The newly established Missions Institute of Orthodox Christianity and the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) present The Missiology of Archbishop Anastasios (Yannoulatos) of Albania and Practical Evangelism in Albania. This 3-credit graduate level summer course will combine in-class study with an exciting mission practicum and on-field team experience.
The course will study in depth the life, missiology and writings of Archbishop Anastasios (Yannoulatos) of Albania and examine how he has practically lived out this missiology through his ministry in the Church of Albania. The course will be devoted to a mission practicum where the students will travel to Albania for two weeks, witnessing the resurrection of the Church of Albania, meeting OCMC missionaries and the indigenous leaders of the Church, and participating in an evangelism program within the country.
Course leader, Fr. Luke Veronis, who was an OCMC missionary to Albania for more than a decade, was able to secure a grant to organize a mission team in conjunction with a new missions course. Fr. Luke states, “This grant allows us to offer to a group of seminarians from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and St. Vladimir’s Seminary an exciting course in Orthodox missiology, combined with an inspiring cross-cultural mission experience at minimal cost. This type of event can truly be a life-transforming moment in the lives of these students.”
The course will look at the foundation and calling of missions. It will focus on the resurrection of the Church of Albania over the past 20 years, examining and analyzing the successes of how the church has succeeded in living out the missiology of Archbishop Anastasios, and where the church still faces difficult challenges.
The course will include at least ten Orthodox seminary students, who will participate in 25 hours of in-class time at Holy Cross, and then go on a two week OCMC mission team practicum from May 23 - June 5, 2010. In Albania, the students will have classes with Archbishop Anastasios and other leaders, while also participating with Albanian students in some aspect of practical evangelism. Specific readings, with response papers, will include the books Facing the World: Orthodox Christian Essays on Global Concerns and Missions: Footsteps in Christ’s Way by Archbishop Anastasios, as well as Go Forth: Stories of Missions and Resurrection from Albania by Fr. Luke A. Veronis, and The Resurrection of the Church of Albania by Jim Forest.
The grant given to the Mission Institute of Orthodoxy Christianity will subsidize the cost of the trip, so that students will be required to contribute only $500 towards the overall cost of the class and trip.
For additional information on the Missions Institute of Orthodox Christianity and the upcominig OCMC team, please visit the OCMC website, http://teams.ocmc.org.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Future Field Leaders Needed
As the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) continues to expand the Church's missionary efforts around the world, it is prayerfully seeking ordained clergy (current and future) as well as experienced laypersons to serve in leadership roles for its missionary operations in various locations. OCMC missionaries who are ordained are assigned by their hierarch to serve under the omophorion of the respective hierarch in their country of service, while reporting to OCMC-appointed field leaders and the Missionary Department for ongoing supervision and implementation of approved field plans. Leaders must be effective "team players" who are committed to the fulfillment of the Great Commission and the vision of the Church for their country of service, and display competence in a broad range of operational, pastoral, and leadership skills. For more information about missionary service, or if you are feeling called to serve as a long-term missionary, please contact the Assistant Missionary Director, Dcn. James Nicholas by phone at 1-877-GO-FORTH ext. 120 or OCMC Associate Director, Fr. David Rucker (ext. 104), or by e-mail at missionaries@ocmc.org. You can also find information online at www.ocmc.org.
Charita Stavrou and James Hargave Commissioned as OCMC Missionaries
After months of training, planning, and support team building, OCMC Missionary Candidates Charita Stavrou and James Hargrave were commissioned as OCMC Missionaries. Charita was commissioned at the Orthodox Christian Mission Center in St. Augustine, Florida on March 10, 2010; and James was commissioned at St. Elizabeth Greek Orthodox Church in Gainesville, Forida on March 14, 2010.
Charita and James will serve as long-term missionaries in Tanzania at the request and with the blessing of His Eminence Jeronymos, Metropolitan of Mwanza. Charita's work will focus on evangelism and ministering to Tazanian women through a sewing project that she has helped to facilitate. James will be assisting His Eminence with archdiocesan communications, organization, and administration, after intense language and cultural training in his first few months of his two-year missionary term.
Charita is a veteran of several OCMC Mission Teams to the region. James, the son of Protestant missionaries, grew up in Kenya – Tanzania’s East African neighbor. Between the two of them, they bring a wealth of experience and a deep desire to share Christ with the people of Tanzania.
Please continue to pray for Charita and James as they prepare to depart for Tanzania. To support their efforts or for more information about OCMC Missionaries or the Orthodox Christian Mission Center, please call 1-877-GO-FORTH, or log onto www.ocmc.org.
The Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) is the official missions agency of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) dedicated to fulfilling Christ's last command to make disciples of all nations.
Charita and James will serve as long-term missionaries in Tanzania at the request and with the blessing of His Eminence Jeronymos, Metropolitan of Mwanza. Charita's work will focus on evangelism and ministering to Tazanian women through a sewing project that she has helped to facilitate. James will be assisting His Eminence with archdiocesan communications, organization, and administration, after intense language and cultural training in his first few months of his two-year missionary term.
Charita is a veteran of several OCMC Mission Teams to the region. James, the son of Protestant missionaries, grew up in Kenya – Tanzania’s East African neighbor. Between the two of them, they bring a wealth of experience and a deep desire to share Christ with the people of Tanzania.
Please continue to pray for Charita and James as they prepare to depart for Tanzania. To support their efforts or for more information about OCMC Missionaries or the Orthodox Christian Mission Center, please call 1-877-GO-FORTH, or log onto www.ocmc.org.
The Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) is the official missions agency of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) dedicated to fulfilling Christ's last command to make disciples of all nations.
Ending the Year in Romania and Beginning a New One
Dear Friends,
Greetings in the Lord!
I would like to share with you some events that took place at the end of 2009. I ask for your forgiveness for not updating you sooner, and ask your continued prayers that do indeed help me in many situations.
First Annual Romanian Benefit Dinner for the St. Dimitrie Program and the Protection of the Theotokos Family Center
A little piece of history was made for both programs in December. That event was a benefit dinner, which was held at a local Romanian restaurant in Cluj-Napoca. We were expecting sixty-five people to attend but because of the wintery weather that day about forty showed up. Since many Romanians have not been to such an event, it was compared to attending a Romanian wedding, with entertainment during the dinner provided by a group of talented young men singing Christmas carols. Staff members from each program were the two presenters of the night, using PowerPoint presentations to show pictures of both programs’ services.
We enjoyed a Lenten fish dinner, where I sat next to a husband and wife who were visiting Romania. They also spoke English, and I was able to talk with them during the dinner about the programs.
By the end of the night, I felt that members of both staffs were happy with the outcome of their first benefit dinner. There were many positive things that happened, and there were some things that we look forward to improving. If God blesses it, we hope to continue and, next year, plan the Second Annual Dinner.
Romanian Colinda (Christmas Caroling)
On Christmas Eve, many Romanians go Christmas caroling to family, friends, neighbors, hospitals and businesses. My language teacher told me to be ready because many people would say, "Christina, come caroling!" She said I would have a list of people to carol to, but I didn’t take her too seriously because I thought I did not know that many people. Her advice was helpful, as this did come true.
The woman I live with and I were home for Christmas Eve, and she said that she wanted me to experience a Romanian Christmas and not be alone. That was very thoughtful of her, and as we spoke, I thought of giving something to my neighbors who are nice people; they make me feel like I belong to the community, and we talk to each other as we pass one another in the stairways and on the sidewalk. I thought banana bread would be a nice gift, and after baking eight loaves, we went Christmas caroling to the neighbors.
This opportunity to offer a little something made my heart and soul fill with joy. It is easy to feel isolated when you don’t have many friends or family nearby. But I thank God that He gave me the strength to give to others, and to develop friendships here.
Later that evening after we got back from caroling in our apartment building, we had Christmas carolers at our door who were a part of the St. Dimitrie Program staff. We offered them juice and desserts and talked for a little while. Then they asked us if we wanted to join them in caroling to the other staff members to continue the caroling. And when we went to each apartment, the others decided to also come caroling. On every table were sodas, fruit juices, sweets, and some prepared food to share with the guests. It was half past midnight when I got back home, and on the streets were many other people still Christmas caroling.
I had another experience and opportunity to go Christmas caroling to several hospitals located in downtown Cluj with the parish of St. John the Theologian, where I regularly attend services. Our group was big, around 12-18 people. Most of the hospitals looked the same in the interior and exterior. In each, we entered a long hallway and sang three Romanian Christmas carols. I hummed along as the others sang, and little by little, the patients who could get out of their beds came to the hallway to listen. And while we were singing, our priest and two others went into all the patients’ rooms to give a little gift, an icon and fruit, before we quickly would go to the next level and do the same thing over again. On one hospital floor, a man expressed through words and tears the joy he felt by others coming to rejoice with them the birth of Jesus Christ.
Nativity 2009 Clothing Drive Boxes Arrived
On Saturday January 2, 2010, I received a phone call from the driver of a large van who let me know that our boxes would arrive the next day. It was a nice gift for the New Year, and my heart leaped for joy. For two months I told myself that the shipment is in God’s hands and He will take care of what should happen with them. So, at 6:30 in the morning, I was helping unload the van. The total number of boxes was forty-six!
On Monday morning, we put our heads together to come up with a plan to organize the boxes. We worked as a team, opening one box at a time, making sure to write down where each box was from as we sorted the items into piles. Now we have all items sorted and put into big plastic bags to keep them organized and to easily move them around. And, they are now also ready to be distributed for use by children and their mothers to help keep them warm.
I wish everyone a blessed Lent, and hope to write again about what Great Lent looks like to a missionary in Romania.
In Christ,
Christina
Greetings in the Lord!
I would like to share with you some events that took place at the end of 2009. I ask for your forgiveness for not updating you sooner, and ask your continued prayers that do indeed help me in many situations.
First Annual Romanian Benefit Dinner for the St. Dimitrie Program and the Protection of the Theotokos Family Center
A little piece of history was made for both programs in December. That event was a benefit dinner, which was held at a local Romanian restaurant in Cluj-Napoca. We were expecting sixty-five people to attend but because of the wintery weather that day about forty showed up. Since many Romanians have not been to such an event, it was compared to attending a Romanian wedding, with entertainment during the dinner provided by a group of talented young men singing Christmas carols. Staff members from each program were the two presenters of the night, using PowerPoint presentations to show pictures of both programs’ services.
We enjoyed a Lenten fish dinner, where I sat next to a husband and wife who were visiting Romania. They also spoke English, and I was able to talk with them during the dinner about the programs.
By the end of the night, I felt that members of both staffs were happy with the outcome of their first benefit dinner. There were many positive things that happened, and there were some things that we look forward to improving. If God blesses it, we hope to continue and, next year, plan the Second Annual Dinner.
Romanian Colinda (Christmas Caroling)
On Christmas Eve, many Romanians go Christmas caroling to family, friends, neighbors, hospitals and businesses. My language teacher told me to be ready because many people would say, "Christina, come caroling!" She said I would have a list of people to carol to, but I didn’t take her too seriously because I thought I did not know that many people. Her advice was helpful, as this did come true.
The woman I live with and I were home for Christmas Eve, and she said that she wanted me to experience a Romanian Christmas and not be alone. That was very thoughtful of her, and as we spoke, I thought of giving something to my neighbors who are nice people; they make me feel like I belong to the community, and we talk to each other as we pass one another in the stairways and on the sidewalk. I thought banana bread would be a nice gift, and after baking eight loaves, we went Christmas caroling to the neighbors.
This opportunity to offer a little something made my heart and soul fill with joy. It is easy to feel isolated when you don’t have many friends or family nearby. But I thank God that He gave me the strength to give to others, and to develop friendships here.
Later that evening after we got back from caroling in our apartment building, we had Christmas carolers at our door who were a part of the St. Dimitrie Program staff. We offered them juice and desserts and talked for a little while. Then they asked us if we wanted to join them in caroling to the other staff members to continue the caroling. And when we went to each apartment, the others decided to also come caroling. On every table were sodas, fruit juices, sweets, and some prepared food to share with the guests. It was half past midnight when I got back home, and on the streets were many other people still Christmas caroling.
I had another experience and opportunity to go Christmas caroling to several hospitals located in downtown Cluj with the parish of St. John the Theologian, where I regularly attend services. Our group was big, around 12-18 people. Most of the hospitals looked the same in the interior and exterior. In each, we entered a long hallway and sang three Romanian Christmas carols. I hummed along as the others sang, and little by little, the patients who could get out of their beds came to the hallway to listen. And while we were singing, our priest and two others went into all the patients’ rooms to give a little gift, an icon and fruit, before we quickly would go to the next level and do the same thing over again. On one hospital floor, a man expressed through words and tears the joy he felt by others coming to rejoice with them the birth of Jesus Christ.
Nativity 2009 Clothing Drive Boxes Arrived
On Saturday January 2, 2010, I received a phone call from the driver of a large van who let me know that our boxes would arrive the next day. It was a nice gift for the New Year, and my heart leaped for joy. For two months I told myself that the shipment is in God’s hands and He will take care of what should happen with them. So, at 6:30 in the morning, I was helping unload the van. The total number of boxes was forty-six!
On Monday morning, we put our heads together to come up with a plan to organize the boxes. We worked as a team, opening one box at a time, making sure to write down where each box was from as we sorted the items into piles. Now we have all items sorted and put into big plastic bags to keep them organized and to easily move them around. And, they are now also ready to be distributed for use by children and their mothers to help keep them warm.
I wish everyone a blessed Lent, and hope to write again about what Great Lent looks like to a missionary in Romania.
In Christ,
Christina
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Become Involved in International Missions as an OCMC Agape Canister Partner
This past Sunday Fr. Stephanos Boik celebrated the Divine Liturgy with 25 children from the village of Singaraja, on the island of Bali, Indonesia, at the St. Thomas Orphanage House. The St. Thomas Orphanage provides abandoned and homeless children with shelter, food, clothing, and the promise of an education. Fr. Stephanos works hard to meet the spiritual needs of these children. The money collected through the OCMC Agape Canister Program, gives us the opportunity to share in this beautiful Orthodox Christian witness by meeting the physical needs of the orphans under Fr. Stephanos' care.
Please prayerfully consider your ability to become more engaged in international Orthodox mission ministries today by becoming an Agape Canister Partner or by donating to the Agape Canister Program online. Agape Partners take responsibility for one or more canisters that are placed in offices, restaurants, or other businesses throughout their community. Each month, the partner visits those locations to collect the change placed in the canisters. These small gifts make a huge difference. Approximately $115,000-$125,000 is raised to support the ministries at St. Thomas House and other philanthropic programs like it around the world each year.
For more information about becoming an Agape Canister Partner or to make a gift, please visit www.ocmc.org or call 904-829-5132, Ext. 163!
Please prayerfully consider your ability to become more engaged in international Orthodox mission ministries today by becoming an Agape Canister Partner or by donating to the Agape Canister Program online. Agape Partners take responsibility for one or more canisters that are placed in offices, restaurants, or other businesses throughout their community. Each month, the partner visits those locations to collect the change placed in the canisters. These small gifts make a huge difference. Approximately $115,000-$125,000 is raised to support the ministries at St. Thomas House and other philanthropic programs like it around the world each year.
For more information about becoming an Agape Canister Partner or to make a gift, please visit www.ocmc.org or call 904-829-5132, Ext. 163!
Monday, March 1, 2010
2010 Team Kenya Blog Part II
OCMC Kenya Travel Blog Day 7
We have witnessed the hand of God at work here in northwestern Kenya. These are the only words that I have to describe the time we spent among the Turkana of Lupala deep within, what the people here call, “the interior”.
Over the past few nights, we’ve been camping under the stars within the homestead of Fr. Zachariah (the Orthodox priest from Lupala who hosted us). During the day, the heat reached well over 100 degrees in the shade. Broken shards of clay and coarse sand were the only thing that filled Lupala’s nearest river. Though we provided food, many of the people (team members included) had very little to drink on the second day. The team had to pump and purify water from a borehole near the dry river simply to sustain ourselves.
We held our normal sessions while in Lupala, but Fr. Martin supplemented these teachings with a video about Jesus, which he displayed on a white sheet through a projector attached to his laptop. It was the first time many of these people had ever seen a movie.
The bonds between the team members and the people of Lupala formed quickly. We played a Turkana version of capture the flag; and learning that Stephanos and Alexandria were engaged the people performed a symbolic Turkana ceremony of betrothal. We began and ended each day with song and dance.
Today, however, we truly witnessed the Holy Spirit at work. In the morning, Fr. Zachariah asked that we join him on a journey to a nearby village. The reason for our visit: to ask the village magician (who serves like a chief) if a church could be established there. Apparently, among the Turkana you cannot gather the people of a village without permission from the local magician.
This particular village was situated on the other side of Lupala’s dry river. We were able to drive across this very river the day before; but this morning it flowed with water that came up to our knees. Water has followed the team where ever we have gone. The Turkana have seen this as a great blessing.
Carefully, we crossed the water on foot and hiked for another half hour to meet with this magician. As we approached we prayed that God would lead us and that He would open this man’s heart. Fr. Martin, Fr. Zachariah, and Fr. Vladimir spoke with him for several minutes while the team looked on. He said that he was happy that we had come; and that he knew we had been sent by God.
Fr. Zachariah warned us that this magician might want something before agreeing to the establishment of a church. The Holy Spirit, however, had preceded us and with no conditions the magician gave his permission to gather the people of his village. Fr. Zachariah will soon return to this village to begin evangelizing people, who until now, have not known Christ.
These are but a few of the things that we have seen while among the Turkana. Please continue to pray for the strength of our team as we conclude our mission.
OCMC Kenya Travel Blog Day 8
Today we stayed in Lodwar – the largest city in Turkanaland; and the city where we have been staying when not camping in the interior. We conducted our normal sessions with the adults at St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church; and Niko and Alexandria taught over 100 children who also attend school there.
In our time here we have heard many stories of how the faith has worked in the lives of individual people. Today was no exception. One man, who was in the midst of great personal struggle, did what we all do in such trying times – he began to pray. These prayers led him to the Church where he wept uncontrollably after emerging from the Baptismal waters and seeing the icon of Christ on the Crucifix. In that moment he experienced peace because he knew that he was not alone in his suffering. To this day he gets emotional when seeing the cross.
Another woman received Baptism after being diagnosed with tuberculosis. At that time in her life she was also struggling with alcoholism. In the faith she found strength to overcome both life threatening diseases. Feeling that our team was going to be speaking in Lodwar today, she traveled 60 kilometers (about 36 miles) to be with the team. A stranger even gave here 200 shillings so that she could make the journey.
These are but a few of the stories we have heard about people who have experienced real change in their lives through a relationship with God. They have found hope in the face of struggle. They have made peace with their enemies. And, they have discovered new ways to love their neighbors.
It has been an honor to have heard about these journeys of faith while experiencing our own and to have felt God’s hand guiding us along the way. Tomorrow is our last day with the Turkana and we will make our last post. Hopefully, we will all be able to share our favorite memories from this amazing trip.
OCMC Kenya Travel Blog Day 9
Today was our last day in Turkanaland. We spent it with the people of St. Mark Orthodox Church – a stick church about five miles from Lodwar. Again, the rain followed us, and again we felt the Lord’s blessing.
The things we saw and the experiences we shared could fill a book, but here are a few of our favorite moments from this mission team:
Fr. Martin Ritsi – “If I had to pick one moment from this trip that I will remember forever, I would say speaking with the magician named Silale. As I looked into his eyes and he looked into mine, I could feel the Holy Spirit at work between us. I am very happy that Fr. Zachariah will now be able to begin evangelizing the people of his village and establishing the Church there.”
Fr. Vladimir Aleandro – “Matushka Susan and I were blessed with being a part of the first OCMC team to Lodwar in 2007. Having returned to Lodwar this year while also visiting the new communities in Lokichar and Lupala gave us a real sense for where the Church has been and where the Church is going.”
Mat. Susan Aleandro – “Having had the opportunity to reunite with Fr. Vladimir and Papadia Caroline was an incredible gift. I am thankful to have returned to Lodwar and to the Turkana people.”
Stephanos Ritsi – “I really enjoyed dancing and singing with the people. It left me with a real sense of community. They freely shared their culture with us. The most memorable example of this was when the Turkana performed a traditional betrothal ceremony for me and my fiancé Alexandria.”
Alexandria Polychronopoulos – “The most awesome moment for me was when we had to take shelter from the pouring rain in someone’s hut after teaching at St. Mark’s just outside of Lodwar. As we stood there I looked around and there were people of all ages surrounding us. In everyone’s face Christ could be seen. I turned to ask the one man in the hut who spoke English if they ever get rain in their community often and he replied ‘No, never.’ In that moment I realized that in every community God had blessed our visit with rain and water.”
Nicolaos Tzetzis – “The most incredible experience for me was Trekking across the hot sand where not even goats would venture into the sun and through a fast flowing river unable see what was underfoot carrying with us neither gift nor great sum of money but the message of Christ on our backs.”
Christopher Zaferes – “Entering into the culture of the Turkana is beyond explanation. Singing with them, dancing with them, worshiping with them, and even sleeping among them in Lupala was beautiful. After such an intense experience you truly begin to see them as your family.”
Cameron Thorp – “Definitely, observing Fr. Martin’s interaction with a magician hoping to bring Christianity to a new group of Turkana and realizing that many of the stories that I read as a young Christian like “Eternity in their Hearts” by Don Richardson was playing our before me.”
Alex Goodwin – “To have had the opportunity to witness the Holy Spirit working so powerfully in the hearts of the Turkana and the team members will be something that will give me strength for the rest of my life. It was an honor to be surrounded by so many loving people and to have experienced such intense fellowship with our ever growing family in Christ.”
We would like to thank those who made this mission possible through their donations and heartfelt prayers. We would also like to thank all of those who followed this blog. All the members of the 2010 OCMC Mission Team to Kenya would like to offer special thanks to Cameron Thorp for taking and
sharing so many amazing pictures, and to OCN (Orthodox Christian Networks) for their coverage of this incredible journey of faith.
In these final moments, we would like to ask that you please continue to remember the Turkana people and the Orthodox Church in Kenya in your prayers.
2010 Team Kenya Blog Part I
The Mission Team Has Made It to Kenya!
After two days, and more free peanuts than you can shake a stick at, the 2010 OCMC Mission Team to Kenya arrived safely in Nairobi. We were greeted by Archbishop Makarios and treated to a wonderful meal before heading off to bed. We head off for Lodwar in northwestern Kenya at 5 am where the work of the team will finally begin. Please continue to keep us in your prayers.
OCMC Kenya Travel Blog Day 2
I can’t recall anything as vast as the arid landscape that surrounded us upon landing Lodwar in northwestern Kenya. Stepping off the plan we were greeted with a blast of dry heat. The only thing warmer were the smiles of Fr. Vladimir and Fr. Makarios who took time in the afternoon to teach us about Turkana culture and beliefs. This information proved invaluable to us as we prepared our teaching program. In the evening Fr. Martin Ritsi, our team leader, invited each of us to walk through the materials we developed and even led us in practicing some songs that we will perform for the people between lessons. With water for the coming days and food for the multitudes in hand we ended the day in prayer, looking forward to seminars that will begin tomorrow afternoon. Thank you for your continued prayers. To all of our friends, family, supporters, and prayer partners – we’ve arrived!
OCMC Kenya Travel Blog Day 3
Ma da ni Christoi! (Greetings in Christ) – these were the words that began a day for which the members the 2010 OCMC Mission Team to Kenya had spent months preparing. Finally, after days of travel we were able to share the message of love, hope, and fellowship that we had journeyed thousands of miles to deliver. In 99 degree heat, under a shade tree on the bank of a dry river we shared Christ with our Turkana brothers and sisters. Through the skillful translation of a Turkana interpreter (which on this day included Fr. Vladimir, Fr. Makarios, Fr. Zachariah, and the catechist Anthony) Fr. Martin offered words of thanks and greetings. This was followed by a presentation by Fr. Vladimir Aleandro about Christ’s love for us and the importance of prayer. The theme of prayer was carried on by Matushka Susan Aleandro in her time with the women. Stephanos Ritsi also shared with the women the importance of love in the Christian life by reflecting on his own personal journey of faith. Fr. Martin and Chris Zaferes spent time with the men discussing Christ and scripture while Alexandria Polychronopoulos and Nicholas Tzetsis taught the children by telling stories, coloring pictures of icons, and showing them how to make crosses out of popsicle sticks and thread. Following a common meal with the people Alex Goodwin offered a few brief words on the Creed. Song and dance was woven into the fabric of the day. We even felt the sprinkle of rain during our sessions. We thank God for this profound blessing and for the time we spent with our new friends. Tomorrow we will celebrate the Liturgy and continue our program with the same people. We know that you are with us in prayer. Please know that we, and the people of Turkana, are with you also.
Our Last Day with the Turkana of Lokichar
Today was our last day with the Turkana of Lokichar. We celebrated the Liturgy together and communed from a common cup. It was a powerful reminder to the team of the universality of the church. The words shared by team members today reflected the deep sense of family that has been growing as we’ve spent time with these gracious and beautiful people.
As we left our new found brothers and sisters, many of whom were hearing the Orthodox message for the first time, we sang and danced as one. The question of how we can continue to help the Church grow beyond Lodwar and Lokichar has come often as we’ve reflected on the mission. Perhaps answers to this question will be revealed as we travel into the interior of this remote region tomorrow. For two days we will camp with the people of Loupala. Again we will teach and be taught, and again we will celebrate the Liturgy. We look forward to posting our experiences upon our return. Until then “Ajok i noi” (thank you) for your continued prayers.
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