’ blessing as well as traditional wine and milk, before she is given away to her husband. Along with her relatives’ blessings, wishes and traditional prayers, the girl is taken to her future husband. She is escorted by the best man, who is acting as a helper and a person familiar to her. When all these people reach the groom’s place, the couple is given their blessings, and the women of the village sing to the bride before she is taken to her mother’s home. There the bride has to drink the milk, and right after she has arrived at her new home, she has to 15|
share it with the children there. This contact with the children is considered a blessing of fertility. Also, this way, the new bride shows the coexistence and cohesion of the family unit. The whole village dines at that home. This way it is notified to the community that from now on this woman is the wife of the man living there. According to the Maasai tradition, the bride spends her first night at her mother-in-law’s. The next day she is shown the cattle and sheep as well as everything else that belongs to her husband. Then, she calls at the houses of the groom’s relatives in order to be given animals as a gift. This is why the Maasai characteristically say “Marriage is wealth”. Each mem-
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ber of the family usually gives the newly weds a goat or a sheep. For the Maasai tribe, marriage is regarded as a blessing from God. It is considered to be spiritual as well as material wealth. The man is the head of the family and has the right to marry as many women as he wants. On the other hand, the woman within marriage has a lot of responsibilities which she is supposed to fulfil consistently: build her house, look after her children, go to the market, fetch water and wood and milk the cows. A married Maasai woman is exhorted to bear as many children as possible since it is believed that children are blessing and wealth. † Makarios of Kenya
MWANZA
Obstacles in the way to Orthodoxy The Orthodox Church in North Tanzania consists of a large number of faithful. Always and everywhere, the people who have a pure soul appreciate the valuable pearl on finding it, and sell all their property in order to obtain it and make it theirs. The same thing has happened here.Those people who are in a position to identify in the Orthodox faith and life the treasure that has never been taken from them - now and forever- give their heart to it and follow it. It is not easy at all for one to walk miles barefoot with the child on their back in order to reach the church of God and pray. It is not easy, either, to attend the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, standing for 3 to 4 hours, joining their voice with the voices of the
others in the choir, before they have to walk again a few miles back to their hut having eaten nothing. Neither is it easy to get away from home for 10-15 days and stay in an outdoor camping in order to take part in an intensive catechetical seminar. And yet, they do all the things mentioned above, and not only these. They are willing to do much more, given the chance and the incentive. The Church has to utilize these people and offer them a field of action so that they can minister to it. However, there are plenty of obstacles that need to be overcome so that the natives can join Orthodoxy. The first and of utmost importance difficulty is for the Orthodox message to reach them, 17|
Holy Communion from the hands of bishop Hieronymos
in their own place. This is feasible only if the workers of the Gospel can be found and accept to travel far away from their place in order to bring it close to them. This does not always happen, though. That is why a big complaint on the part of these people is why true faith took so long to reach them. Why, for instance, haven’t the Greeks shared with them before what they have had for two thousand years now? The question is staggering and the answer to it is very difficult indeed. Now, lets us suppose that the first difficulty has been overcome; there is a second one, equally big, that arises: the language problem. As the truth is registered on both mind and heart through |18
the language, the word of the Gospel must be written in their own dialect. For them learning a foreign language is very difficult. Therefore, someone who knows foreign languages should learn their own in order to get closer to them, translate texts and have them printed for them, distribute them to them and so on. From then on it is them that bear the responsibility. Other difficulties derive from their own racial as well as social environment. Embracing a faith unknown to their environment, means to them making changes and redefining the structures of their life. Accepting to live with the others, but unlike the others. This means a lot of things. These people must uproot
from deep inside habits, practices, views experienced for centuries by their ancestors and handed down to them. At the same time they must inform and convince their fellow countrymen that what they have chosen is stronger and more real, it is something really unique. Many times they have to confront suspiciousness, rejection, marginalization as well as the aggressive behaviour on the part of their fellowmen. Some probably do not like the rise in figures of the Orthodox Christians and are trying to undermine this spread, sometimes with obvious and sometimes with devious means. Moreover, there are practical difficulties, too. For example, what will a man do if he has so far lived
with three or four women and has had children with them, since once he becomes Orthodox, he ought on the one hand to exist and function within one blessed marriage, on the other, support the women and children he got when he lived in ignorance. I referred to difficulties and obstacles in brief so as to enable the friends of the Mission to have an idea about the daily struggle of the Orthodox Missionaries. There are undoubtedly more difficulties, “which are without number�. This is why we need your constant prayers so that by the Grace of God and with patience, we can continue preaching His Word in this part of North Tanzania. From the Holy Metropolitanate
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MADAGASCAR
With heart and awareness Dear brothers, It is with great joy that I am writing to you in order to let you know about the progress of the projects. At the same time though, I regret to inform you about the increase in the number of problems. The Grace of God is accompanying and strengthening us in this difficult period we are going through. It is undoubtedly an ordeal as well as a lesson for all of us. Firstly, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks not only for your continuous support to our humble ministry, but also for the funding of a number of projects. Secondly, I would like to inform you that there have been significant cutbacks in the project-funding, and we only maintain those that are absolutely necessary. Some of
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the projects have been completed, like two houses for priests so as not to pay any more rents, which are covered by the Mission, the repair work of three church buildings which were completely destroyed by the typhoons and the floods and two Holy Churches which are about to be completed. The construction of the Orphanage has stopped after we managed to have it covered with a roof so as to protect it from the torrential rains, which have already started. The difficulties are plentiful and so are the needs, which cannot be met. We send our prayers to the benevolent God and to the Most Holy Theotokos for the continuation of the missionary work. We have already reduced the teaching staff in several schools
and have cut down on the expenses where it was possible. Our earnest requests to all the missionary societies as well as individuals for the support of the work of the Church are constant. Urged on by His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria and all Africa, we are trying to create a source of revenue within the country itself, by doing some form of gainful work – initially a livestock unit. This also needs some funding, though. This is why we appeal to your kind heart for financial support, according to your capabilities, of course. We would be grateful for that. This period we are having a lot of christenings taking place in many villages, where the priests in cooperation with the catechists
have prepared the catechumens in order to receive the first and fundamental Mystery of our Faith. A team of doctors from Cyprus with The Most Reverend Chrysostomos Metropolitan of Kition in charge, a person who has repeatedly visited us in the past, offers its services to poor and suffering sick people. The Mission never stops offering its services on a spiritual as well as philanthropic level. However, there are new needs that arise every day, and the people ministering cannot find time to meet all of them. Let us pray that God reveals more persons with missionary spirit to work in His vineyard. With love in Christ †Ignatius of Madagascar
Soup kitchen for children
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MALAWI
The President of Malawi at an Orthodox wedding Today our joy is great because the Lady President of the country visited our Orthodox church of Saint Nektarios. Saint Demetrius’ feast day today and our church filled with hundreds of people at around 11 o’clock am. Such a thing is a totally new experience for our Mission, which only started its activities here a few years ago. This is actually the second time the Lady President has come to our church. The first one was last year, when she came to see her beloved niece being baptized Orthodox. Now, she came to see her getting married. Therefore, it was the niece that attracted the President to our church; the niece that loved Orthodoxy so much, was properly catechized, was later baptized and |22
today celebrated her marriage to a fine young man. Of course, we pray that the Most Gracious God enlightens the President to become Orthodox too, as well as all the Malawians. The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. May the Holy Spirit enlighten them all to return to Mother Church, Orthodoxy, the one with the valid Mysteries, which enables people to attain salvation and holiness. We do not know what the President intends to do. We do hope and pray for the better, though. She saw plenty of things and marvelled at them. She marvelled at the priestly dignity, the prayers, the spiritual character of the holy service. However, what we certainly know, my brothers, is that this event is a great
testimony of our faith throughout the country, because everybody knows where the President goes. Everybody has heard of this visit, too. They now know the name “Orthodox Church”, which was totally unknown to them until recently. “How awesome are Your works, O Lord!” At this point I would like to mention everyone’s enthusiasm for our Most Reverend Metropolitan Joachim, who couldn’t be absent from such an important event. Therefore, the Archpriest along with the Vicar General and two indigenous priests celebrated this wedding. Three languages were heard -Greek, English and Chichewa-, so that everybody could understand the profoundness of Orthodoxy, the deep meaning of the benedic-
tions. Being highly experienced, our Archbishop approached the newly weds and gave them fatherly advice. God’s blessing was evident not only throughout the Mystery, but also at the reception that took place after the wedding ceremony. The Archbishop spoke again, and actually this time he spent a lot of time discussing with the President. They have arranged to meet at Christmas. He is going to pay an official visit to her at the Presidential Palace in the capital city, Lilongwe. My brothers, that was all I had to write to you today, on October 26, Saint Demetrius’ feast day. May Saint Demetrius always be by our side and may God grant that we build a church in the Saint’s honor here in Malawi. Fr Ermolaos Iatrou
The newlyweds with H.E. Mrs Joyce Banda, President of Malawi, 23| and H.E. Metropolitan Joachim of Zambia & Malawi
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H.B. Patriach Theodore II of Alexandria among his flock
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INDONESIA
We keep walking by the grace of God Honorable Mr. Chairman and devout brothers and sisters, Rejoice in the Lord! I have just received the 10,000 euros that you sent us for our Mission. We would like to express our heartfelt thanks for your immediate response to our request. The first money out of this amount has already been given to the Fire Brigade for the fire safety certificate. There are still so many things we need for this Hospital that I honestly do not know which one to ask for first. If I manage to go on, that’s all right. If things get more difficult and I will no longer be able to continue, then I will give up and stop. The reason why I am telling you all this is the fact that our missionary work here in Indonesia is enormous compared with our capabilities. At
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times, I feel embarrassed to write to you, especially when I have to ask for help. I think that Dimitris, Ms Angelica and Ms Katherine are aware of the way they are supposed to work because they stayed in Indonesia with us for a few days. As you know, Father Athanasios has been ill for a year, therefore, all this time he has not been able to rise to his feet and celebrate the Holy Liturgy. From the beginning, the doctor advised him to continue his medication. However, since the medicines are very expensive, they come to 200 dollars monthly, he decided not to take them and use this money for the maintenance of his five children. When I saw his condition, I decided to raise some money in order to take him to the doctor. That is why, my
brothers, we need about 4,000 euros for his operation. I mentioned the matter to our Metropolitan in Singapore, and he answered me that he hopes for assistance from an institution, that is why we are in anticipation. Brethren, our School Saint John the Forerunner is situated at Sumbul Sidikalang and consists of Junior and Senior High School. The Senior High School specializes in agricultural and mechanical studies. We have been given the licence by the Government but we have been asked to finish the school equipment so that the workrooms can operate properly. This includes a welding machine, an iron-cutting machine and a generator. All these cost 11,000 euros. Of course, by no means will this machinery be useless. The students will be able to
make axes, knives and other similar tools that the local residents need, as well as iron railings, beds and closets. Dear brothers, this is my earnest request: please, help us so that our School will be able to be a blessing for the people living around it. This village, like several others, is a wealthy village, but the people are illiterate, therefore they do not know how to make ends meet. Thus, the Orthodox missionaries, besides catechism and preaching, ought to help them improve their way of living, so that one day the local Church will be able to support itself. That is all our news for the time being, my brothers. We always have you in our prayers. May God bless you all and keep you safe. Fr Chrysostomos Manalu
Visiting the "Theotokos" Hospital
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Indonesia
The country where the smile blossoms on people’s faces Indonesia almost balances on the line of Equator in Asia. It is by far one of the most exotic countries worldwide with plenty of attractions. It lies between the Indian and the Pacific Ocean. It comprises more than 17,000 islands, small and big. Its total area is 1,9oo,000 square kilometers and its population numbers 270 million people. Indonesians call their country “ Tanah Air Kita”, which means “our country and the sea”. Due to heavy rainfall and the hot climate with temperatures annually ranging between 28 ° and 38 °C, the country is characterized by rich biodiversity. 88% of the inhabitants are Muslims, and only 6% belong to Christian denominations. Visiting the big island of Sumatra was a dream come true. Within the last 13 years, the Orthodox Mission -despite having started from scratch- has developed incredibly having the capital city of Medan for its base, Here in Sumatra, a lot of important work has been achieved thanks to two major conducive factors. The first is the effective |28
moral as well as material support on the part of the Greek friends of the Mission and the second the systematic efforts, reliability and remarkable abilities of the Missionary Fr Chrysostomos Manalu along with his equally worthy wife, Mrs Elizabeth Kumesaki. Both of them did postgraduate studies on Orthodox Theology at the University of Thessaloniki, Thanks to the varied social work and the personal efforts of Fr Chrysostomos, a great step has been taken: the official recognition of the Orthodox Church from the state of Indonesia. It is worth mentioning that the present and future of Orthodoxy in the specific country is moulded within a frame of peaceful coexistence between religions. This laborious vineyard has the following achievements to present: The School of Theology in Medan, the Computer Science School, the “Saint Sophia” Educational Center comprising kindergarten, primary school and high school (junior and senior). A four-storey medical clinic that
MISSIONARY VISITS
covers fields like pathology, surgery, pediatrics, microbiology, and provides facilities, such as doctors’ meeting rooms. In addition, a number of newly founded parishes have spread all over the region. It is easy to understand that such accomplishments presuppose a titanic struggle and continuous vigilance for the maintenance, smooth operation and future prospects of these projects. Behind this creative result though, one can discern the Vision deep inside the Missionary’s soul rising gradually. A vision for the Inconceivable, the Noble, the Ideal, which can only become real and strong with the consent of the Heavens to the earth. During our stay in this hospitable country, our team was involved in various activities. Mrs Aggeliki Arnaoutis, professor, gave an excellent talk to the students of the School of Theology, in which she interpreted and clarified theological matters. Mr Demetris Vrakas, film
maker and associate of the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity, shot interesting snaps of the activities, the daily life and the incomparably beautiful landscapes. He also covered interviews with important figures of the region. As an ophthalmic surgeon, I had to deal with relevant incidents by visiting not only the School of Theology but also Sumbul, an area in the jungle located at an altitude of 1,500 m. We were offered very warm hospitality at the cozy family environment of Fr Chrysostomos and his wife Elizabeth. We had the chance to meet their two sweet daughters as well as their other thirteen “children”, needy children taken in by the family until they have completed their education and have got settled professionally. So far, approximately sixty children have been brought up thanks to their personal care. These kids have benefited from the educational program and have succeeded in their professional life. Indonesians are smiling people, kind, humble, hospitable 29|
and benevolent. Greece has received positive comments and has gained recognition from the Indonesian society thanks to its contribution to the social work. Our Fraternity has greatly conduced to the fulfillment of this program. This is how much Fr Chrysostomos is respected and esteemed by the authorities of the country in his capacity as representative of the Orthodox Church in Indonesia. As an epilogue, I have kept a message that we took from Indonesia. “By means of their language, Greeks have spread the light of the Greek culture and Orthodoxy to the
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peoples in the four corners of the earth. Supposing there were no more Greeks, and as a result, the Greek language were no longer spoken, this would mean deep cultural darkness all over the planet! You should take care of the edifice of Hellenism. The peoples believe that Greece accomplishes its supreme mission despite the challenges of history, because its own History is long and profound, dates back to thousands of years and will incessantly be feeding the global network with light! Catherina Alexandrou Ophthalmic surgeon Regular member of the Fraternity
KATANGA
Orthodoxy on the air Dear brothers in Christ, A few months ago your noble Fraternity offered us 3,000 euros for the completion of the amount required in order to have the antenna of our radio station at Kolwezi, “The Voice of Orthodoxy”, installed. This installation was absolutely necessary for the proper operation of the station on a daily basis. We herewith want to inform you that the relevant works have been completed and the station has already started regular broadcasting, from 6 to 9 am and from 5 to 9 pm daily, within a radius of 60 km. Our devout brothers’ mind is at rest now, and they call us in order to inform us that our signal and our Orthodox emissions are heard in
their region as well. What’s more, it is not only the Orthodox brothers that listen to our program but also the heterodox. At this point we should mention that the emissions are of catechetical nature. Through them, we are trying to explain the main principles and doctrines of our holy faith in simple and easy to understand words. The operation of a radio station will strengthen and promote our missionary work, as so wisely His Grace the current Bishop Ignatius of Pentapolis had pointed out, and urged us to create it. We are grateful to you for your generous offer and we would like to thank you wholeheartedly for that. May God give you strength. Wishing in the Lord, †Meletios of Katanga 31|
BURUNDI & RWANDA
D
Wishes for our 50-year-anniversary
ear brother Mr Daoudakis, Chairman of the Fraternity, dear brothers in Christ of the Board and all of you, members of the Fraternity, Years go by and it is essential whether we leave our traces on them or not and whether those traces be recognized by the Lord. For eternal is only His own memory, since it lies beyond time and space. Our human memory is limited, confined by time. Nevertheless, it is necessary that we have a good memory, and we are well aware of the fact that the Lord rejoices over us if we leave behind memories that reflect Him. As for us, the remaining ones, we should consider ourselves benefited if we have the blessing to be able to talk about people and things that passed through our lives and sealed us with the morals they taught us, the piety they showed and the charitable
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feelings with which they surrounded not only us but also those who the holy writer calls “lying in darkness and in the land of shadow”. However, isn’t that the condensation of the gospel message, life and love in Christ? This year is the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Fraternity, which was established by the dear departed Pantelis Bayas, Panagiotis Papademetracopoulos as well as you along with some friends of the Mission under the spiritual guidance of the late Fr Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos, and which, later on, complying with the requirements of the times, took the name “Orthodox Missionary Fraternity”. While studying at the School
of Theology about twenty years ago, I was lucky enough to meet and be a student of Panagiotis Papademetracopoulos. I could only admire his love for my country and its people and I learned a lot of things about missionary ministry. His morals, his missionary zeal as well as his warm-heartedness became life lessons to me. We, the Ugandans, are grateful to your Fraternity as it was the first one to support the Church in Uganda, and has been by our side ever since at all costs, showing great understanding and admirable patience, being a modest helper and supporter throughout its course. As the current bishop of the Patriarchate of Alexandria in Burundi and Rwanda, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for your contribution, love and discretion towards the whole missionary effort of our Church.
Those fifty years of ministry on the part of the Fraternity were blessed and rich in experiences. We hope that you, the younger generation, honor and enrich what you have taken over. May the memory of those persons who worked here as well as their life inspire us all. I would humbly like to ask you to pray to the Lord so that I can be worthy enough to respond properly to the ministry which His Beatitude Patriarch Theodore II has entrusted to me and be able to continue the mission I took over from those preceding me in my bishopric. May Christ, who defeated death and is the Resurrection and the Life Himself, be lenient to my people, who suffered so much from death and cruelty. May we be His own good servants for ever and ever. With ardent prayers unto the Lord, †Innocentios of Burundi and Rwanda
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Waiting It is only a few months since I settled at the bishopric of Burundi and Rwanda. We are grateful to Christ, our Governor, for everything that we receive and we hope to be proved His worthy servants. Our Church was given enough land to build a Holy Church and a Primary School. The holy church is quite big and is filled with a lot of faithful every Sunday. Catechism and gatherings take place within the church itself. We hope that some generous brothers will appear and conduce to the construction of a building that will serve as the priest’s office and as a place for the Sunday schools and all kinds of children’s activities. Our school numbers approxi-
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mately seven hundred children. However, the classroom cannot accommodate them all, therefore, they have to attend classes in shifts, half in the morning and half in the afternoon. Meanwhile, since September a New Education Reform policy has been implemented; as a result, Elementary Education is extended by two years. This practically means that it is necessary to have four more classrooms added to our school as well as toilet facilities proportionate to the number of the schoolchildren. It is months since we were notified that the school is at risk of closing down unless it adjusts to the requirements of the reform policy. It is easy to realize the size of the problem. Major problem for the pasto-
for hope ral, catechetical and liturgical life of the parish is the shortage of people with true devotion and knowledge, the lack of infra structures and the commuting expenses. The vicar himself has to deal with this problem, as he has to commute to the Capital city, where he lives. As for the persons who could support our activities, which are mainly catechetical, we have some of our old students, friends and brothers in mind, whom we could invite and ask to contribute to our work. However, in this case, we would have no place to accommodate them, or ways to maintain them and help them move around. The best solution would be the construction of a presbytery, since there is plenty of land
available. Unfortunately, a big part of this land has been trespassed upon by landless peasantry. The authorities told us that the only solution to this problem would be the solid fencing. We ought to enclose the land with a wall. The truth is that the land covers a large area, but we lack the money required. As a result, we become easy prey. In addition, the land at St Alexius is rather dry. The large number of schoolchildren cannot have access to water. One good thought would be to have the rainwater collection system from the roofs of the buildings repaired and expanded, so that the needs of our pupils are met. Moreover, a relatively fixed an-
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nual subsidy would relieve the children’s hunger. At present, all of them come to school hungry, they leave hungry in the afternoon and at home they are definitely undernourished. On the other hand, we think it is easy to understand that occasional soup kitchens can only cause problems. We also regret to tell you that we only have a small number of desks at our disposal, so the majority of the children have to sit on the floor. All of them are barefoot, the “wealthier’ wear flip-flops and they are almost half-naked. One of our thoughts was to find a way to buy a couple of bolts of fabric so that we could make school uniforms for them. We apologize for mentioning such petty needs, but unfortunately all these are beyond our financial capability. Please forgive us for that. We did not want to write generalities or give you information that is
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of no practical value to our brothers who care about the missionary work and the needs of our little bishopric. Our predecessors worked hard and handed over enough to us. May the Lord bless them. We preferred to refer to matters that fill our mind and heart and share them with all of you. We laid them before you. We are not characterized either by haste or anxiety. We have absolute trust in the Lord of the vineyard. He is the one who assured us that we should not worry about material needs. May we be filled with His love and encouraged by the lives of the Fathers and Saints of our Church, lives of sacrifice and devotion to the sermon of actual love upon our brothers. We are not the only passengers on the boat of our Church, are we? †Innocentios of Burundi and Rwanda
Guatemala Preaching Christ in the Maya land In recent years His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras of Mexico has embraced under his Omophorion one of the largest groups in Guatemala. This human group was and still is under the spiritual guidance of the Very Reverent Archimandrite Andrew Giron. In order to comprehend and contemplate the beauty of God’s gift to Guatemala in the form of this group of believers that He bestowed on us, it is essential that we get to know their history as well as all the difficulties they went through before finding true faith. Father Andrew Giron is one of the best-known supporters of the rights of the tribe of Maya Indians and during his 30-year-fight for them, he was opposed by the ad-
ministration of the Roman Catholic Church and the government of Guatemala. At that time, the religious environment of the Roman Catholic Church in Guatemala incorporated the so-called “charismatic groups�, on the one hand in order to confront the protestant missionaries that arrived from America, and on the other to prevent the believers from leaving the gulfs of the Roman Catholic Church. However, this decision did not bear fruit due to the civil war, and the Roman Catholic Church stopped recognizing these communities, which were obviously imbued with protestant beliefs. In those crucial years father Andrew took the decision of leaving the Roman Catholic Church and 37|
Ordination of father Andrew Giron
unite all these natives. This mission of love led him to the reconstruction of new villages and to granting property deeds since the government had never granted those titles to them despite the fact that they had been living in and cultivating the specific land for centuries. Recognizing his struggle and work for them, the people asked him one day: “Father Andrew, what do we believe in? Who are we? What church do we belong to?� That is why he decided to teach them Orthodoxy to the best of his ability and knowledge. In the end, ten years ago, his un-canonical orthodox church had grown and numbered 350,000 members throughout Guatemala. As you see, God is great and cares for, enlightens and looks after His flock wherever He wants. That is |38
why father Andrew felt deep inside that all the things they had achieved were nothing without true faith. He followed the way that leads to true Church and made the decision to knock on the door of the Holy Metropolis of Mexico in order to be accepted to the Ecumenical Patriarchate along with his flock. After so many years, the right time had finally come. Seeking truth, they learnt True Faith and in Archbishop Athenagoras they found open the door of our Orthodox Church, which embraced them lovingly and with great hope. Right after that, our Bishop sent two priests there in order not only to get to know them but also to find out whether their wish was genuine and serious or not. The answer took us all by surprise! It was a group of
more than 350,000 people, with 338 churches and chapels. Most of them are indigenous to Guatemala; actually, they come from the ancient tribe of Maya. They live in the mountains and the vast plains of the country, even in the southern cities of Mexico. What we have ahead is a major project throughout Latin America, but for the time being, God has entrusted a groups of souls to us in Guatemala to look after them, teach them, baptize them and glorify Him all together. Our beloved brothers, we hope for your prayers and your financial assistance. Metropolitan Athenagoras of Mexico appeals to you for help regarding the various projects of our Holy Metropolis as well as Guatemala. It is essential that we have the financial means in order to send priests
to Guatemala to teach the catechists there how to catechize the faithful properly. Financial means are also required in order to get hundreds of thousands of catechetical textbooks for children and grown ups printed. Meanwhile, a large number of them are illiterate. Moreover, money is required for videotapes to be prepared in Spanish, even in the local dialect of Maya, so that through these tapes these people get to know the Divine Liturgy, Baptism, Chrismation, and in general, all the Holy Services of our Church. Finally, we have started to give some sort of humble beauty to all the chapels by sprucing them up so that our parishes look neater, which is another reason why we need your assistance. With the blessings of Metropolitan Athenagoras,
the Colombian missionary priest fr. Nicholas Antolinez
Our Orthodox Mayan brothers and sisters
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Shipments of love To me, poverty means not eating the food that pleases me; to my African brother, it means starving to death. To me, poverty means not
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having as many drinks as I want to satisfy my palate; to my African brother, it means that the little water he can drink from is dirty. To me, poverty means not living in my dream house; to my African brother, it means that his home isat best- a mud hut. To me, poverty means not going shopping quite often; to my African brother, it means that he has nothing to wear. To me, poverty means having to wait in the hospital queue; to my African brother, it means dying of a virus. I wonder, what is real poverty? O Lord, why is it that my family and I can enjoy all kinds of material goods, and yet, they never seem to be enough, while our African brother, who is one of Your children, too, is deprived of everything? I am certain that you would respond, since you have already done so in the Holy Bible: “This is why I have given you all these goods, so that you can give them to My child, your brother. This is why I spoke the parable of the Good Samaritan, this
is why I impelled the rich young ruler: “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” This is why I spoke the parable of the rich fool telling him those awesome words: “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?” This is why I said, when describing the Day of Judgement: “for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me”. In order to become wise, love your neighbor as yourself, without forgetting the words of Paul: “where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.” The Orthodox Missionary Fraternity, based on the principles of the Holy Gospel, and despite the crisis that has hit the world in recent years, by the Grace of the Benevolent God and Father of all nations as well as your own support, has sent three containers with humanitarian aid to countries of Africa, like Malawi, Tanzania and Sierra Leone. These containers were loaded from the warehouse of our Fraternity at Filyro with long life food, ecclesiastical articles, furniture, toys, medical instruments and items of clothing. We feel the urge to thank wholeheartedly all the friends of the Mission for their prayers as well as their material aid. May God bless you all! 41|
Fr. Constantinos Sideropoulos On the wings of Albatross On that day, August 24, 2013, the dawn dressed in mournful attire for the tearful sorrow of the people, when it heard of your departure in your thirty-seventh year. Late father Constantinos, it was with mettlesome spirit that you encountered the merciless disease. Your mind was flying in the realm of spiritual ideals, higher than Oceanian albatross. Oh! How much I’d like to have a feather of theirs on which to write your desire to disseminate the word of our Christ among the benevolent indigenous people of Fiji islands! Alas, you didn’t live enough to give more. In memory of you we lay upon your grave three green little sprouts from New Zealand, representing your little children, and the deep bow of the sun from Fiji islands, the place you so much loved. Christ is Risen! |42
Christodoulos Zacharengas In the silence of pain On that day, August 26, 2013, the rays of the sun shrouded your wounded body, bidding you farewell as you escaped the earthly life. Unforgettable brother Christodoulos, accompanied with dignity on every pace of yours, I’d like to mention thoughts of those who loved you‌ How did you manage to climb up so high on the ladder of pain and subordinate it to silence? It is as if you were uncomplainingly ascending a giant mountain like Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, where Archpriest Demetrios, the son of yours, ministers. Eighteen years of haemodialysis! Your pierced veins turn into streamlets of bitter blood and merge into a river of valor and submission to the holy will of God. The stars at night weave our dreams of the eternal life to come. Christ is Risen! 43|
50 years
December 8, 1963 - December 8, 2013 The Orthodox Missionary Fraternity invoking the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and your own tireless help continues its beneficent course in the fields of Mission to the Nations.
CONGO
UGANDA KOREA
INDONESIA CAMEROON
M ALAWI
M ADAGASCAR NIGERIA
RWANDA
COLOMBIA
NEW ZEALAND CUBA
ΤΑΝΖΑΝΙΑ INDIA
BOTSWANA
T H A N K
GHANA
ZIMBABWE
BURUNDI GUINEA
FIJI
KENYA
SIERRA LEONE CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE CHAD
GAMBIA
IVORY COAST ETHIOPIA
HAITI
Y O U
Columns of gratitude and heartfelt thanksgiving
Donations from 01.08.2013 to 31.10.2013
Donators' names can only be found in the printed edition.
"For God loves a cheerful giver"
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References 8 CAPRA Initiative 11 John 28 Mohammad Raihan Mazumder 32 Hiyashi Haka 37 Auntjojo 42 Squidgeebabe 44 Alessandro Guerci 46 PacificKlaus
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We inform you that due to the merger of Emporiki Bank with Alpha Bank, our new account is as follows: Alpha Bank (BIC: CRBAGRAA) GR93 0140 4050 4050 0200 2000 170 orthodoxmisison.org.gr
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1963-2013: Fellow travelers in the Orthodox Mission in the nations for 50 years