Orthodox Mission #32

orthodox mission

Founded in 1963 Honored by the Patriarchate of Alexandria April-June 2020 / Issue 32

Editor: Nostis Psarras

Ss. Missionaries Cyril and Methodius

In this issue 04 07 10 12 14 18 26 29 30 32 34 36 41 44

Pacific Islands Indonesia Congo Republic Congo (DRC) - Kananga Congo (DRC) - Kinshasa Madagascar - Antananarivo Kenya Tanzania - Dar Es Salaam Uganda - Kampala Ghana Guinea Tanzania - Arusha Uganda - Gulu Madagascar - Toliara

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Authors are responsible for their own articles.

Owner:

Orthodox Missionary Fraternity 6, Mackenzie King st., Hagia Sophia sq.

546 22 Thessaloniki, Greece 2310 279910, fax. 2310 279902

https://orthodoxmission.org.gr communications @orthodoxmission.org.gr Registered Charitable Association Spiritual founder:  Fr. Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos (1903-1972) Founding president:  Pantelis Bayas Great Benefactor:  Panagiotis Papademetracopoulos Honorary president: Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and all Africa

Board of Directors Charalampos Metallidis President Nostis Psarras Vice president Angeliki Arnaouti Secretary General Dimitrios Sotirkos Τreasurer Constantinos Metallidis Secretary Asst Zenobios Iatrou Treasurer Asst Evangelia Traikoudi Member Aikaterini Alexandrou Member

Prodromos Kalaitzidis Member

License

Distributed under Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0 license.

Similarly licensed works of the following authors were used in the respective pages:

3 Ben Phillips 4 Luca Sartoni 7 Bevis Chin 10 bgrimmni 12 Tom Jutte 14 Martin Pettitt 18 Rod Waddington 26 Mathieu Breitenstein 34 Rod Waddington 36 Dany Sternfeld 44 Mika Razafimbelo

Plea

To the Most Holy Life-giving Spirit On the final step of despair The night accompanies the sorrowful mind.

On our knees, we implore the Most Holy, Life-giving Spirit To bring divine aura to His daughter Humility, Which we need to pursue in our lives.

Through Divine Grace rose the Holy Light To erase shadowy clouds of pride And rivers of sin of our existence.

Forgive the spiritual non-existence In an empty basket of precious values.

The ignorance that paddles into the wrong destination.

Other times immersed in the arid well.

Others in a sea of wavy weaknesses, Which eliminates high ideals.

We implore you from the border of despair.

Mind is trapped in a spider’s web.

Selfishness grows with arrogant words On a dry plain of logic that lacks truth.

Unite the ruling Orthodox Church across nations.

Raise the Holy Light of heartfelt love Its zest to melt the frozen feelings.

Let the dead smile on the bitter lips be resurrected!

Let a faint flower delight the Christ-loving soul!

The few missionaries -brothers in Christ Remain beggars in the wilderness of the world.

As death gallops among the weak peoples Our hidden guilt travels through the loss of compassion.

Let us pray to the Most Holy, Life-giving Spirit for Salvation!

Nostis Psarras 3

PACIFIC ISLANDS

A priest needed for Tonga Christ is risen!

Dear Brothers and Sisters, by the grace of God, the construction work on the Holy Church of St. George on Tonga Island of the Pacific Ocean has been completed.

Coatings, sheds, oil painting, flooring, frames, fences, and others, were made by our three good associates who had gone from Greece to the island of Tonga for 5 months. Mr. Michael offered important personal work along with 5 faithful from the St. George parish of Alaska, all Mission friends who went to the island for 10 days. Naturally, all this would not be possible if the Mission friends in Greece, members and friends of your fraternity, did not offer from the “surplus of their heart�, 4

to buy the necessary building materials, transit and return tickets and the daily expenses of our good associates. We would like to thank you wholeheartedly for that and express our deep gratitude for your support.

Their transition was considered necessary due to the fact that the church building is made of concrete and its architectural style is cruciform with a dome. It has spherical arches, dome, curved surfaces, and needs cement. Such a construction on the island of Tonga cannot be realized by the expertise of the locals, who participated in auxiliary work.

What is left to be done is the light fixtures, the interior decoration with the iconostasis, the icons, the priestly vestments and utensils,

the pews and the rest of the necessary equipment in order to be able to welcome and accommodate our newly-enlightened siblings. It is also necessary to complete the spiritual center which is located under the church building with painting, frame installation, lighting, sanitation facilities and refectory equipment.

However, the most important thing to be done is for God to enlighten a good and humble Priest who will dedicate himself and his prayer to the spiritual care of our baptized brothers and continue the work of our Lord and His Church. To teach, to catechize, to inspire, to baptize, to administer the Body and Blood of Christ to the spiritually orphaned children of the Orthodox Church of Tonga. We acknowledge the diffi-

culties but hope in God’s mercy.

Naturally, the unprecedented global situation for all of us due to the corona virus affected the pace of work, which, however, has been completed by the grace of God. For our associates, it was quite difficult to find return flights to Greece.

Eventually though, this became possible, and they finally managed to return to Greece in a lot of discomfort but safely.

Fortunately, the great destructive cyclone that passed through the Fiji Islands during the Bright Week was manifested in coastal areas. There was also minor damage to the islands, which affected the Mission’s proper operation, the buildings, the gardens, the daily life of the orphanage and the parishes.

With plenty of effort and even more love, our brothers and sisters eager-

Our orphanage in Fiji

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ly undertook repairing all the damage. Thanks be to God. The presence of covid-19 on the islands was negligible. 18 patients in Fiji, there were no corona virus deaths, and there were no cases reported in Tonga and Samoa.

They are all well and safe and continue to pray to God Almighty for all the blessings He grants to them.

It did one good thing though: It gave us the chance to realize our own shortcomings, our own weaknesses, to realize that we exist and live thanks to His Own mercy and His Own love. The smallest form of life on planet earth, the entire universe, the new virus, has shown us how fragile man is and how easy it is for human civilization to collapse...

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In this way, we are given the opportunity to reconsider our existence and our values, to rediscover what is essential and truly beneficial in our lives and to follow them with faith and trust in God. Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ is the only solid foundation of our lives that will never be shaken and will never betray us, but will always support, protect, bless and radiate His Grace into our lives.

The Bright Resurrection of our Lord and the prospect of our own Resurrection and Sanctification, shows us the course and the way, gives us the strength and courage to confront and overcome the present situation and any future situation for the benefit of our souls.

Wishing in the Risen Lord †Myron of New Zealand

Saint George church in Tonga

INDONESIA

Staying (un)safe Dear Mission Friends and Supporters, With God’s help, we are doing well. I would like to share with you some news from our Orthodox Mission here in faraway Indonesia.

To tell you the truth, COVID-19 arrived in the Indonesian capital in early January, but because there was a big flood in Jakarta then, the issue did not come to light. It was in early March when the government announced that we had to stay home. Everything was closed down, factories restaurants, mini markets, hair salons, means of transport, mosques, churches, schools, universities… and our daily life changed dramatically. Face masks became necessary “accessories”, and people had to stay away from each oth-

er; the farther away, the better. All this time, we have been locked inside the house. Fortunately, thanks to technology, I was able to see my newborn grandson Costas.

The big question is what people can do at home. If one is a civil servant, one is paid by the state, but things are different for private individuals whose businesses have been closed down; in such cases, these people get nothing. Thus, hunger, theft and misery prevail everywhere.

The government has bought a large plot of land in each city to use it as a cemetery. Every day people die from COVID-19 and are usually buried at night so as not to be seen by others.

Now, there is no difference between the rich and the poor. Normally, there is a big difference: the rich are 7

buried in a different way from the poor. But now, when someone dies from COVID-19, whether rich or poor, they are immediately buried in a non-traditional way. Isn’t that terrible, dear brethren? I wonder when this situation will end. No one can answer us.

A few days ago, a student of our Theological School wearing a mask came to my office and told me: Father, I have a big problem. I have a little brother at the Institute for the Blind because he is blind and needs treatment. Prior to COVID-19, there were 54 blind children housed there. Due to COVID-19, almost all donors have stopped sending money to the Institute. This resulted in

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its closure, due to lack of revenues.

Then, I was called to take my little brother and send him back to our family on the island of Nias.

This student lives with me at the St. Paul Theological School in Medan. However, since there is a traffic ban, he and his blind brother cannot leave for Nias. I told the Institute officials that I would pay the expenses until the end of the epidemic. So now only this blind child is currently living at the institute until COVID-19 has passed.

A few days ago, a neighbor of ours posted something on Facebook. ÂŤCivil servants stay at home and have no problem. But we, private employees, have a big problem

Indonesian Orthodox parish

because the factory does not pay us.

«I immediately asked him if he had a problem, and he replied: «We have to stay at home, since this is what the law says, but we have nothing to cook, because two days ago we ran out of rice.» He has 4 children. So I told him to come over to my house to give him some rice to cook. This is the situation we are facing here in our region. We went through a big earthquake and a tsunami, but now with COVID-19, things are much worse.

Almost all schools will remain closed until July, children do not pay tuition fees, nor can we ask them to pay. Our teachers, those of the Theological School and the employees of our Schools are complaining. They ask for their salaries since February, but currently

we cannot afford to pay them. The School’s electric bill is about to expire, and very soon we are going to run out of electricity and internet.

We have the same problem with water.

I am writing all this to you, not out of despair, but in order to let you know the damage COVID-19 has done all over the world. Naturally, our humble Mission here in Indonesia is no exception. We ask for your prayers in this difficult situation, so that it passes soon. May the Mother of our Lord be with us all. I would like to thank you wholeheartedly for your great contribution to our Mission, and I pray that our Lord Jesus Christ blesses and protects you and your families.

Fr. Chrysostomos Manalu 9

CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE

Society on pause Dear Mission friends and supporters, I am writing to you with feelings of deep gratitude for the valuable contribution of the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity of Thessaloniki to the operation of the Saint Eustace Orphanage and to the missionary work of the Holy Metropolis of Gabon-Brazzaville, and once again, I would like to appeal to your warm-heartedness in order to ask for your support regarding the problems caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in the life of our local Church.

The pandemic has plagued the Republic of Congo since early March. Almost immediately, a Presidential Decree was issued, which imposed, among other things, a restriction on citizen movement, 10

as well as complete suspension of the operation of churches, temples, mosques and houses of worship of all religions, Christian denominations and sects. The management of the situation was then entrusted to the Army, which imposed a curfew at certain hours and undertook to maintain order.

The situation in the country had a direct impact on the life of the newly established Metropolis of Brazzaville, which with a lot of struggle and sacrifice had achieved a small but steady income from the five small shops it built four years ago, with which it managed to cover the monthly salaries of its eight clergymen (1,400 euro in total).

Also, the above-mentioned situation multiplied dramatically the

requests for help on the part of Orthodox indigenous brothers, for the purchase of food and medicine.

In addition, the recent Ministerial Decision to resume the operation of the last two grades of schools at each level of the Congo State for the annual promotion examinations, requires the administration of antiseptic liquids and the use of a mask for each teacher and student on the part of private schools. This measure also concerns the Orthodox school ÂŤLight of NationsÂť of the Holy Metropolis of Brazzaville.

I understand the globality of the problems caused by the pandemic

and its economic consequences for our Orthodox Greek brothers. I am particularly concerned about the future, as the pandemic - in addition to the long-running economic downturn in our country - further highlights the problem of the financial support of the God-sent Orthodox missions. However, in the present extraordinary period I resort to the mercy of the Risen Christ and to the sacrificial love of our warm-hearted brethren worldwide. I thank you in advance and I remain in honor, deep gratitude and love of Christ. †Panteleimon of Brazzaville

Distributing aid to Pygmy children

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CONGO (DRC) - Kananga

Offering of Love in the midst of Pandemic Dear brothers and sisters, Christ is Risen!

The whole world is being tested by the pandemic that has spread in the last few months, changing our lives and creating unprecedented situations around the world.

Besides the health difficulties created by the spread of corona virus and the huge economic costs that states all over the world have to bear and deal with, the impact on the global economy is also enormous. Economically powerful countries, such as the United States, China and major European countries, estimate the financial costs of the pandemic for their countries at hundreds of billions. Therefore, it is 12

easy to understand that if the economies of the powerful countries are so grieving, what a huge, really unbearable burden the pandemic is for those who were already very poor and struggled to earn a living every day.

Naturally, in our Diocese which has many such brothers who have so far relied on our multiple assistance for their survival, the situation is very difficult to handle properly.

In these difficult times, the container from the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity of Thessaloniki arrived full of goods, which were to be distributed daily to the destitute of the Metropolis. These poor people resort to our Dio-

cese and receive food and clothes, which brings a smile to their face.

One hundred and eighty widows, sick and helpless, turn to the Orthodox Mission for help every week. In just one day we distributed all the goods of the container.

But also every day, with the help of the Missionary Brothers from Greece, the distribution continues.

At the same time we visited an institution with malnourished children. We offered them large quantities of food, clothes and other stuff from that the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity had sent us. You can’t imagine their joy when they were given the food. The institution officials called the Orthodox Church «their savior, who, in the

most difficult moments, when the European subsidies were stopped, offered plenty of food and clothes to the children of the institution».

In fact, this gesture of love on the part of the Orthodox Church was announced by the state radio stations of Kananga.

The Holy Diocese of Kananga would like to thank wholeheartedly the Chairman and the members of the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity of Thessaloniki as well as all the associates and subscribers of this Charitable Association both for their offering of love, that is, the container, and for many other acts of help, support and solidarity in the long and difficult work of Mission. † Theodosios of Kananga

Distributing food sent by the Fraternity

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CONGO (DRC) - Kinshasa

The radio station pylon has fallen down The Divine Liturgy of the Holy and Great Thursday was over and the radio station technicians were still working so that the “Voice of Orthodoxy” would broadcast the sacred services of these holy days and the message of the Resurrected Christ –Christ is Risen- could be heard all over the 15-million people capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo. They even doubled the range so that every faithful could hear the Passion Week troparia, such as “Today He is hung upon a tree…” , the lamentations of the Holy and Great Friday “The Life in a grave…”,and the Paschal services and hymns.

Everyone was filled with joy for that, and the rest of the Theology

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students were very excited and enthusiastic, ready to start new emissions. The School of Theology had been closed down by government order since mid March due to the corona virus pandemic, like all the Universities in the country. Most students managed to return to their families before the closure of the domestic airlines, but those coming from Kasai Region, despite having bought air tickets, were not able to leave due to the suspension of all flights, which is why they remained on the School premises. On the evening of Holy Thursday, just before the beginning of the service, an incredibly strong wind along with torrential rain, literally a typhoon, blew the 45-meter antenna pylon

of the radio station onto the roof of a boarding house; it also blew off roofs of the surrounding houses and scattered them here and there as if they were tree leaves. A whole roof was whirled across the sky before it was flung into the yard of the School of Theology. This was an unprecedented phenomenon. We had never experienced anything similar before. It was such a disaster!

Our first concern was whether human lives had been lost Îżr someone had been injured. The anxiety was great. We glorified God when we realized that no one had been hurt and everyone was safe and sound. We thanked Saint Athana-

sius the Athonite for saving us once again. We also thanked him because the pillar fell into the school yard and not onto the neighboring houses; had such a thing happened, plenty of people would have been killed or injured, and great damage would have been caused to the houses.

Naturally, a question immediately arose: What are we going to do now? People trapped in their homes due to the epidemic, not being allowed to move freely or go to church. Now, how will the Orthodox who live scattered in the city attend the services of the Holy Passion, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection since they cannot go to Churches? How

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will these people be comforted?

God gave us enlightenment, and immediately the technicians found a solution. We got connected to another radio station, a makeshift antenna was set up and sent our 94.1 Fm signal to it and it transmitted it through its own antenna. We were given it for three days and were charged for broadcasting by the hour. We were able to broadcast the sacred services of the Epitaph, the Resurrection and the Divine Liturgy as well as the Vespers of Love on Easter Sunday.

Our Christians felt the meaning of Easter, heard and sang the Paschal troparion from their homes, called

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us on the phone and thanked us.

Immediately after the fall of the pylon, there were a lot of things to be done: its dismantlement and removal from the roof, and the reconstruction of the destroyed part of the roof of the boarding school.

Needless to say, all this cost a considerable amount ot of money.

Action has been launched for finding a permanent solution for the radio station operation. Another smaller antenna has been placed to transmit the signal to a pylon situated up on a hill in Kinshasa, where there are also radio stations antennas. We turned to God, invoked the patron saint of our University St.

Athanasius the Athonite for help, and began our venture with the confidence that the Saint would not leave us, as he has repeatedly helped us in many other difficult times. He always stands by our side.

At the same time, the Metropolitan began preparations for the group of students who are engaged in radio broadcasts.

He began to teach daily lessons on the organization and renewal of radio emissions. Thus, this period the students were taught Philosophy of the Ecclesiastical Radio, its goals, its ministry and Mission through it, the way it is organized, topics for discussion and the preparation of the shows, the role of the

choir with properly trained executives and the use of the scientists and the youth of the Orthodox Church.

In collaboration with the President of the Hellenic Community Mr. Gerasimos Dounis, we are striving to make our radio station operational soon and be able to broadcast the “Voice of Orthodoxy” in Kinshasa and the surrounding areas, in the heart of Africa. Τhe amount of money required for both the repair to the damage and the operation of the radio station may be large , but the “Voice of Orthodoxy» must not be prevented from calling people to the One True God, the One True Church. † Nikiphoros of Kinshasa

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MADAGASCAR - Antananarivo

A Gift of Education Dear Mission Friends and Supporters. Christ is Risen.

I would like to inform you about the work of our missionary team, which is accomplished by the Grace of God and with the blessings of our Most Venerable Prelate of Prelates, His Beatitude Theodoros, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa.

In this update, I would like to refer to the Mission schools, which are going through difficult times due to the global economic crisis. Education in this country is a serious and very delicate issue at the same time. The state is unable to meet the numerous needs in 18

schools, which results in a large part of the population being illiterate.

It is a common phenomenon for us to come across people of different ages who do not know how to spell their name. This problem has been known for many years since we assumed duties, not only through the appeals of the children’s parents, but also through the local mayors’ requests for the creation of schools in their regions. The Mission saw this challenge positively and gradually began building schools whenever a sponsor offered to fund their construction. After the reconstruction of the school building, which is being done with

great difficulty due to the adverse weather conditions and the poor road quality-rough roads badly damaged due to the torrential rains during the monsoon season, our obligations have no end.

Interior equipment and teaching staff payroll are two other extra expenses for our missionary team. We try to help the children get the basic education to have an essential qualification in their lives.

Children are the future of every country, so they should not be left illiterate. They are very happy when we visit their schools, we talk to them, we show them love and we give them notebooks, pens

and schoolbags. These few gifts are invaluable to those children, who have never seen new schoolbags from civilized countries before.

What fills them with great joy and enthusiasm though is when we give them toys and soccer balls.

They usually make makeshift balls out of bark, rags and other found items and wrap them with string.

They also make other toys, such as toy cars out of coconuts, and various others. In many schools the teachers have learned the national anthem of Greece and sing it in order to please us. It is very moving to see the Greek flag waving along with the flag of their homeland and

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Pupils of our Orthodox school listen to the national anthem of Greece.

We praise God for all this work that is being accomplished in this distant land and we thank all the friends of our Mission, known and unknown, for their help and support.

Our love is not only to be measured by works and buildings, but also by the way we approach and speak to people, young and old. We must look at everyone with love and sympathy, which is what wins people over. Then other things happen. People trust you and begin to confide in you their problems 20

and sins. You don’t have to make any effort to get to this point. Love is patient, love is kind, love is not easily angered, love is not selfseeking, love wins everyone over.

On these journeys we always close our program with a joint meal, a meal of love. The parish is the large family where young and old meet at the feast of love. When the time to leave comes, we are pleased because we leave behind people who are all happy and thankful for these simple gifts we have given them with so much genuine love. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ. †Nikiphoros of Kinshasa

Training Mission Members Mission is a continuous field of action. The opportunities that are given to us to spread the Word of God and to make Orthodoxy known to people who do not know are many. The people here are receptive to the Word of God. A few days ago we had a threeday seminar for catechists. In every village there are catechists who help in the catechetical work of the Church. From time to time we organize training seminars, so that the catechists gain more knowledge about catechism and other matters

of faith. All the catechists had come from all the villages of the Diocese and attended the seminar taught by Fr. John, the oldest of the priests, and Joseph, a layman theologian. It was very constructive because they were once again given the opportunity to enrich their knowledge with new things.

Also, once a year, a seminar is held for the elders’ wives (presbyteres), who provide substantial help in the work done in the parish they belong to. Each parish has its own problems and, although the priest

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is responsible for solving them to the extent possible, the presbytera as an individual also helps the priest on various issues and problems.

Volunteers mainly from Greece undertake the seminar for presbyteres and offer their valuable knowledge in practical matters. The teaching of spiritual life is the first and foremost subject that is taught, because the salvation of our soul is of paramount importance. A presbytera, as a woman, can see and hear many things and problems and can contribute to finding a solution as much as her responsibilities allow her; she also relays them to her hus22

band- priest, and together they try to help or provide a solution. A very important lesson for presbyteres is the preparation of the Bread of Offering (prosphora) as well as the tidiness of the church building on the great feasts. It does not matter that we are in Africa, the tradition of our Church is the same and it must continue in any part of the world. The love of God and His Church must be the same everywhere. The country does not matter. If you love people, you love God and vice versa.

Then, before the disease outbreak, a seminar was organized for the priests. For the same purpose,

seminars are most often organized for the clergy, who are members of the Mission and are the ones who actually comprise Mission. These seminars are more detailed for obvious reasons. Also, in this country, problems, spiritual as well as practical, are created or simply appear, for which the priest is directly responsible. The spiritual issues always precede the practical ones. The seminar for the priests was undertaken by Fr. Damaskinos Gregoriatis, who is currently here teaching Byzantine music.

The needs of Mission are enormous and will continue to exist, as

long as the missionary work does not stop spreading. Lately, a new book has been published in the local language regarding repentance and confession. The effort is made in all directions. We strive to give our brothers opportunities for spiritual nourishment. After all, on the field of Mission everything is aimed, both spiritually and materially, at the salvation and evangelization of people.

We thank and praise God for all the blessings He gives us. We also want to thank His Beatitude our Patriarch for his moral support.

From the Holy Metropolis 23

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Water pump in Northern Uganda

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KENYA - Nairobi

Our orphanage in Kilimanjaro In these difficult times that the whole of humanity is going through with the appearance of the corona virus, the schedule of our missionary course did not change in the beginning. Despite the strict measures imposed by the Government, I had to make a long journey, which I had already planned.

It is a fact that I am not used to being trapped so I cannot travel, tour or visit our faithful all over Kenya for spiritual and –if necessary-financial support ,usually in kind, when the people are hungry.

Once again, with God’s help, we prepared for our long journey to Mount Kilimanjaro. In addition to the parishes and our four priests, we 26

had to see the construction works of a large number of church buildings as well as of our orphanage.

Above all though, the most important purpose of this trip was the children of our orphanage. As we mentioned in our previous reports, one of our priests belongs to the / famed and primitive tribe of the Maasai. Along with his most revered wife, they decided to gather the orphaned children of the area and accommodate them in their own home. Of course, they have their own four cute biological kids. There was so much misery in the area that they could not bear to see so many children suffering, wandering in the streets unprotected, hungry,

forgotten and abandoned. So, they thought, since God had given them enough land, they could build one chamber for the boys and another one for the girls. So it happened.

On the same plot where they live with their own children, they have gathered these poor children, who are now living with them as if they were their own. Everything is held in common. These orphaned children live in the same place where they themselves live. They all share everything, since in order to go to the girl’s dormitory, they have to go through the priest’s living quarters.

We arrived there and saw the following phenomenon: boys and girls, from infants to 15-16 years old, welcomed us at the entrance of their place of residence. My im-

mediate question to Fr. Titus was: «Well, are you allowed to live with so many children while there is such high risk of transmitting this virus?» And I continued, «You should have sent the kids home.»

And a thundering answer came to me: «Elder, these kids have no one in the world, neither home, nor relative or friend.» «Oh, my God!» I thought to myself, «So much misery, so much pain for so many children, and God knows how many others are in the same situation!»

Our day with them passed in a pleasant way. We danced and sang.

We had something to eat all together and we had a surprise for these children. I usually give them a small gift and they enjoy it since they have no one in the world. This time I gave

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them a pair of shoes. The children passed one by one and took their shoes with joy. The gift was small but valuable to them, since it came from their Father Bishop.

As shocking as it is, this is the reality with our orphans. Once again, our Orthodox Church, as a loving mother who cares deeply for these children that “have nowhere to lay their heads”, reminds us what our Lord and our God unequivocally dictates to us «Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matt.

18:2-5}, and “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt.19:13-15).

How important the work of

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our Church is when it comes to orphaned children who are so in need of, and above all, affection! In the photos you can see their innocence and simplicity. They do not differ from the rest of the children, since they are provided with everything they need to live and enjoy their lives decently, such as their stay in a family environment, food, clothes, shoes, education, but above all in our current case, the presence of a mother and a father. The last thing is the most important and necessary of all. The feeling of knowing that they belong somewhere and the certainty of their human existence in the society, reminds them that they are human creatures too, images of God’s Creation… † Makarios of Nairobi

TANZANIA - Dar Es Salaam

Consecration of our Mission Center By the grace of God and with the wishes of the Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria, His Eminence Metropolitan Demetrius of Irinoupolis has completed the construction of another Mission Center, the third in Tanzania after the ones in Iringa (now Diocese), Central Tanzania, and Morogoro, Eastern Tanzania.

At the site of the historic Metropolitan Church of Saint Paraskevi, which is located in the heart of the commercial center of the capital city Dar es Salaam, large crowds of people had arrived since early Saturday morning.

After the end of the consecration and inauguration services, His

Eminence Demetrius conveyed the paternal wishes and blessings of the Patriarch and referred to the efforts of the Ancient Patriarchate of Alexandria for spirituality, progress, education, health and prosperity in every corner of the African continent. He also referred to the First Missionary of Tanzania, Archimandrite Nicodemus Sarikas, who catechized and baptized the first indigenous Orthodox Tanzanians almost 80 years ago!

Then, they all sang the national anthems of Greece and Tanzania.

The event ended with a music program with Orthodox hymns and Greek songs. †Demetrius of Irinoupolis 29

UGANDA - Kampala

100 years and counting...

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, It was in a festive atmosphere and spirit of joy for the completion of the first centenary (1919-2019) from the spread of the Orthodox Faith and Church to the natives of Uganda that the inauguration of the 26th church building in Uganda took place. It is the Church of St. Gregory the Theologian in Kireky, 90 km west of St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral in Namungoona village, in Kampala, the country’s capital city. The consecration was performed on January 25, 2020, by His Grace Bishop Silvestros of Gulu and Eastern Uganda. Shortly after30

wards, in the Divine Liturgy that followed, Deacon George Kaleebu was ordained Elder and appointed to that church. By the grace of God, this parish was founded in 1963 by the parents of your late acquaintance Elias Kyewalabye, who had studied Economics and Political Science at the University of Thessaloniki.

After the establishment of the Diocese of Gulu and Eastern Uganda, St. Gregory’s Church is the fourth of the five Orthodox archdiocese deaneries of the Holy Metropolis of Kampala and Western Uganda. The deanery is directly responsible for four other erected

church buildings, the Annunciation of the Theotokos and St. Lazarus the friend of Christ in Nkwale, St. Oikumenios in Bukuya, St. Thomas the Apostle in Bulera, and St. Luke the Holy Apostle and Evangelist in Lwemyaga. Each of these parishes is responsible for smaller groups of distant families. Also, on the church premises, there are simple schools, kindergartens, elementary, middle or high schools for the children’s education, and an outpatient clinic for the care of the sick. The whole area comprises three districts, Mityana, Mubende and Sembabule.

Archieratic Dean of the region is Protopresbyter Fr. Anastasios Isabirye, a graduate of Theology at

the University of Athens.

Nearly two hundred kilometers away from here is the other Orthodox deanery of the Ascension of the Lord in Nogmbe in the municipality of Kabarore, and in the next two hundred kilometers there is the recently constructed Church of the Mother of God “of the Myrtle Tree” in Rubare, in the municipality of Ntungamo.

We praise the Almighty God for His great grace and unlimited blessings through close and distant associates, who contributed to the sowing and the consolidation of the Orthodox Faith and Church in Uganda.

From the Holy Metropolis

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GHANA

Call for Help My brethren, our communication this time will be somewhat different. We usually inform you about our «accomplishments», such as mass baptisms, construction of church and school buildings, or water well drilling. This time, I am contacting you directly to ask for your compassion, your solidarity and your support.

It has been six months since the outbreak of this new Coronavirus, which blindsided and caught unprepared the whole of the western world, even the most developed countries. To deal with it and reduce 32

its spread, many countries have implemented the «lockdown» measure, i.e., the mandatory home restraint of the population, allowing it to come out only when absolutely necessary.

The economies of the countries came to a standstill as all kinds of work, except for the necessary ones, had to stop. Along with illness and death, it sowed fear, doubt, catastrophology, theories about who is responsible for it. Some even had the luxury of theologizing about it.

To all this, I would like to add the anguish for my flock, «the children whom the Lord hath given me.»

In general, in Greece the «lockdown» was relatively painless. However, consider the countries of Africa and what the «lockdown» meant to them.

«Lockdown» meant work deprivation on a continent where livelihood for the majority of the population is a «hand-to-mouth» reality, where one who works in order to support ten others who depend on him, where in the slum areas of Accra, Kumasi and Abidjan, home restriction means that a tin shed can accommodate ten people.

It is within this framework that the countries of our Metropolis experienced the «lockdown». Church attendance in Ghana was banned, especially in the provinces of Accra and Kumasi, which had the highest number of Covid-19 cases. Our schools were closed. In Abidjan (Ivory Coast), church attendance was reduced to fifty people. The people were too scared to go to church and chose to stay at home. One of our priests, Father Jeremiah, an ingenious man, organized live coverage of the Divine Liturgy on Facebook. Our other two priests of Abidjan preferred to return to their villages and conduct the sacred services in a closed circle there, in their homes. More or less, the same thing happened in Ghana.

In our Cathedral, only the priest, a

chanter and the sacristan would conduct the Divine Liturgy and broadcast it live on Facebook to those who, of course, had this luxury. Receiving Holy Communion was forbidden to the faithful throughout the «lockdown».

A large number of people came to our Metropolis and asked our priests for assistance. Given our limited resources, we did our best to help them and we are still offering to them from the little we have, thus practicing love in Christ. However, the needs to be met are many: salaries of priests and teachers, pensions of clergy and widowed presbyteres, church-building and facility maintenance, but also maintenance of our car, which costs more than its own value. Our resources are running out.

Dear brethren, I am deeply grateful for what your Fraternity has done for our Metropolis. Without your help and support, our work would not have reached this stage.

That is why I take courage, and once again, I humbly ask for your assistance. Let us not allow this pandemic to damage the work of the Church and start all over again «from the ground up», since this infrastructure already exists. † Petros of Accra

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GUINEA

Disasters and Challenges All of humanity has gone through unprecedented situations and unique experiences. The new Chinese flu epidemic that has reached us from the depths of China has managed to level everything.

The first and dominant target of all was the Churches, the easy victim.

The saddest thing is that no one takes responsibility. No wonder, since neither the perpetrator(s) of World War I nor those of World War II took responsibility. The same happened with the Chernobyl accident.

Or was, by any chance, the arsonist who leveled the Mati village in the Attica Region, which cost the lives of dozens of innocent souls, arrested? Anyone can destroy God’s most 34

beautiful gift without apologizing.

All this disaster that was sent to us as a “gift� from China, reminded me of the expanding influence of the Chinese not only in Europe but also in Africa. We have seen and experienced scenes of infinite beauty due to this advance. We have seen Chinese workers changing light bulbs on the streets of Africa, as if there is no local workforce, and many other absurd things. I cannot not help remembering moments and events from the time of my priestly service in Asia close to His Eminence Metropolitan Nikitas of Hong Kong at the time, currently Archbishop of Great Britain. There are so many things I can recall from that time;

what to remember first? That it was prohibited to have with us on our trips to Beijing anything with the sign of the Cross? That we were not allowed to perform the funeral service for a Greek man who had lost his life there? That we secretly read it over his grave after 40 days? Or the State control and monitoring to check out whether we were undermining the system?

What to remember first, really?

The experience of Ebola, which for 3 years leveled Guinea, Sierra Leone and all of West Africa? The indifference on the part of the West? The fact that Africa was almost alone in its fight against Ebola? Or the measure that the West took as the best way to fight Ebola, which was a ban on flights from the infected countries?

Has anyone thought about how our African brother will buy the very expensive protective face-

masks, gloves, antiseptics and soap, all imported from China, when the average daily wage in Africa is $ 1?

What will he buy first, antiseptics or maize flour to feed his children with? Have our civilized western brothers thought that children in Africa would wash their hands regularly when they do not have access to clean drinking water?

So it takes a lot of prayer, vigilance, love, concern and charity for the missionary work to continue.

You, our brothers of the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity, are always vigilant. You are practicing the Gospel of the Lord. You love Guinea and West Africa truly and selflessly. You are pioneers in your philanthropic effort to make this world a better place for our needy African brothers. May God bless, sanctify, protect and support you throughout your life, †George of Guinea

Distributing humanitarian aid in Conakry

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TANZANIA - Arusha

Haven of Refuge Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, In the joyful period of Pentecostarion, where everything is flooded with the joy of the Resurrection, I steal some time from our full daily schedule so that I can communicate with you.

With feelings of infinite gratitude to your philanthropic hearts, I would like to thank you for the continued, steadfast support of the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity of Thessaloniki for the work that is being done by the Grace of God in the Diocese of Arusha and Central Tanzania.

It is a fact that every single day in Africa has a cruciresurrectional character.

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The distress, the toil, the labor and the numerous problems which we are called to face every day, give way to joy and hope.

The smile of a small child is enough to beautify the difficult daily life and scatter the joy that springs from the certainty of the Resurrection, which is evident in all the lengths and breadths of Africa, despite the distress and hardship that threaten the life of these poor people.

In the midst of disease, poverty, famine and hardship, without your own wholehearted support, it would be difficult to move forward with all the important projects that have been accomplished so far.

As you know, Iringa Region is

a beautiful area of Tanzania. Every day a new world opens up before you. You notice natural beauties that you may never see in the large organized tourist resorts of the modern ÂŤcivilizedÂť western world.

However, a traveler, along with the natural wealth, at every step of his journey, falls upon human suffering and misery in a vast and impoverished province, where the needs of the inhabitants are innumerable and without end.

Besides poverty, diseases and orphanhood are the main problems that we are confronted with every day.

Taking advantage of the presentation of these serious problems, I would like to share with you the following story, which shocked all of us. During the period of my ministry as a hieromonk in Iringa, we baptized a small child, Antonis. A few years later, returning there as a Bishop, we had lost track of him, not knowing what had happened. He was a little child, like many others in Africa, who experienced abandonment and orphanhood from the tender age of childhood. After his parents’ death, his grandmother took over his upbringing. However,

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in the new environment, life for little Antonis was not easy.

Suddenly, one winter day, he arrived at the Mission Center asking for our help. We immediately gave him food and we visited the nearest medical center in Iringa so that that he could take the necessary examinations. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with AIDS, which he had inherited from his parents. At regular intervals he would come to the Mission Center to receive the necessary medication and vitamins. At some point, however, he did not come to take his medication on the expected day. We realized that something

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had happened to him. Searching for him in the village, we learned of his death. An injured little bird, struck by the difficult and relentless for the children life of Africa, left us and handed over his pure and clean soul into the arms of God. And now he is in heaven, to intercede for all the children of Africa and those all around the world.

The story of Antonis, combined with the imperative need for essential medical and pharmaceutical care in the most difficult region of Tanzania, made us build a polyclinic named after Saint Nicholas for many patients who come daily from the

surrounding areas, having walked many kilometers. The St. Nicholas polyclinic, built by a donation from the Holy Metropolis of Kalamaria, is located on the premises of our Mission Center, in Kindamali of Aringa, close to holy churches and the orphanage, giving in practice the testimony that the Church is a healing place for bodies and souls.

Trying to respond to our flock’s cries of anguish, with our hands on our hearts and hope in the Omnipotent Christ, we timidly began our struggle for the operation of the new polyclinic. In order to be in

a position to respond to the large number of patients, we hired seven people as medical and nursing staff.

Automatically, the daily operating costs of the clinic increased, including the cost of purchasing the necessary medicines, which are provided to the patients at an infinitesimal price. Through all this, it is easy to understand the fact that our Diocese cannot afford to stand alone in this difficult struggle for provision of medical care to our suffering brothers and sisters.

The support of your fraternity in this innovative work is particu-

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larly important for the area, as your own love covers the clinic’s monthly operating costs. With our meager forces and hope in God and in your philanthropic hearts, we strive to equip the clinic with the necessary medical facilities so as to be able to face effectively the diverse cases that we are confronted with every day.

Our vision is to create several departments: ophthalmology, dentistry, pediatrics, gynaecology, microbiology and emergency care unit. The staffing of the clinic with the necessary medical equipment for the establishment and proper operation of the above departments will greatly contribute to the improvement of the daily life of our

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native brothers in their struggle for survival by safeguarding for them the precious asset of health. Once again, we are making an appeal to your philanthropic feelings, to assist us, to the best of your ability, in the operation of this clinic, because it is a safe haven of refuge for thousands of suffering souls, afflicted by pain, anguish and hardship. Îœy dear brethren, pray that the work of the Church grows and bears fruit in the whole of the African continent through works and words of goodness, to the glory of God. Amen, so be it!

With Paschal greetings Fr. Porphyrios Kyparissas Chancellor of the H.D. of Arusha

Bishop Agathonikos at Saint Nicholas clinic

UGANDA - Gulu

His Strength in Weakness Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Every time we are given the opportunity to communicate with you, our joy is great. We know that you remember us in your prayers and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We are also deeply grateful for the support and assistance you offer us.

In every Divine Liturgy that we perform, my revered priests and I as the Bishop, commemorate you in the Office of Oblation and pray that the God of mercy and charity protect and bless all the laborers who toil on the field of Mission.

Unfortunately, this year, with this widespread epidemic of COVID-19, like you in Greece, we

were not able to celebrate the great event of the Resurrection of our Lord.

Besides our poverty and lack of medical care, this disease has brought us to our knees since we lacked the means to confront it; but it also made us fall on our knees before our Risen Lord and ask Him to resurrect us and heal all those who have contracted this disease.

As a Bishop, I stand by all these people, who look at me in the eyes and ask me to pray, but also to exhaust every possible way or means to alleviate the numerous needs of the vast majority who are locked in their homes, without work, those who worked for a living, without food at home, with their children 41

left hungry ... In most cases, the only thing I was able to offer with my prayers was tears. Tears for the people who left this life, tears for the people who are still suffering from the disease, but also tears for those locked in their homes who are confronted with plenty of other problems.

Amidst this tragic situation, all we have left is our hope in God. At my urging, the most revered priests perform the Divine Eucharist either in the closed churches, or in a place suitably modified in their home, where they commemorate the names of their flock for the health of the living and the repose of the 42

deceased.

Fortunately, this period some radio stations are broadcasting live the sacred services, and Christians are given the opportunity not to be deprived of the contact with the Church and the Word of God. This is a great blessing, indeed. If we could find a way to cover the cost of our cooperation with the radio stations on a permanent basis, our pastoral work would be helped a great deal.

In this period of the Lord’s Resurrection in which we celebrate the triumph of life that emerges from the tomb of our Lord, we lay our people before True Life; the people

who have suffered in various ways in this life, but are now awaiting the day when the Angels of God with the trumpet will sound the rise of the dead for all of us.

As a Bishop, due to the pandemic, I did not have the opportunity to go around the villages, and neither did my priests, but we were close to our flock through our prayers. All of us who help with charity work, did our best from the reserves of our love to offer a plate of food, a glass of milk, medicine, even healing herbs, to those in need. Our clinics receive hundreds of people every day, regardless of color or religious belief, but unfortunately, the means at our disposal have nothing to do

with those in the civilized world of the North and the West.

Our situation may be tragic, but we do not feel abandoned by God. We believe in Him and await a miracle; a miracle that will relieve us and give us peace and rest. And this miracle can be done by anyone who wants to help his fellow man. I know that the distance for assistance is long, but through the Missionary Bodies, distances are reduced.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I would like to thank you wholeheartedly for your support, and remind you that «The Lord our God lives”. «Christ is Risen”. † Silvestros of Gulu

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MADAGASCAR - Toliara

Behind the Scenes of Holiday Packages (Part II) The dawn found him crammed into an ancient bus holding the dough pie and the handle with the same hand. Abrupt braking, violent pushing, and he found himself at the only store that sells newspapers and books in the city. In one corner there was a small dusty stack of “Bibles”. The bleary-eyed assistant asks him if he prefers the Catholic Bible, the Orthodox Bible or the Protestant one…. The father thought of saying that he preferred the one that heals immediately; nevertheless, he only got the cheapest one.

He paid half the daily wage and ran like crazy to the hotel. A late clocking in means a pay cut, that is, less medicine in the venous drip cham44

ber, that is, more days in hospital, that is, another reduction in the family’s food servings.

With the basket on his head and a smile on his face, he quickly moves to the beach, where the petty bourgeoisie bathers persistently ask for the luxury they have paid for. He passes among the beach umbrellas with the exotic fruit on display, and anyone who wants to taste, can grab one. Once again, bananas are the most popular. By 11 a.m., he had managed to hide three red pieces of fruit and a bag of green tea in his pocket. If the day goes on like this, the kid’s swollen belly will soon be full of food. That’s a good sign. If this Bible “trick” works, this may be

the last meal in hospital for his little one, and it will be rich.

The sun sinks into the sea and the flabby retirees gather in the hotel lounge for coffee and cards.

Thank God, he will finally be able to get the basket off his head. First of all, he forcibly wipes the smile off his face. He shakes his head to get the straw off his curly hair and with the Bible under his arm he runs to the bus stop. «Who wants to get on an ancient bus on a night like this?» he thinks to himself. He will walk to the hospital. He will be almost half an hour late, but today is the last night. At most, his little one will have to take a few more rides on his “motorcycle’ from the drip chamber

to the butterfly.

The hospital cross is already shining from afar. That’s another good sign; how could he not have noticed it?! The Cross goes hand in hand with the Bible. If you want to be healed, God wants you to read the Bible. He goes up the road and climbs both floors very quickly. He goes past the dark room with the consumptives who preferred buying the mattresses to the lamp, and now they can neither read the Bible nor get well. Apparently, they did not notice the cross on the hospital roof. At the room door there are two doctors who run towards the father as soon as they see him. They tell him that he must give about € 3 for

Bishop Prodromos among Malagasy children

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medicine as quickly as possible, because the little one is relapsing. €3!

This means 2 and a half days’ wages and almost five Bibles. Maybe the doctors are exaggerating the severity of the child’s condition, maybe they want to overcharge him. He enters the room.

The elderly “neighbor” is watching the little one anxiously and is not reading the Bible as usual. «Poor thing, he is getting worse,» she thinks to herself. The little one in bed, sweating, is breathing quickly and sharply, as if the oxygen around him is running out.

The pupils of his eyes are strangely open. The father leaves the fruit on the bed nearby, dips the tea bag in a dirty glass of water and, with a surgeon’s confidence, removes the little boy’s «salvation» from his 46

arm. «Get up and read!» He almost sounded like a preacher. «Get up!”

Dizzy though he is, the little one obeys. After all, if you are in hospital, only obedience can save you, obedience to doctors and to dad’s daily wages. He mechanically opens the Bible and tries to focus. His eye-pupils have dilated.

He spells words without being sure of what he is reading, the room is spinning, the father shouts the word correctly, the room is spinning, the doctors urgently ask for € 3, the neighbor turns around and the bed creaks, the drip is no longer working, the room is spinning, the voices are becoming more and more distant: «Read!», «€ 3»...

Somewhere in John’s Gospel, the little one departed from this world; his soul left hurriedly, mak-

ing another hole in the room door.

The father continued to read by his side all night but the magic medicine did not work. When he returned home, he remained silent.

Everyone knew that the little one had not made it. The food on the table alerted them: dough pies, and for the first time after long, three reddish pieces of fruit.

No one cried on the funeral day.

Maybe they could not yet realize what had happened. The Bible was placed inside the coffin. The pages still had drops of the blood that leaked when, falling off the bed, the little one yanked out the vein catheter. The funeral only cost half the day’s wage, as the oversized coffin

was borrowed from the next funeral and it had to be returned.

The body touched the ground directly; a “mattress” free of charge, the Bible his pillow. In his right hand an «Evian» cap. Funeral chants and a cloud of frankincense accompanied the little one to his last abode.

Sometimes I wish everything were a tale, because then I could give the end I wanted. But after all, who said that death is the end? Little Chrysanthos lives inside of me, inside of you, in everyone’s prayers.

Maybe he is now free to rev up on the avenues of paradise, maybe now he has bigger portions to eat, maybe... † Prodromos of Toliara

Subscribing new members for the Kingdom of God

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