Επιμέλεια του Σεβ. Μητροπολίτη Ζιμπάμπουε Σεραφείμ Κυκκώτη Ο άγιος Βασίλειος, στην ομιλία του για τον άφρονα πλούσιο της Ευαγγελικής Περικοπής (Λουκά 12, 16- 21) αυτής της Κυριακής, που ήθελε να κατεδαφίσει τις αποθήκες του για να φτιάξει μεγαλύτερες, για να έχει περισσότερα υλικά αγαθά, νομίζοντας
Η γενναιοδωρία ορίζεται ως «φιλανθρωπία στο δόσιμο ή προθυμία να δοθεί». Ο Θεός μας δημιούργησε στην εικόνα Του, ένα πολύ γενναιόδωρο δώρο σε κάθε άνθρωπο. Πώς εκφράσαμε την ευγνωμοσύνη μας; Έχουμε δοθεί από εμάς και από τις ευλογίες που μας έχει δώσει; https://orthodoxafrica.org/uncategoriz…/ο-ήλιος-και-η-βροχή/
ο βιβλίο των παροιμιών, κεφάλαιο 22,2 λέει: “πλούσιος καὶ πτωχὸς συνήντησαν ἀλλήλοις, ἀμφοτέρους δὲ ὁ Κύριος ἐποίησε. ” Ο ήλιος λάμπει και η βροχή χύνεται εξίσου στα κεφάλια μας. Αναπνέουμε τον ίδιο αέρα. Αυτές οι ευλογίες μας δίδονται ελεύθερα από τον Θεό και τους μοιραζόμαστε χωρίς να το σκεφτόμασ...
"His Eminence Archibishop Chrysostomos of Kitiou- Cyprus lead a medical Team from Cyprus to Uganda to embark on a 4 days mission work of providing Medical services to people in different Orthodox Communities of Uganda. This team comprises of 8 medical Doctors and they are to provide medical services to areas of Kabonge in Luweero district, Mukongoro in Kumi and Bulera in Mityana district. Today they started at Kabonga - St. Luke Orthodox Church. Lets put their work ion hands of the Lord and pray for them to successfully complete their mission."
This is "2017 Bible Study - From Aithiest, Rock n Roll, Teacher, Monk to Missionary" by P4k Videos on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people…
RICH AND POOR HAVE THIS IN COMMON The Book of Proverbs chapter 22 says, “Rich and poor have this in common: the Lord is the Maker of them all.” The sun shines and rain pours equally on our heads. We breathe the same air. These…
On Thomas Monday, April 24 2017, we traveled to Congo at the invitation of Metropolitan Nikiphoros of Kinshasa and with the blessings of Metropolitan Theoklitos of Ierissos, Mount Athos and Ardameri, along with our Elder, Fr. Chrysostomos Maidonis. We settled at the Theological School of the Metropolis. The writer of this text (Sister Akylina), Hematology physician, along with Ms Stella Stephanis, nurse, organized a small clinic at the School of Theology for the School students just as much as for the Saint Barbara parishioners , who live next to the School, but also for all the residents of the surrounding area. Our goal was to create a general medical center with free primary health care. On 28 April this community clinic started its operation, which only lasted for 18 days. The great needs of the local inhabitants were more than evident from the very first days. Daily there were over 70 people from all over the area, even from distant regions, queuing outside the clinic waiting to be examined. This made us appoint secretariat and reception so as to separate the urgent cases from the less serious or minor ones, which were distributed by appointment on the next days and the patients could be dealt with promptly and in an unhurried fashion. Here it is worth mentioning that whole families came to be examined, and in most cases, almost all the members were suffering from a disease requiring treatment. We estimate that about 500 people were examined. We examined all patients, irrespective of religion. Most of them were Protestants, second in number were the Roman-Catholics, a lot fewer were the Orthodox, and some others belonged to various religious sects. The organization of primary health care is of vital importance to the Metropolis of Kinshasa. A Health Center is already being built in Mont Ngafula area; its construction will have been completed by September but the structure needs to be equipped with medical supplies and staff. Shortly before the end of the clinic’s operation, an event was organized, informing the residents of the area about prevention of ill health and hygiene measures. The event was attended by more than 300 people. On our way back, we felt as if we were leaving behind us a major task: to do everything possible -always with the power of God- to help organize primary health care at the Diocese of Kinshasa, which will be based on volunteering, so as to be offered free of charge to all inhabitants regardless of religion or economic status. That’s why we are making an appeal for volunteer doctors of any specialty, especially pediatricians and general practitioners, but also for aid in the form of medical supplies and equipment. Sister Acylina
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2018 Teams are being announced! What team would you like to be a part of next year? Check out our teams page to find all the trips as they are posted!... https://www.ocmc.org/about/open_teams.aspx See More
OCMC Missionary Floyd Frantz has worked with Kenyan clergy to bring substance abuse counseling to the Kisumu diocese. Floyd was joined by Romanian priest Fr. Iulian Negru. Together they taught about some of the spiritual aspects of addictions recovery, including a biblical approach to the "12 Steps" to treating alcoholism.Arriving in Kisumu on a Monday afternoon, we were greeted by representatives of His Grace Bishop Athanasios (Akunda), of the Western Diocese of Kenya under the Patriarch of Alexandria, His Beatitude Theodoros II. Fr. Iulian Negru, whom I work with in Romania, accompanied me.
The first thing that they did was to put us in the back seat of Fr. Athanasios's car, an old Toyota. Very comfortable, and built like a tank. He told us to sit back and keep the windows rolled up. The windows were all tinted so much that people could not see who was inside the car. Well, I was sort of wondering about this until we arrived at the first group of protesters. They had set up a road block so that all the traffic had to slow down and stop. After stopping, Fr. Athanasios gave them a small "donation" to their cause, and we proceeded. He said that if they knew white people were in the car that the donation might be a little higher, so we kept a low profile as much as possible. We only had to make a couple of these donations, as during the entire trip we were either in very rural areas or traveling through the troubled zones very early in the morning. We did see evidence of the outbreaks of violence, and the news reported as many as 5 people being killed during the political unrest preceeding their elections. We left the day following the elections and had no issues with the protestors or the police, other than the police coming to the hotel to question us about our visit.
Our work with the clergy went quite well. In all we visited three localities to do the training courses, and we were well received by the priests. They were open about the need for information about pastoral counseling, especially regarding alcoholism. They told us about the problems that homemade alcohol is causing in the families in their parishes. It is an old story; the alcohol is not well made and so is unsanitary and causing all sorts of physical, mental, and social problems. We spoke about some of the spiritual aspects of addictions recovery, including a biblical approach to the "12 Steps" to treating alcoholism. It was all very well recieved by the clergy, but what we did was only an introduction; there is much work to be done in this area.
In our conversations with the clergy, something more came into focus for us, that is, the need for better educating their children. We visited one of the local primary schools, St. Luke's, which is associated with the nearby St. Luke's Orthodox Church. At this school there were more than 70 children, students in grades 1-8. The government pays salaries for two teachers, and the others are volunteer teachers. The school has no windows, the classrooms are made of mud, and they have dirt floors. There is no running water at this school, and they have to walk two miles to bring water for hygiene and other needs. Thanks in part to a donation from the OCMC, we were able to put in a water line from a government well located about one mile from the school. This was, of course, done with the blessing of His Grace. There will be some photos sent, once the water is connected.
The priests all have large families; 4-6 children is a norm, some with as many as 10 children. Many of them have lost children through early deaths. Rural health care is not very good in Kenya, to say the least. I am sure that is due in no small part to the difficulty in getting clean water.
The clergy don't have the money, about $70 per year, to send their kids to secondary school. It is a very big struggle for them to educate their children. Sending a child to college is nearly impossible. It costs about $1,200 per year for books, lodging, and tuition at the colleges, and more at the universities. For the clergy, this is an immense amount of money.
There are other areas of need, but education seems to be the most important. If the Orthodox Church is to thrive in Kenya, it must educate its children. Otherwise it will remain backward and poorly developed. The Church is made up of its people, and the better educated these people are, the better they can care for future generations of Orthodox Christians. Uneducated people are more likely to sustain the poverty already found in their communities, as they would have no other opportunities than what is in front of them, and in Kenya that is not very much opportunity.
I will close with a statement and a question: I don't believe that any of what I am saying is unknown about, or very new information. What is new is today, and with each new day, is a new responsibility to live a Christian life. The question: What is our reponsiblity as Orthodox Christians in regards to our brothers and sisters in Kenya, especially to our Orthodox bretheren? https://www.ocmc.org/resources/view_article.aspx?ArticleId=2318
"With the blessing of His Grace Innocentios Byakatonda, the parish of Twelve Apostles in Rwamagana, in Eastern Province of Rwanda, has celebrated the Feast of The Entrance of the Mother of God in Holy Temple, this Tuesday 21st November 2017."
"It is great joy in our Diocese as we prepare to welcome our brother in Christ Innocentios Byakatonda Bishop of Rwanda and Burundi. Bishop Innocentios will preside over the liturgy on Sunday at St. John The Theologian Cathedral in Mukurweini, Nyeri. On Monday, he will Visit St. Makarios children's home. Welcome your your Grace!"
"After the Divine Liturgy of the feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos at Muguga, We then had a seminar with some junior youth on drug, alcohol and general substance abuse and its short and long run effects."
Το δεύτερο κλιμάκιο της Ιεραποστολικής μας δραστηριότητος μεγαλώνει και αυξάνεται.Οι πιστοί έχουν αυξηθεί στην ενορία της Παναγίας της Μυρτιδιώτισσας και Οσίων Πορφυρίου και Παισίου στο Ρουμπάρε στη Νότια Ουγκάντα,και η ανάγκη για την ύπαρξη ένός ιδιαίτερου τόπου λατρείας εμφανίζεται πλέον επιτακτικά.
Ο π.Αριστοτέλης Ασήμουε ,εφημέριος και πνευμτικός πατέρας της ενορίαςμε τη βοήθεια της πρεσβυτέρας Μαγδαληνής και των πρώτων πιστών στο Ρουμπάρε ξεκινούν να φτιάχνουν αυτήν την περίοδο ένα πρόχειρο ναό καμωμένο από λαμαρίνα και πίστη που θα στεγάσει τις προσευχές και τη λατρεία .
Ο π.Αριστοτέλης μαζί με τους συνεργάτες του έστειλε τις πρώτες φωτογραφίες από το κτήμα. Τον συνοδεύουν οι προσευχές και η αγάπη μας. Το κλιμάκιό μας ξεκίνησε την ενίσχυση του έργου. Η δική σας βοήθεια δυναμώνει την Εκκλησία.
Εθνική τράπεζα:656 /201115-86 στο όνομα του ιερέως GeorgeNyombiμε την ένδειξη
OCMC News - OCMC Fall 2017 Board Meeting: Seeing A Growing Need for Orthodox Missions
At this year’s Annual OCMC Fall Board Meeting, board members discussed growing the number of long-term missionaries serving abroad. Thomas and Elizabeth Manual were approved for Missionary service in Guatemala and Dr. Bill Black received approval to transfer to Kenya’s Western Diocese under His Grace Bishop Athanasius Akunda.
MOUNT PLEASANT, SC – A first-hand report on challenges and opportunities facing Orthodoxy in Kenya, East Africa by Orthodox Christian Mission Center long-term missionary Dr. Bill Black was a major feature of the Fall meeting of the OCMC Board of Directors, November 13-15.
The Board also discussed methods for increasing long-term missionaries in the field, enhancing development opportunities, and maximizing social media presence. In addition, the Directors adopted the 2018 budget, reviewed investments, insurance and governance matters, updated missionary policies, endorsed joint efforts with other agencies of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the United States, and received a report on the upcoming OCMC Gala early next year.
Thomas and Elizabeth Manual were approved for Missionary service in Guatemala. Thomas is currently pastoral assistant and youth director at Annunciation Cathedral in Norfolk, VA, and Elizabeth is a special needs teacher.
The sessions were held at the Holy Ascension Orthodox Church, which serves the greater Charleston area, hosted by its pastor and OCMC Board member, Fr. John Parker. In addition, Fr. Parker serves as Chair of the Department of Evangelism of the Orthodox Church in America, and has a regular podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.
For the past two years, Dr. Black has been in Nairobi assigned as Deputy Dean and Lecturer at the Makarios III Seminary. Unfortunately, during most of that time, the seminary has been closed due to the lack of funding from Greece and Cyprus. There is not much hope of it reopening in the near future. Instead, His Grace Bishop Athanasius (Akunda), a Kenyan and graduate of Holy Cross Seminary in Brookline, MA where he was supported by OCMC, has invited Dr. Black to serve in the newly created Diocese of Kisumu and Western Kenya. Working toward an ultimate goal of self-sustainability, Dr. Black will be developing a program of continuing education for the diocese’s one hundred plus clergy, as well as teaching stewardship, discipleship, and leadership in the parishes.
Following an afternoon and evening of committee meetings, the next morning the Directors worshipped and received Holy Communion together at a Divine Liturgy and prayers were offered for newly departed George Parandes of Jacksonville, FL, a former Board member and long-time Treasurer.
Board President John Colis reflected on a mission team trip he and his wife Carrie joined this past summer to Ghana in West Africa which he described as “overwhelming” from their experiences with both the poverty and piety of the Orthodox people there.
President Colis also welcomed new member Michael Kuziak of Old Lyme, CT, and thanked three individuals who are leaving the Board, Armin Brown, Fr. Matthew Tate, and Sotiris Pagdadis.
In his report, Executive Director Fr. Martin Ritsi highlighted cooperative ventures with Orthodox Christian Fellowship in its Real Break program and Project Mexico which builds homes for poor families in Mexico, as well as working with Orthodox summer camp directors to include Mission segments in their programs. In all these cases the desire is to better acquaint high school and college age young people with Orthodox Mission opportunities.
Fr. Ritsi also explained the work to establish Orthodoxy in Jamaica under Metropolitan Athenagoras of Mexico.
On February 10, 2018, OCMC is holding a Gala event in Boca Raton, FL to honor long-time Board member and Past President Helen Nicozisis and her husband Lou, generous benefactors for Missions. For more information or to help sponsor the commemorative journal, please contact FrChris@ocmc.org.
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