v o l u m e 1 9 , n u m b e r 1 , 2 0 0 3S p r i n g 2 0 0 3

ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN MISSION CENTERORTHODOX CHRISTIAN MISSION CENTER

Called to be Apostles

Dear Readers,

Christ is Risen!We greet you in the peace of the Risen Lord and pray

that the love and hope of the Resurrection be with youalways.

In the Gospel passage read in the Holy SaturdayResurrection service, the words of the Lord to HisApostles are proclaimed in victory and command:

“All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth, goye therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizingthem in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of theHoly Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoev-er I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, tothe close of the age. Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-20).

In addition to Holy Saturday, this passage will be readin Orthodox Churches around the world throughout theyear in the cycle of the morning Gospel readings and thenanother version of this at the upcoming Feast of theAscension. When noticing the emphasis that is placed onthis powerful moment, and the apostolic sending that goeswith it, some questions can be raised; such as:

How is our Church today responding to this commandby the Lord?

When we personally hear this passage, does it resonatewithin us? Is it familiar and a part of our daily lives?

These questions were addressed in a keynote messagegiven by Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albaniaat St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary on theoccasion of the Symposium on Orthodox Mission and thebestowal of an honorary degree upon His BeatitudeAnastasios. Excerpts from that talk, along with an articleby OCMC missionary in Albania, Fr. Luke Veronis, are

featured in this issue of the OCMC Mission Magazine.Both of these authors draw us to reflect on both the missionary imperative, as well as the universal Church’sseeming lack of maintaining the full Apostolic message itproclaims each time the Creed is recited.

This becomes clearer if we visualize the world situationin relation to the missionary imperative and an absence oftension that is expressed in our Churches today concerningthis central aspect of the Orthodox Christian faith. Yousee, today only 1/3 of the world is Christian and 1/4 of theworld has not yet heard the Resurrection proclamation insuch a way that they might understand the claims and mes-sage and be able to turn to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Considering this situation and the focus which our Lordhas given to proclaiming the Gospel, we can then lookwithin our selves and towards our parish and ask:

Do we live with a vision and daily awareness of strivingto follow out this command given by the Lord prior to Hisascension into heaven in a way that is commensurate withthe focus that the Lord Himself has placed on it?

Archbishop Anastasios brings out these and otherthemes as he asserts that this commandment was not onlyfor the Apostles, but that missionary outreach is part of the“DNA of our Church.”

It is my prayer that his words, along with the rest of thematerial in this issue, will be both a challenge and encour-agement, such that all of us together may be inspired to adeeper commitment and devotion towards living out theApostolic commandment that has been passed on to us asmembers of the One, Holy, Catholic and ApostolicChurch.

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

OCMC mission magazine OCMC mission magazine SPRING 20032 3

One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church…

M i s s i o n M a g a z i n e

The Orthodox Christian Mission Center’s MissionMagazine is published twice a year for members of theSaints Cyril and Methodios Orthodox Mission Society bythe Orthodox Christian Mission Center.

EDITOR: Fr. Martin RitsiMANAGING EDITOR: Sofia Lopoukhine

DESIGN: Cameron Thorp

The Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) is the official international mission agency

of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA).

For more information about OCMC visit our website at

www.ocmc.org

or contact us at Orthodox Christian Mission Center

P.O. Box 4319 • St. Augustine, FL 32085

PH: (904) 829-5132 • Fax: (904) 829-1635 email: missions@ocmc.org

Program Contacts:Executive Director . . . . . . . . . . . Fr. Martin Ritsi

Missionaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maria Gallos

Teams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nektarios Ferguson

Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Warren W. Caterson

Capital Campaign. . . . . . . . . . . Athan E. Stephanopoulos

Agape Canister . . . . . . . . . . . . Susan Kleiner

SAMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pres. Renee Ritsi

Communications . . . . . . . . . . . Sofia Lopoukhine

Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carolyn Crossley

OCMC Missionaries and their Families:

Albania: Fr. Luke, Pres. Faith, Paul, Theodora and PanayiotaVeronis • Nathan, Lynette, Tristan, and Katherine Hoppe• Dr. Charles, Maria, George, Anthony, Joanna, Adrian, andMelania Linderman • Melanie Linderman • ShannonRobinson • George, Pauline, Christopher and Madeline RussellRomania: Craig and Victoria, Goodwin • Floyd FrantzGuatemala: Tamara and Isabel Timko • Christina Hagelios •Fr. Timothy and Kh. Louise Ferguson

OCMC BOARD OF TRUSTEES:Helen Nicozisis, President

Fr. Chad Hatfield, Vice PresidentCatherine Lingas, TreasurerElizabeth Slanta, Secretary

Fr. Alexander Veronis, President Emeritus

John Andreadis • Clifford Argue • Fr. John Chakos • Dr. George Christakis • Fr. Louis Christopulos • George Conopeotis • Patrick Crosson • Cina Daskalakis

• Dr. John G. Demakis • Dr. Peter Fotos • Lt. Cmdr. Fr. Milton Gianulis • Fr. PeterGillquist • Fr. John Harvey • Fr. Jonathan Ivanoff • Vice Adm. Michael P. Kalleres

• Thalia Karakitsios • Dr. Spero J. Kinnas • Dn. Dr. Euthym Kontaxis • Fr. Victor Lakusta • Fr. Dimitri Leussis • Fr. George Liacopulos •

Dn. Ihor Mahlay • George Maragakes • Fr. Luke Mihaly • Scott Mitchell • Fr. Ted Pisarchuk • Teresa Polychronis • Fr. Stevo Rocknage • Michael

Stavropoulos • Fr. Mathew Tate • Fr. Constantin Tofan • Fr. Raymond Velencia• Andrew Yiannakos •John Yoo

Opinions expressed are those of the individual authors and not necessarilythose of OCMC.We reserve the right to edit all articles and all submissionsfor length and content. Articles may be reproduced or used with written

acknowledgement of the source.

C o n t e n t s

S P R I N G , 2 0 0 3 • v o l u m e 1 9 , n u m b e r 1

ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN MISSION CENTERORTHODOX CHRISTIAN MISSION CENTER

FEATURES

The Universe as our Parish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Fr. Luke A. Veronis—OCMC Missionary

Infant Center Opens in Romania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Victoria Goodwin—OCMC Missionary

Why Medical Missions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24Dn. Dr. Euthym Kontaxis

English Christ is Risen Indeed He is RisenYupik (Alaska) Xris-tusaq Ung-uixtuq Iluumun Ung-uixtuqSpanish Cristo ha Resucitado En verdad ha ResucitadoSwahili Kristo Amefufukka Kweli AmefufukkaAlbanian Krishti u Ngjall Vërtete u NgjallKorean Kristo Gesso Buhar ha sho nay

The Orthodox Christian Mission Center

wishes the whole world a blessed Pascha!

“Let the whole world, visible

and invisible, keep the feast.

For Christ is Risen, our

Eternal Joy.”

– Paschal Canon

Fr. Martin Ritsi, Executive Director

On the Cover: Archbishop Anastasioscarries the Paschal “light of Christ whichillumines all” to thousands of Albaniansas a modern-day Apostle. Photo courtesy: Nathan Hoppe

ALSO IN THIS ISSUEFrom the Executive Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

SAMP: Many firsts in South Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Mission Teams: India . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Fr. Nikitas Theodosion

AGAPE: Alaska–St. Herman’s Seminary Drug and Alcohol Abuse Program . . .16

Missionary Kids: Interview with a Returned Missionary Kid: . . . . . . . . . .18Hannah Hudson

Missionary Dads: Reflections on Being a Missionary Dad . . . . . . . . . . . .20Nathan Hoppe—OCMC Missionary

Mission News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Help Wanted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Cover Story: Rediscovering Our Apostolic Identity in the 21st Century . . . . . .4Archbishop Anastasios Of Tirana and All Albania

OCMC mission magazine OCMC mission magazine Spring 20034 5

No one questions it in theory. Onthe contrary, we confess itsolemnly and repeat it nearly

every time we gather to worship. Weprofess our belief in “One Holy,Catholic and Apostolic Church” andproclaim our membership in it. But inpractice, it would seem that manyOrthodox believers, and even many local Churches, commonlyembrace a rather limited definition of“Apostolic”…

…Early in his ministry, Jesus sentout those whom he had called toHimself… “He called his disciples,and chose from them twelve, whom henamed Apostles:” (Lk 6:13). Jesus did

not found a static community thatwithdrew from the world. Nor did heattach himself to one particular place.He traveled from city to city, town totown; and was always on the move. Hesent out His Disciples, still imperfectbeings with their weaknesses andshortcomings, who were at once his“Disciples” and his “Apostles”. Thecommunity He established had mis-sions, a sending out, as its inner force.The work of this Apostolic communityhad a centrifugal energy, moving out-

ward from the Lord, the Teacher, tothe others. At the same time, a singleperson, the person of Christ, provideda steady, centripetal attraction…

The view was formulated thatApostolic identity was limited exclu-sively to the Twelve who were eyewit-nesses to the life, death and resurrec-tion of Jesus Christ. Naturally, theTwelve hold a unique position in thelife of the Church…Nevertheless,Apostolic obligation is not limited tothe activities of the Twelve. These inturn transmitted to others the work oftheir Apostolic calling.

Already in the Gospel of Luke wefind the tradition according to which

Jesus “appointed seventy others, andsent them on ahead of him two bytwo” (Lk 10:1). The aim expressedhere, to send them out into the world,was the same as that assigned to theTwelve….Besides the Twelve and theSeventy, the Risen Lord also sendsout Paul…Paul insists again and againthat he is “a servant of Jesus Christ,called to be an Apostle, set apart forthe gospel of God” (Rom 1:1)…In theNew Testament, the name “Apostle” isalso given to other less eminent

personalities: Barnabas, Sosthenes,Epaphroditus, Timotheus, Titus.Broadly speaking, apostolic activity isthe work of every disciple who is “thesalt of the earth” and “the light of theworld” (Mt 5:13-14)…

…Christ’s teaching and the othercommandments that He gave to othergroups of His followers, both largeand small, did not concern those par-ticular audiences exclusively, but wereof relevance to the entire Church.

Let us consider how absurd itwould be to interpret in such an exclu-sive fashion the Lord’s words at theLast Supper, when he said to HisTwelve disciples “Do this in remem-

brance of me” (Lk 22:19).Would it be possible to supportthe proposition that this com-mandment was of exclusive con-cern to His circle of Twelve? Ifthat were the case, there wouldbe no Church. Instead, the com-mandment concerns the entirelifespan of the Church.Likewise, the final command-ment given to the Eleven isdeterminative not only for thoseEleven, but for all who believedin the Gospel message, for theentire body of the Church thatwould come into being from the

seeds of the first Apostles’ words anddeeds…

The Lord’s last commandment, asit is preserved in the Gospel ofMatthew, defines the Church’s scopeand character. From the stirring wordswith which the Risen Christ directsHis disciples emerge three mainthemes that constitute a seamless,organic whole. The first is a statementof universal importance: “All power isgiven unto me in heaven and inearth”. The second, a final command-

ment: “Go ye therefore (oun), andteach all nations, baptizing them inthe name of the Father, and of the Sonand of the Holy Spirit: teaching themto observe all things whatsoever I havecommanded you”. And with the thirdcomes a promise: “And (kai) lo, I amwith you always, to the close of theage”. The conjunctions oun (there-fore) and kai (and) emphasize thecohesion of thought. These three sen-tences are interlinked, intertwinedlike the muscular, circulatory andnervous systems of our bodies. Theymake up an organic, indivisible whole.They determine the origin, the orien-tation and the strength of Apostleship.

Many people prefer to focus theirattention on the last sentence: “And(kai) lo, I am with you always, to theclose of the age”, which reinforcesintellectually and emotionally the cer-tainty of Christ’s presence in oureveryday life. No doubts have beenexpressed as to whether the first, aswell as the last, verses refer to the full-ness of the Church, that is to say, to allbelievers, without exception. But it ispeculiar and inconsistent to considerthat the middle link, the verse “Go ye therefore (oun), and teach allnations”, refers exclusively to theTwelve. If we take away the conjunc-tions oun and kai, the logical connec-tions are lost. The revelation that “all authority in heaven and in earthhas been given” to Christ implies aspecific obligation on the part of theApostles and their successors. Thisobligation is the consequence of thegreat truth described in the first verse. Upon the fulfillment of theirApostolic duty, they will have the guar-antee of Christ’s presence. Without thekai, the promise of Christ’s constantpresence is left hanging.

The obligation belongs to thewhole Body of the Church…

A basic characteristic of Apostolicityis that the disciples are obliged to goout. Their lives will unfold on a wideopen horizon, with challenges, dan-gers, successes and failures forever in

motion. No frontiers should bindthem. Their duty is to go out and teach“all nations” – without exception…

Christ completed His salvific work.The translation—both literal and figu-rative—of His message to all theworld was not to be His own work. Heentrusted the responsibility to HisApostles (the Church He founded).And the Apostles in turn entrustedthe continuation of their work to theirsuccessors. This spiritual relay racecontinues in the hands of the Churchas a whole until the Lord comes again.

This characteristic of Apostleship isindelibly wrought in the very nature ofthe Church and should be lived inevery age, under new conditions andagainst new challenges. Mission is partof the Church’s genetic material, afixed element in its DNA. It is a gift ofgrace organically fused to the Church,nourished as it is by the Eucharisticcommunity; and the Church is, inturn, constantly renewed by theApostolic calling. And this calling willbe realized with the continual pres-ence and energy of the Holy Spirit,until the end of time…

Archbishop Anastasios is one ofOrthodoxy’s leading missiologists. He haspublished eight books and more than 150articles, as well as lectured internationallyon modern Christian global witness, economic justice, peace-making andreawakening of the missionary conscious-ness of the Orthodox Church today.

Archbishop Anastasios’ new book,Facing the World: Orthodox ChristianEssays on Global Concern, published by St.Vladimir’s Seminary Press, will be availableJune 1, 2003. In this work, ArchbishopAnastasios presents his conviction that theecumenical [or universal] vision of theOrthodox Church is the “best response” tothe forming global conditions. In Orthodoxtradition, everything is understood in a uni-versal context, from the creation of the worldto the vision of the new heaven and earth.

REDISCOVERING OUR APOSTOLIC IDENTITYIN THE 21ST CENTURYArchbishop Dr. Anastasios (Yannoulatos) Of Tirana and All AlbaniaProfessor Emeritus of the University of Athens

Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana andall Albania was the key-note speaker ata two-day Orthodox MissionSymposium, February 27-28, 2003, heldat St. Vladimir’s Orthodox TheologicalSeminary in Crestwood, New York. Anexcerpt of his talk, “Rediscovering ourApostolic Identity in the 21st Century”is printed here and the complete textwill be in an upcoming issue of St.Vladimir's Theological Quarterly, pub-lished by the faculty of St. Vladimir'sOrthodox Theological Seminary.

Archbishop Anastasios, who has been involved in missions for 50 years,lives out his conviction that the Apostolicobligation is not limited to the Twelve,but that it belongs to the whole Body of the Church.

Mission is part of the

Church’s genetic material,

a fixed element in its DNA.

It is a gift of grace organi-

cally fused to the Church

OCMC mission magazine OCMC mission magazine Spring 20036 7

One of the most common yet subtle dangers—I may even sayheresies—that has plagued the

people of God, from the time ofancient Israel until today, is the illnessof parochialism in its individual andcommunal forms. “My parish is myuniverse” many faithful still believetoday.

Instead of a worldview where Godthe Creator is at the center, a viewwhere all creation points to God andgives Him glory, slowly theego–whether the individual ego: I, me,my, mine; or the communal ego: mypeople, my parish, my language, myculture – gradually takes over and this

self-centered mentality distorts anauthentic Orthodox worldview.

Our Triune God has a love andvision for all. In the Old Testament, wemay remember how God chose a cer-tain people as his prized possession,but we often forget why he chosethem. When God called Abram inGenesis, he said, “Go forth from theland of your kinsfolk and from yourfather’s house to a land that I will showyou. I will make of you a great nation,and I will bless you. I will make yourname great, SO THAT you will be ablessing…And all the families of theearth shall find blessing in you.”

This central verse of the Old

Covenant reveals God’s overarchingplan of salvation for all. Abraham wascalled to leave what was familiar, toleave his own, to depart from his tinyego, and to follow God in faith, so thathe would be blessed by God, and, SOTHAT he and his nation wouldbecome a blessing for ALL the fami-lies of the earth!

“The universe is my parish!” Thatis the mentality that God wanted us tohave from the beginning, and this rep-resents an authentic Orthodox world-view.

Unfortunately, we see time andagain how God’s people forget, ignore,and even deny their universal calling,and choose instead to become aclosed, parochial, often ethnocentriccommunity.

Jesus Christ, the supreme examplein the New Testament, made abun-dantly clear that no boundaries couldlimit His unconditional love for allpeople. Whether it was a hereticalSamaritan, a Roman centurion, a for-eign Syrophonecian woman, a corrupttax-collector, or an immoral adulter-ess, Christ saw each and every personas a beloved child of His. He fulfilledthe prophecy of Isaiah: “Although amother may forget her child, I cannever forget you. I have carved you onthe palm of my hand.”

The whole meaning of OrthodoxChristianity has to do with looking out-ward, remembering the other! ThePhilokalia teaches “Blessed is the onewho rejoices in his salvation, but evenmore blessed is the one who rejoices inthe salvation of the other.”

St. John Chrysostom said a similarmessage, “I do not believe in the salva-tion of anyone who does not try to saveothers.”

‘My parish is my universe?’ or ‘Theuniverse is my parish!’”

Our Church Fathers represented atruly ecumenical, universal and mis-sionary spirit that we need to practicetoday. Why is it that so many of ourlocal churches and leaders too oftenlack a vibrant worldwide vision andoutreach? Why are we, as individuals,so weak in cultivating this universalspirit in our own spiritual journeys?

The answer is simple, because it isa problem that has plagued humanitysince Adam and Eve. It is the ego. Ourlittle ego continually limits our worldview, poisoning not only our per-ception of self, but corrupting our understanding of the Church and theworld around us. Our spiritual journeybecomes a self-centered pursuit for individual happiness, comfort, pleasure, and self-fulfillment—an ideacompletely foreign to the theology ofthe Great Fathers.

Even many of today’s churchesreject the universal vision and becomenothing more than proud, closed,social clubs. For example, how many ofour communities will spend 95% oftheir church budget on themselves?Even if we are spending all our moneyon something good—like catecheticalwork, youth ministry, and beautifica-tion of a church, we still have to askourselves, what percent of the church’smoney and time goes outside her ownpeople?

Surely, a church and her pastoralteam must take care of their own peo-ple, but simultaneously, the churchcommunity must remember that she iscalled to be yeast within the generalsociety where we live. She must be alight to the non-Orthodox and secularpeople around her in America, as wellas participating in the overall witnessthat is needed throughout the entireworld!

What a terrible distortion of God’svision when a community focuses onlyon its own! Archbishop Anastasios ofAlbania says, “The opposite of love isoften called hatred. But its real nameis egoism. This is the denial of theTriune God who is a koinonia (a com-

munion) of love. Christian life meanscontinual assimilation of the mysteryof the Cross in the fight against indi-vidual and communal selfishness.”

We must recover this life of asceti-cism and self-sacrifice. We must make

every effort to flee from our self-cen-tered wills, and enter into the “mind ofChrist.” Through this struggle, we canovercome our destructive egos, reject-ing the parochial view of “the parish asthe universe,” and united to Christ,develop a worldview of “the universeas the parish.”

This is the reason why my familyand I left America nine years ago toserve the Church in Albania. Yet, overthe years, so many people have ques-tioned us, “Why did you leaveAmerica? You should have stayedhere. There are so many needs in ourown country!”

These people cannot see that theChurch in Albania is connected to theChurch in America. We are oneChurch with the mission churches in Africa, Indonesia, and Mexico,because we all are part of the “One,Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.”We can never view it as “us and them.”

I remember when I lived in Kenya.At times, I would travel to villages that

rarely, if ever, saw a white person. Inmost places, the children would flockaround this wazungoo (white man),but in some cases, little children whohad never seen a white person beforewould start crying because theythought I was a ghost! One day afriend of mine put my arm next to hisand asked, “Do you know what the difference is between you and me?”Then he pointed to the color of myskin and then his and said, “Only thiscolor. What is in our hearts, what is inour souls, what is in our minds, is thesame. We are brothers.” And truly weare!

When people ask us why my familyand I left our homeland and our lovedones, I now answer “Because we feltthat we were not only fulfilling St.Paul’s command to be ‘ambassadors ofChrist,’ but we understood that theOrthodox Church in the United Statesalso needed to send ambassadors intothe world, and therefore, we are yourrepresentatives!”

Please understand, in order to be faithful Orthodox Christians, eachof us should be asking ourselves, “How am I helping to fulfill God’s uni-versal vision?” When we hear about someone interested in becoming amissionary, are we saying, “Why areyou going to Albania, or Africa, orelsewhere?” We should be saying,“Great! You can be our representativethere. We will be behind you with ourprayers, our finances and our encour-agement. Godspeed!”

Are we thinking, “You should stayhere because there are many needs inthis country?” A better responsewould be, “That’s great that you aregoing over there and will be a witnessof God’s love. You go there, and I’llstay in this country and offer my wit-ness of God’s love to all the peoplehere. Together we’ll make a greatteam!”

“The parish is my universe.”Hopefully, not too many of our parishes will think this way.

“The universe is my parish!” This isour calling, and I pray, that many ofour communities will fulfill this vision!

The Universe as Our ParishFr. Luke A. Veronis, OCMC Missionary in Albania

St. John Chrysostom preached, “There are two kinds of

bishops. One bishop is a pastor who says, ‘my parish is

my universe,’ while the other bishop says, ‘the universe

is my parish.’”

When we are baptized, we become notonly a part of a parish, but of the wholeChurch and as Fr. Luke Veronis says weare “called to be yeast within the general society where we live.”

Fr. Luke Veronis, OCMC Missionary in Albania, invites everyone to ask themselves, “How am I helping to fulfillGod’s universal vision?” as he presents aworldview where all creation points toGod and gives Him glory.

OCMC mission magazine8

It is with great joy that I can finallyannounce that The Protection ofthe Theotokos Family Center,

located in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, hasreceived all the necessary governmen-tal inspections and approvals to open.The first infant was turned over to ourcare on February 6, 2003.

After months of remodeling, stafftraining, and waiting for all therequired governmental approvals, wefinally received the call to go pick upour first beneficiary, baby Angela, atthe Hospital for Premature Infants.When we arrived at the hospital, wewere directed to the second floorwhere we observed three rooms full oftiny cribs and incubators. The staffwas very friendly and seemed to lovetheir job and the babies. The day wewere there, they had fifteen tiny ones,yet we saw only four staff members onthe floor to care for them. They askedif we brought clothing and who wasgoing to dress the baby. I raised my

hand and so they gave me a gown andled me into one of the wards linedwith tiny cribs.

I set my eyes on little Angela and itwas love at first sight! The attendantchanged her as I pulled out clothingfrom the diaper bag. My husbandCraig, the Center’s social workerMonika, and Child Protection’s socialworker all smiled through the windowat us. At three–and–a–half weeks ofage, little Angela weighed only 2.7kilos (just under 6 pounds). She wasswimming in the 0–3 month–sizeclothing I brought for her.

When we got her good and bun-dled up to protect her against the sub-zero temperature, we said our good-byes to the staff and headed toAngela’s first home – The Protectionof the Theotokos Family Center. Twoof our caregivers, Ana and Agneta,our cleaning lady, Firutsa, and ourcook, Elena, were all looking out thewindow and rushed out to greet us

Victoria Goodwin, OCMC Missionary in Romania

Unto theleast of these…Center for abandonedinfants opens in Romania.

Whoever receives one of these little

children in My name receives Me; and

whoever receives Me, receives not Me,

but Him who sent Me. —Mark 9:37

OCMC Missionary in Romania, Victoria Goodwin, has been working diligently to open a home to

receive abandoned infants and reports on the first few infants brought into the care of the

Protection of the Theotokos Family Center.

Baby Angela, the first abandoned infant in the care of the new Protectionof the Theotokos Family Center, beingbrought from the hospital to her newhome by Victoria Goodwin, OCMCMissionary in Romania.

His Grace Vasile, Bishop of Vad,Feleac, and Cluj in Romania, baptized baby Angela, who, havingbeen abandoned by her mother at thehospital, is now a part of the HolyOrthodox Church and, as VictoriaGoodwin says, “for the first time inher young life she finally belongs.”

9OCMC mission magazine Spring 2003

OCMC mission magazine Spring 2003

What is the Protection of the Theotokos Family Center?

The Center was established in response to the critical social/economic

situation and increasing poverty level in Romania. At present, 70% of the

population lives on less than $1 a day. This is below the world poverty level.

The problem has reached the point that approximately six infants are abandoned

in Cluj County each month, because their mothers do not think it is possible to

provide the home and care they need. This new Center is a project of

Christiana-Cluj, under the patronage of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of

Vad, Feleac and Cluj in Romania.

The Family Center was designed to provide the loving care an infant needs

for healthy physical, emotional, and intellectual development, while the local Child

Protection Department determines whether family reunification is possible and

locates a permanent home and family for the baby if reunification is ruled out. Child

Protection predicts that it will take three to six months to complete this process for

each infant. The Center provides a family-like environment for four infants, age

newborn—24 months, who have been abandoned or given up for adoption and left

at the hospital after birth. The Center also provides rooms for two mothers in

danger of abandoning their babies, to assist in reunification and abandonment preven-

tion. It is estimated that this project will provide care for 12 to 24 infants per year.

when we arrived. Through all of thisactivity, little Angela was wide–eyedand quiet as a mouse.

It was quite amusing to watch allthe adults fuss over our first baby. Ihad to shoo out all the extra staff, as itwas obvious Angela was overwhelmedby all the noise, color, and strangefaces, after her silent, white, environ-ment during her first three weeks oflife. When it was time for the shiftchange at seven that evening, the firstshift kept fussing over the baby andgiving the ladies on the next shiftinstructions for a good thirty minutes.I finally had to order them to leave thebaby and go home!

Angela has flourished under theadoring fan club we call the staff.Every one has volunteered to be her

Godmother. We decided to let oursocial worker, Monika, be the first,since she will start maternity leave atthe end of April.

Since Angela’s arrival, we havereceived two more baby girls. We werecalled for an “emergency” placementand went to the maternity hospital topick up three-day-old Daciana. Hermother is single, unemployed, and hasanother child at home. She fears she won’t be able to provide for baby Daciana and so, after ChildProtection was notified, Mamachecked out of the hospital withouther baby. It is uncertain what thefuture will hold for little Daciana atthis point and so she will remain inour care until a solution is found.

The other little girl we were calledto pick up at the Child ProtectionCenter is twelve-month-old Minerva.Little Minerva was taken from hermother by the police, as her mothercarried her from car to car at a busyintersection in sub-zero temperatures,begging. She has now been placedwith us while her future is decided.She is surprisingly healthy, welladjusted, and developmentally righton target. Our staff is thrilled to final-ly have a baby old enough to play withthe toys. It gives them an excuse to

10 OCMC mission magazine

play with them too!On March 1, we called in our two

reserves to watch Daciana andMinerva, while the rest of the staffmet at the chapel at Christiana’sSchool and Social Center for theBaptism of little Angela. His GraceBishop Vasile baptized Angela, withMonika and her husband, Tudor, serv-ing as her Godparents. I was so movedas Monika held Angela in her armsand I realized that for the first time inher young life, Angela was going tofinally belong. She was entering intothe Holy Orthodox Church, she wasnow going to have Godparents, and asBishop Vasile immersed her in theBaptismal font, I was overwhelmedwith tears of joy with the realizationthat she has now been blessed with theindwelling of the Holy Spirit. JesusChrist is her Lord and Savior!

I have always been blessed by thejoy of a baptism, but was shocked bythe overwhelming tears of joy thatcame upon me at that moment. I stilltear up everytime I think about it.Talking to Craig later, he remindedme that the Holy Fathers havedescribed tears of joy as a specialgrace that the Holy Spirit hasbestowed upon us at that specialmoment. Thanks be to God for Hiseverlasting grace and mercy!

On behalf of Craig and me, and allthe staff at the Protection of theTheotokos Family Center, we thankeach one of you who has helped makethis dream a reality by your prayers,material, and financial donations.What a privilege for all of us to makea difference in the life of a child andto welcome them into the HolyOrthodox Church.

For more information on our min-istry to Romania please visit our websiteat www.transilvaniatimes.ro. For moreinformation on OCMC’s long-termmissionary program please visitwww.ocmc.org/missionaries.

The devoted, faithful staff of theFamily Center acts like an

“adoring fan club” of the babies.On the first day the Center was

open the staff didn’t want toleave the baby’s side—even once

their shift was over!

The staff of the Protection of the Theotokos Family Center

provides loving care that the abandoned infants need for

healthy physical, emotional and intellectual development.

11

OCMC mission magazine OCMC mission magazine Spring 200312

SAMP is involved in many firstsin the country of South Africa,mostly due to the work of Fr.

Athanasios Akunda, a young mission-ary priest from the Orthodox Churchin Kenya, who is fully supported byOCMC’s Support A Mission Priest(SAMP) program. He has been work-ing in South Africa since June 2002and is the first SAMP mission priest toserve as a missionary outside of hisown country.

Just recently, the first Orthodoxservice was offered in the Zulu lan-guage. It is the first time many peopleare receiving catechism and beingbaptized. Also, the first parish wasformed in which the majority of themembers are indigenous South

Africans. For many South Africans,this is the first time the Lord’s mes-sage is being heard in the language oftheir hearts through the efforts of Fr.Athanasios and others.

Father Athanasios was born inEbukhubi, Western Kenya. He gradu-ated from the Makarios PatriarchalSeminary in Nairobi, Kenya in 1994.Ordained to the deaconate shortlythereafter, he served in Kenya until1998 when he received an OCMCscholarship to attend Holy CrossGreek Orthodox School of Theologyin Brookline, MA.

Upon completion of his degree, hereturned home to Kenya but thenresponded to a request from SouthAfrica to help teach leaders and pre-

pare them to be received into theOrthodox Church. He was ordained tothe priesthood in 2002 inJohannesburg and now serves theArchdiocese of Johannesburg andPretoria, under the leadership of HisEminence Metropolitan Seraphim.

In the 1980’s, a group of SouthAfricans began the St. NicholasSociety. This society was made up ofsome people who had been exposed tocanonical Orthodoxy outside of SouthAfrica and wanted to offer Orthodoxyto the people of South Africa (bothblack and white).

The St. Nicholas Society evolvedinto the Mission Committee in SouthAfrica under the leadership of HisEminence Metropolitan Seraphim.

His Eminence was elected by the HolySynod to serve in the Metropolinateof Johannesburg and Pretoria in 2001.A well thought out plan unfolded forthe Mission Committee, which isunder the spiritual guidance of HisEminence Seraphim. Two regions,one north of Pretoria and the othersouth of Johannesburg, have beenvery receptive to Orthodoxy.

A three-year plan is now in placewhich will teach a generalIntroduction to the Orthodox Church,Orthodox Worship, OrthodoxTradition and Orthodox Morality. Thegoal is to equip people to be teachersof teachers and leaders in ministry.

In the Dennilton area, which isabout 80 miles from Pretoria, a fullschedule is planned with catechism forpeople interested in Orthodoxy andmore detailed teaching for thoseinterested in becoming catechists.Courses will also be offered for poten-tial candidates for ordination andthose interested in serving the Churchin a more active role, such as lay lead-ers. In addition, a one-day seminar onthe problem of AIDS is scheduled.

The growth of Orthodoxy in SouthAfrica is evidence of one of the manywonderful things happening aroundthe world supported by OCMC’sSAMP program. Orthodoxy offers joyand peace to many people who hungerand thirst for salvation and SAMP isat work in fifteen countries so thatpriests, deacons and catechists canoffer the salvation which comes froma relationship with Jesus Christ, ourLord and Savior, to people who desireto learn about Him and our HolyOrthodox Church.

SAMP’s Fr. Athanasios Akunda: Kenyan Missionary in South Africa

Father Athanasios is the

first SAMP mission priest

as a missionary outside

his own country.

Many Firsts in South Africa

SAMPSupport A Mission Priest

238 indigenous clergy supported monthly in 15 coun-tries helping the Orthodox Church grow.

For more information contact Pres. Renee Ritsi at (904) 829-5132 orsamp@ocmc.org

OCMC mission magazine14 15OCMC mission magazine Spring 2003

Ican’t tell you about all of the excel-lent work being done by thePhilanthropic Society of the

Orthodox Church in India run by Fr.Ignatios Sennis, Sister Nectaria (mis-sionaries from Greece) and their staff.I marvel at all of the work they havebeen able to do for the people of India.

The Philanthropic Society of theOrthodox Church was started by Fr.Ignatios Sennis and Sister Nectaria inthe early 1990’s after they arrived inIndia to serve as missionaries and tocontinue the work started by Fr.Athanasios Anthides. Fr. Athanasioswas the first, recent, modern,Orthodox missionary from Greece toIndia and worked for ten years teaching and preaching the Truth ofChrist. He baptized more than 1,500people, built a church dedicated to St.Thomas and translated many liturgicaltexts into the local Bengali dialect.

Since Fr. Ignatios and SisterNectaria arrived in India in 1991,eleven churches have been built, thou-

sands have been baptized and thepoorest of the poor have been fed,housed and clothed. In just thethree–and–a–half weeks that I was inIndia on an OCMC mission team, Isaw so much of the good work beingdone there.

Fr. Stephen Callos and I went toIndia to teach and to baptize. Our jobwas to teach the basics of the OrthodoxFaith to catechumens and inquirers.We did so in three separate sessionslasting five days each with 5 to 7 class-es that the people attended faithfully.About 120 to 150 people attended eachfive-day session.

Each day began with Orthros(Matins) in the morning then break-fast. The class sessions were followedby lunch, more classes, Vespers, a ques-tion and answer period and finally theday ended with a light dinner. We did-n’t have much time for other thingsduring the time that we were teachingclasses.

The Retreat Center where we

taught is located about 70 miles fromCalcutta. It is a walled–in communityconsisting of a church, housing for staffand portable tents for the peopleattending the sessions to eat and sleep.While we were there, we were blessedto attend the consecration of thechurch by His Eminence Nikitas,Metropolitan of Hong Kong andSoutheast Asia.

Many of the people who came tothe classes live in an environmentwhere they have no control over theirown lives. Obtaining their basic needsis so difficult that they literally have tospend their lives merely getting enoughfood each day for themselves and aplace to sleep for the night. And whatis even worse, since they are part of theclass structure influenced by Hindubeliefs, they believe that this is theirdeserved lot in life and that they needto accept it. As we taught the retreatclasses, I could see people begin torealize that they had value as God’schildren. They began to understandthat knowing Christ could offer themhope out of the spiritual despair natu-ral to their extreme poverty.

It was fascinating to me to see howmany people wanted to be baptized.We were supposed to baptize about 20people. That number soon swelled to31 and Fr. Ignatios had so many morewho wanted to be baptized that a second day was set up where 44 more were brought to HolyIllumination. It was indeed inspiring tosee this kind of dedication and recogni-tion of Christianity. This was a life-changing experience for me.

In addition to the teaching, baptiz-ing and overall pastoral work of meet-ing people’s spiritual needs, we alsosaw many philanthropic projects inaction that are meeting the physicalneeds of thousands. Calcutta is a hugecity of 11 million people; most are very

poor and over 2 million are homeless.The church in Calcutta is a jewel in thedirt and mire of poverty.

More than 200 children gather dailyin the yard of the church and are fed aglass of milk and some biscuits withadded vitamins. They are not all home-less but it is very obvious that they areat least very poor with very little to eat.Many times this may be the only foodthey eat for the day.

In additition to this daily program,the Philanthropic Society also runs aweekly feeding program. EveryMonday they hand out to registeredfamilies enough food for at least aweek. Some of the recipients are blindor lame. Others suffer from diseases ofa biblical nature, for example, onewoman was bent over just like it isdescribed in Luke 13:11-13. Each fam-ily receives about six or seven itemsincluding rice, lentils and other staplesof the Indian diet. The items varyaccording to how much money theSociety has to work with that week.The items are distributed by the priestsand volunteers who staff the variouspositions of the Philanthropic Society.Both of these feeding programs arerecipients of OCMC’s Agape Canisterprogram grants.

While we were there, we traveled toa girl’s orphanage outside of Calcuttathat Fr. Ignatios and Sister Nectariaalso started. I was overjoyed at what Isaw. Two years ago there were 85 girlsand today it has increased to 150 girlsbetween the ages of three and four-teen. Many of the girls are actualorphans, having neither mother norfather. Others have only one parentwho, because they were unable to takecare of their daughters, sent them tothe orphanage.

Three buildings make up the com-plex of the orphanage. The administra-tion building includes a kitchen, office,chapel, two sleeping rooms, a healthclinic, and dental clinic for the childrenas well as the villagers near by. There isa newly built and consecrated church at

the center of the complex where morn-ing and evening services are held daily.A dormitory with living quarters for thechildren also has classrooms and alarge cafeteria.

After just a short visit, it was obvi-ous to us that the children werewell–cared–for and appeared veryhappy in this environment. Just outsideof the orphanage, the PhilanthropicSociety is also building a tech center,which will train the girls so that theywill be able to live and work as respon-sible citizens. Such things as computerclasses, sewing and bookkeeping aresome of the planned subjects to betaught. The next phase of the prepara-tion for the girls is to give each a dowryto help them find a suitable spouseafter graduation from the orphanage.

Not far from the orphanage complexanother school is being built to help

blind people become self-sufficient.While I was there it was in the verybeginning stages of construction. Thisschool should be up and running with-in a year.

The Philanthropic Society also runsan orphanage for boys, but we didn’thave time to visit it while we werethere. Another aid project that is put-ting Christ’s love into action is thebuilding of homes on parcels of landthat people own but can’t afford tobuild a home on.

The work that is being done by Fr.Ignatios and Sister Nectaria throughthe Philanthropic Society of theOrthodox Church in India is veryinspiring. The needs are great andappear to be insurmountable, yet thereis incredibly great work being done. Myhope and prayers are that they can con-tinue to do this great work and help thepoor people of India live a more fulfill-ing life. Fr. Ignatios and Sister Nectariaare truly great missionaries fulfillingwhat the Lord has asked of us. Thisministry needs to be supported withour whole heart and might.

MISSION TEAMS INDIAOn OCMC’s Mission trip to Calcutta, India, Fr. Nikitas saw theextreme poverty of the people andhow the Church is reaching out tothem with, among other things, aweekly feeding program.

Fr. Nikitas Theodosion of Holy Trinityin St. Augustine, Florida had a “life-changing experience” by goingon a mission trip to India.

Both, Fr. Nikitas and Fr. StephenCallos (seen here) spent long days teaching the Orthodox faith to hundreds of inquirers and catechumens in India.

Fr. Nikitas Theodosion, along with Fr. Stephen Callos, made up the

2-person 2002 OCMC Mission Team to India. Fr. Nikitas reports on the

work being done by the Philanthropic Society of the Orthodox Church in

Calcutta, India and how he was affected by what he did and saw.

OCMC mission magazine OCMC mission magazine Spring 200316 17

St. Herman’s Seminary, a long-time recipient of OCMC grants,is equipping future clergy and

church leaders with an ability to helpdeal with the widespread problem ofsubstance abuse in Alaska.

For the last five years, theOCMC’s Agape Canister Programhas provided grants to fund St.Herman’s Seminary Alcohol andDrug Abuse Program where seminar-ians receive training to become treat-ment counselors. By going throughthis program, the seminarians gain anunderstanding of addiction as a dis-ease and how to counsel and aid peo-ple with substance abuse problems.For those who will become priests andChurch leaders, they receive anincreased sensitivity and basic abilityto deal with those suffering from thesedependencies.

Fr. Chad Hatfield, Dean of St.Herman’s Seminary said, “There isanother great benefit of this programwhich is that, as our students becomecertified counselors, they have ameans of income. In the villages theemployment rate is only 12%; that isan unemployment rate of 88%. Thislow rate of employment makes havinga paid priest virtually impossible.Orthodox parishes in the villages can

usually only provide a place for theirclergy to live at most.”

This program not only developsmuch-needed treatment counselorsfor the local communities but, mostimportantly, it equips Church leadersin Alaska with the tools to help bringhealth and wholeness to the Body ofChrist.

Fr. Chad Hatfield said, “TheSeminary is participating with otheragencies coordinated by KANA(Kodiak Alaska Native Associations)to provide wellness programs in ourvillages, which are predominatelyOrthodox. As we work with medicaland educational groups in this well-ness project, the Orthodox Church isalso able to address the spiritual needsof the people.”

The problem of substance abuse isvery prevalent in Alaska. A summaryreport of recent findings from theDivision of Alcoholism and DrugAbuse of the Alaskan StateDepartment of Health and SocialServices found that Alaska is “amongthe states with the nation’s mostsevere rates of alcohol problemsbased on death, arrest and treatmentdata.”

The influence of television and aninflux of monetary corporate divi-dends since the 1970’s have impactedthe traditional culture and values ofthe Native Alaskans in harmful ways.It has led many to despair and createda sociological climate for substanceabuse, suicide, violence and other self-destructive behaviors. St. Herman’sprogram is designed to reduce thesedetrimental aspects and influence theprospect of economic prosperity, aswell as bring social and spiritual bene-fits to the Alaskan people.

The program is already starting tobear fruit. A recent graduate from theprogram, Alexandra Kashevarof, washired by Safe Harbor, a local treat-ment program, as a counselor.

Through her connection, theOrthodox Church is visibly helping tomeet this critical need of the Alaskanpeople. For example, the localOrthodox priest was elected to jointhe Board of Directors of Safe Harborand several of the local clients havebegun participating more fully in thelife of the Church as they receive reg-ular confession and communion.

This year, four of the trainees willbe participants in field work under thedirection of Joseph Lind, a substanceabuse counselor of the South Central

Foundation in Anchorage. Other cler-gy in the Diocese are becoming moreand more involved in treatment pro-grams. In Kodiak, where the Seminaryis located, an increased effort hasbeen made by a local treatment pro-gram to be more in tune with theNative people’s religious beliefs andhave invited Orthodox clergy to speakat their recovery camp.

The same State DepartmentReport found that, "while the prob-lems remain extremely severe, overallthe alcohol and drug abuse problem in

Alaska showed some significantimprovement by the mid-1990s com-pared to the early 1990s. Overalltreatment admissions increased at thesame time that mortality rates andinjury rates from accidents declined."The Orthodox Church in Alaska isplaying a role in the decrease of thissocietal problem through the St.Herman’s Alcohol and Drug AbuseProgram, an OCMC Agape CanisterProgram grant recipient.

ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE PROGRAM ST. HERMAN’S ORTHODOX SEMINARY

Alexandra Kashevarof, certified

through St. Herman’s Alcohol and

Drug Abuse program, was hired by

a local treatment program as a

counselor. Through her connections

the Orthodox Church is visibly

helping to meet the critical needs

of the Alaskan people.

”Another great benefit of this

program is that when our students

become certified counselors they

then have a means of income.“

—Fr. Chad Hatfield, Dean of St. Herman’s Seminary

Seminarians at St. Herman’s in

Alaska receive training to become

alcohol and drug treatment

counselors. Future Church leaders

are being equipped with the tools

to bring health and wholeness to

the Body of Christ.

A G A P E

OCMC mission magazine OCMC mission magazine Spring 200318 19

OCMC—Hi, Hannah, thank you for tak-ing the time to be interviewed by ustoday. If you wouldn’t mind why don’tyou start by telling us a little bit aboutyourself?

Hannah—Well, my name is HannahLaura Hudson. I am Father David andPreoteasa Mary’s youngest daughterand I have two older sisters. I am 15years old and have been a missionary

kid since 1991 when our family wentto North Carolina for cross-culturaltraining before going overseas. In1992 we spent the fall in India, and inthe winter we moved to Romania,where we lived as missionaries untilwe returned to the USA last summer.Today I am a freshman at CentennialHigh School in Alpharetta, Georgia. Ibecame an Orthodox Christianthrough baptism in 1999, when I was11 years old, in Romania.

OCMC—We were wondering what it was like to grow up as a missionarykid. What was the best part of being anMK for you?

Hannah—I always thought that thebest part of being a missionary kid, oran MK, was that, even from a youngage, I was never shy. I learned theRomanian language very easily and Idon’t even remember not knowing it.Some of the most memorablemoments of my life happened there;moments like my first day at school,my first piano recital, making my firstreal friends, learning to ride a bike onmy own…

OCMC—It sounds great, but was thereanother side to it? What were some ofthe biggest struggles you faced as a mis-sionary kid?

Hannah—Of course there were manystruggles also, especially when wereturned to Romania after our longand extended furlough in the UnitedStates in 1996. Before we became apart of the OCMC family, we hadsome financial problems and some-times just never knew what we wouldeat the next day. We were also in anawkward position as Americans—many people and even close friendswanted and expected help that we could not give them such as finan-cial, visas/immigration, etc. However,there is no doubt in my mind, thatthese hard times brought us closer as afamily. They made us all wiser for thefuture and helped us realize howmuch we actually had in our Churchand our family.

OCMC—Your family has recently settled back into life in America.Describe how it felt for you coming backto the USA.

Hannah—I am now convinced that myparent's decision to come back toAmerica was the right one, even

though I didn't agree with it at thetime and was very upset about it. Iwas apprehensive about what life herewould be like after living in Romaniamost of my life. But I can now seeGod’s hand in the decision and in ournew life in America.

I always thought that coming backhere would be a nightmare to me. Iwould lose all my independence andmy friends. In Romania you did nothave to drive to get places, you couldwalk or take the trolley. In the USA,as we all know, most everything is toofar to walk to and that had alwaysbothered me. Now that I am here, Ihave not felt at all the lost feeling Ithought I would. I have basically start-ed all over again. I have made newfriends, tried things that people heredo to have fun and still keep in touchwith my old friends.

OCMC—Besides all your old friends,what do you miss most about living as amissionary?

Hannah—There are many things that Imiss living as a missionary. I miss vis-iting different churches with my par-ents. I miss the great feasts we had atmonasteries. I miss the wonderfulpeople in Romania with their openarms and great food. I miss lookingout our kitchen window and seeingthe rolling hills across the way.

OCMC—So, what do you most enjoynow that you have returned to the USA?

Hannah—One of the nicest thingsabout being back in the States after somany years is that I am able to be withmy whole extended family. We areable to celebrate birthdays andanniversaries together with all mycousins and aunts and uncles.Communication is much easier nowbecause we can just pick up the phoneand talk without worrying about thephone bill. Overall, we have grownmuch closer.

OCMC—How do you think having beena missionary kid will affect the way youlive the rest of your life?

Hannah—I think that in the rest of mylife, I will probably never reallybelieve what the news says about whatis going on in the other side of theworld, because it is probably not thewhole story.

OCMC—Hannah, what do you think isthe greatest thing you learned from yourexperiences?

Hannah—I have learned, that in thefuture, I should always take everychance I get to visit all around theworld. There is so much culture andtradition out there that most peopledon’t even know about.

OCMC—Thank you for sharing yourstory with us and our readers.

Hannah—You’re welcome. Thanksfor asking.

INTERVIEW with aReturned Missionary Kid: Hannah Hudson

Today 15 year old Hannah Hudson

is adjusting to life in America after

having spent most of her life in the

mission field. While she is making

new friends here, she misses her old

friends in Romania.

”Some of the most memorable

moments of my life happened when I

was a missionary kid, like my first day

at school, my first piano recital…“

—Hannah Hudson, Returned MK

While in Romania the Hudson family

discovered the beauty and Truth of

Orthodoxy. At the age of eleven,

Hannah was baptized into

the Faith with her family. Not long

after they became Orthodox,

they joined the OCMC family as

long-term missionaries.

M i s s i o n a r y K i d s

OCMC mission magazine OCMC mission magazine Spring 200320 21

To be a missionary dad is to havea missionary family. Being a missionary is not a job that I do

in order to pay the bills. I am not amissionary from 9 to 5. Being a missionary is a way of life that encom-passes all areas of life. In my life as amissionary, my role as a father and ahusband are just as important as myrole as a teacher at the OrthodoxChurch of Albania’s Resurrection ofChrist Theological Academy. I canteach my students many facts aboutthe Church Fathers and the Bible, but

these can be useless or even harmful ifthe students do not see these thingslived out in my life.

Being a Christian FamilyOne of the areas in which Albania wasmost devastated by the Communistregime, which had total control of thecountry from 1945 until 1991, was thestructure of family life. TraditionalAlbanian society is composed ofstrong family units based on mutualtrust and support. Under Communism

this was replaced by suspicion andself-interest. Totalitarianism alsodestroyed traditional methods ofcommunication, problem solving andchild-rearing. As a result, young peo-ple have few models of the Christianfamily after which they can patterntheir own families.

An anecdote, recently told to me,illustrates how living as a Christianfamily is a model to the Albanianpeople. When an Albanian friend wasdescribing to some visiting foreignerwhat the work of the missionaries wasall about, he said, “Some years agonot everybody brought their childrento church. When the missionariesarrived, bringing their children tochurch and standing in the frontthrough the service this was an example to many. Today, this is thechildren’s corner and many more people bring their children and standtogether with them in the front of the church.”

Five years ago, I stood in theAnnunciation Cathedral in Tirana,Albania. The weather was unseason-ably cold and I held my three-month-old son, Tristan, bundled inside mycoat to keep him warm in the coldchurch. In the weeks, months andyears that have followed since then,we have been scolded many times bythe old ladies for bringing our chil-dren to church when it is cold, or fornot having them dressed in sufficientlayers, or for letting them sit on thecold marble steps at the front of thechurch. Nevertheless, we continue tobring our children to church. Wenever considered that taking them tochurch was part of our missionarywork; we simply took them because it is the natural thing for Christianparents to do.

Our goal in Albania is to serve theLord Jesus Christ and to build HisChurch by helping the AlbanianChurch proclaim the Gospel, which isthe good news of salvation. If this

good news is to be recognized as trulygood by the Albanian people, theymust see its good effect in the lives ofthose of us who proclaim it. One ofthe primary ways in which the good-ness of the Gospel can be witnessed isthrough a transformed family life.Therefore the modeling of Christianfamily is one of the most importantaspects of our missionary ministry.

From Missionary Kid to Missionary Dad

I have the impression that manypeople believe it is somehow unfair orunkind to raise children in the missionfield. I am blessed by the fact that Ican consider this question not onlyfrom the perspective of a missionarydad, but also from the perspective of amissionary kid.

I myself was raised on the missionfield in Colombia, South America,and I can wholeheartedly affirm that Iam very grateful for this experience. Ihave never felt that I was deprived,even though the conditions underwhich I lived as a child were muchmore difficult than those that we facein Albania. My parents worked with agroup of native people who lived inthe mountains thirty miles from theend of the road. We had no runningwater and no electricity and we livedin a mud hut with a thatched roof anddirt floor.

I fail to see how the quality of lifeof my peers who grew up with thecomfort and opportunities of theUnited States was in any way superiorto mine. In fact, I feel that the diversi-ty and richness of my life experiencewas far superior to that of most of myfriends. I believe that my children willhave the same blessing through theirmissionary upbringing in Albania.

My parents always believed thatmission work was an activity of theentire family. They always incorporat-ed us into the mission work of the

Missionary DadsNathan Hoppe, OCMC Missionary in Albania

What is a missionary? What is a dad? I have the privilege

of being both of these, and I consider both to be among the

highest callings one can have in this world.

Being a missionary dad is not much

different from being a Christian dad

anywhere else. Nathan Hoppe,

OCMC Missionary Dad says, “As a

father it is my responsibility to be an

icon to my children, Tristan and

Katherine, of their heavenly Father

and His unconditional love.”

“Tristan and Katherine are an impor-

tant part of our ministry team and we

seek to involve them in our mission-

ary activities as often as

possible. Being an example of a

Christian family is one of the most

important aspects of our missionary

ministry.”

– Nathan Hoppe, OCMC Missionary Dad

Reflections on Being a Missionary Dad

OCMC mission magazine22

family. As a result we did not feel likeextra baggage but, rather like part ofthe team. From a very early age, I wasinvolved in many aspects of mission-ary work. Things like carrying waterfor household use from the stream, a15-minute walk, and caring for chick-ens and rabbits (that we raised as asource of protein) were basic choresthat needed to be done to make lifepossible. Other things were moreactive parts of our ministry to the peo-ple. I learned to hold a flashlight andpass instruments to my dad as hepulled teeth and sutured gums. I alsotraveled with him on medical trips toother valleys. This often meant walk-ing for several hours along narrowtrails through the mountains.

While our situation in Albania isvery different from that in which Igrew up, like my parents, I believethat our children are part of our min-istry team and we seek to involvethem as often as possible. My wifeLynette and the children visit theTheological Academy quite regularlyand their presence gives a muchgreater personal element to my rela-tionship with my students. When thestudents play with my children, itmakes my relationship with themmuch broader. More importantlywhen my students see me playing andhaving fun with my children they seeme in a different perspective. I am nolonger simply a teacher who requireswork from them in class. I am a per-son who lives in the real world withthem.

Joys and Struggles

Being a missionary dad is not muchdifferent from being a Christian dadanywhere else. Children are much thesame whether they grow up in Albaniaor the United States. As a father, it ismy responsibility to be an icon to mychildren of their heavenly Father, whois unseen. This is an overwhelming

responsibility. In many ways, the rela-tionship that my children will havewith God is based on what they learnabout fatherhood from me. It is mydesire to model for my children God'sunconditional love and concern fortheir well-being. It is important thatthey are introduced to a life of dailyprayer in the home. Each night before

the children go to bed, we say familyprayers together in front of the icon ofChrist. We also read children's storiesfrom the Bible together as part oftheir bedtime routine.

Another joy in my relationshipwith my children is introducing themto the wonders of the world whichGod has made and teaching themabout history, science and theology.My son Tristan, who just turned five, isextremely inquisitive and always has astream of questions about all sorts ofthings. It is my personal challenge toprovide him with an answer for everyquestion. If he asks scientific ques-tions, I give him simple, but accuratescientific answers, which then stimu-late further questions and answers.Eventually, we arrive at a basic scien-tific principle for which there is noexplanation. Then I have to say, "It is

that way because God made it thatway."

With children, almost every daybrings something new and different.Much of my work is done from home,which allows me to be involved in thelife of my children throughout theday. It is also one of my great joys thatthe children can participate with mein many of my ministry activities. Mydaughter Katherine, who will soon bethree years old, is full of adventure.She is always anxious for the slightestexcuse to go out and see the world. Itake her on all sorts of errands.

One of the greatest struggles that Iface as a missionary dad is balancingthe different aspects of the missionarylife. Because the needs here inAlbania are so great and becausethere are very few of us working hereas missionaries, the demands placedon each of us can at times be over-whelming. My primary responsibilityas a missionary involves teaching atour seminary, but I am also responsi-ble for a number of other ministries,including the translation and publica-tion of catechism books and develop-ing ongoing relationships withAlbanians in Kosovo. Because of thetime constraints and pressures ofthese activities, it is often far too easyfor time with my wife and children tobe squeezed out. The ministries areimportant for Christ and His Church,but they must be balanced by timewith my family because family life isan extremely important part of myministry here.

I have tried to share a part of whatit means to be a missionary dad. It isnot simply teaching good theology asa missionary, but it is also dealing withthe regular everyday moments of lifeas a parent with grace and joy.Sometimes I succeed, sometimes Ifail. It is a high calling—one of joy,but one of struggle, as well. Pleasepray for each of us who have thisresponsibility and this joy.

Alaska: Religious educatorsThis was the first land in North America to receive the fullness of theGospel in the Holy Orthodox Faith. Consider serving in what some call"America’s Holy Land" – teach and strengthen the Orthodox faithful sothat they in turn can teach others.

Albania: English teachers, youth workersThe Orthodox Seminary in Durres, Albania is seeking people to teachEnglish. Through their teaching, presence and outreach, missionarieswill uplift the future leaders of this land.

Argentina: Spanish or Greek speakers encouraged!Priests and lay people are requested to consider mission service inSouth America. Priests are needed to train indigenous clergy and toserve parishes all over the continent. Lay people are needed to fur-ther the Church’s ministries of communication, religious education andyouth development.

Ghana: Priests, medical personnel, teachersIn 1982, the Orthodox Church in Ghana was born - today the Churchhas grown to over 4,000 people. In order to assist the Church toexpand its outreach to the people of Ghana, priests, medical person-

nel and teachers and "anyone who loves the Lord" are invited to applyfor service.

Guatemala: Spanish speakers encouraged!People with a background in elementary education, early child devel-opment, physical therapy or speech therapy, child care and otherrelated fields are needed to interact daily with the children of theHogar Rafael Ayau Orphanage. They are especially in need of posi-tive male role models for the children.

Korea: Religious Educators, English teachersThe Church in Korea celebrated its 103rd anniversary last year andcontinues to grow. This year the Church plans to start building a mis-sion center in Ulsan, Korea. The center will include a church, muse-um, cultural center and a kindergarten. Missionaries will use the cen-ter as a base for their outreach.

Madagascar: French speakers needed!Orthodoxy continues to spread on this island nation, despite the diffi-culties faced by the people. Seminary teachers, including a Byzantinemusic teacher, are needed to instruct indigenous people who aretraining in order to serve our Church.

Share the good news of the gift of salvation with the world! Inquire today!

“Whoever desires to come after Me, let himdeny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” —Matthew 8:34

Be a Missionary!Is God calling you to the mission field?

Be a Missionary!Is God calling you to the mission field?

For more information: Contact Missionary Director, Maria Gallos; missionaries@ocmc.org(904) 829-5132 • www.ocmc.org

OPPORTUNITIES

I am not a missionary

from 9 to 5 because being

a missionary is a way

of life. My role as a father

and a husband are just

as important as my role

as a teacher.

OCMC mission magazine OCMC mission magazine Spring 200324 25

Through His Incarnation, Christrestores all of creation. This is a

unique perspective of Christianity.God became man in order to restoreman to his original state in paradise.Christ’s ministry was a healing one:the paralytic, lepers, the woman withan issue of blood, Lazarus, the manborn blind, the widow’s son, Jairus’daughter, epileptics and many more.

Christ always related physical heal-ing with spiritual healing. This was thebeginning of the idea of the Church asa spiritual hospital. The only two whoapproached Christ for spiritual heal-ing only were the thief on the crossand the harlot who anointed Christ’sfeet. They sought only forgiveness andsalvation.

Christ used physical restorationfor people to understand their needfor spiritual wellness through repen-tance and belief in Him. “Go, your

faith has made you well.” “Yoursins are forgiven.” “Go and

sin no more.” Theseare all spiritual

exhortations for those who wererestored physically by Christ.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Christexhorts the Disciples to “...heal thesick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers,cast out demons…” In the book ofActs, we read of the Apostles healingthose to whom they were witnessing.In the Synaxarion, there are a multi-tude of saints whose healing miraclescharacterized their ministry.

What is our role in this witnessingof the Gospel through a healing min-istry? A person who does not knowChrist is not always witnessed to bywords alone. Love in action is the wayto their hearts. In Matthew 25, in theimage of the Final Judgment, we hear:“I was hungry and you gave me food, Iwas thirsty and you gave me drink, Iwas a stranger and you welcomed me,I was sick and you visited me, I was inprison and you came to me...” Oftenthe window to a person’s soul isthrough a physical illness.

Mother Gavrilia, a modern saint(1897-1992), served the ill as a physio-therapist throughout the world,

including Indian leper colonies.Many of her writings were com-piled in a beautiful book enti-tled The Ascetic of Love. Oneparticular passage stands out.

She was asked by someone how shefound in her work a way to speak to aperson’s heart:

When a sick person goes to adoctor or nurse or therapist, he feelsthe need to talk with an open heart.At the moment he wants to talk ofhis life, of everything. To be a doctor,a nurse, a physiotherapist, is not anirrelevant occupation. Whatever hasto do with a person’s body has to dowith his soul. If you treat a painfulhand or leg, you will see that the soulis in greater pain and that thepatient’s heart is full of disappoint-ment. Then, you can truly help. Andyou will eventually understand thatGod sent you there for this pur-pose... To all who ask for my adviceas to how they can help their fellow-man, I always tell them that they canstart with something physical.Because the moment your handstouch the body of an ailing personsoothingly, he will respond by say-ing…“How wonderfully you arerelieving the pain”…and he willopen his heart to you. This is how itstarts.Medical mission in its essence is

not a general curing of a diseasedpopulation, or a societal upgrading, oreven a promise for more years or bet-

ter health. In its essence, Medical mission is an opportunity to touchanother person in an intimate way. Itis an intimate relationship in whichthe love of God is exchanged betweenpeople on a personal level.

The icon for this witnessing of theFaith is the image of Christ on theCross who spent His entire ministryhealing the ills of all who approachedHim, even raising them from thedead. He willingly suffered in theflesh, giving up His precious Body forthe salvation of all. He emptiedHimself for the restoration of others.

Our medical missions are a vehicleto carry the love of God to all people.The seed that is the Word of Godfinds rich, fertile soil in the ill person.It is in the decay of the flesh that theflower of salvation can bloom in a per-son. It is up to us to plant the seeds.

WHY Medical Missions?Dr. Dn. Euthym Kontaxis

Christ’s and the Apostles’ early ministry revolved around the

healing of illnesses. The basic interaction between Jesus and

the people He was witnessing to had to do with addressing the very

real physical needs of all of humanity. Jesus was on a mission to

bring salvation to all of mankind. That mission began with minis-

tering to people with very real health and physical needs.

A person who does not

know Christ is not always

witnessed to by words

alone. Love in action is the

way to their hearts.

God’s grace is as evident in the healing power of medicine and its practitioners as it is in miraculous cures

—St. Basil the Great

ABOVE: Simple clinics, run by the Orthodox Church, with the most basic supplies are sometimesthe only place for suffering people in developing countries to receivemedical aid.

LEFT: In 2000 the Mission Center sent an all-medical team to Ugandawhich provided health care to over2,800 people. Dr. Joseph Weaver (left)and Nurse Adele Wagner (right) areseen here ministering to the sick inthe Name of Christ.

BELOW (center):Dr. Dn. Euthym Kontaxis seen here with fellow team members inUganda, has participated on OCMCMission Teams, is a Deacon in Palm Desert, Ca. and serves on the OCMC Board of Trustees.

OCMC mission magazine Spring 2003 27

The award was given by the Order ofSt. Andrew the Apostle, Archons ofthe Ecumenical Patriarchate, at theorganization’s grand banquet.

His Eminence ArchbishopDemetrios presented this award andsaid, “This evening’s recipients of the18th Annual Athenagoras HumanRights Award, the two SCOBA agen-cies, International Orthodox ChristianCharities (IOCC) and the OrthodoxChristian Mission Center (OCMC)exemplify the rich apostolic mandateupon which the life of the Church isbuilt. The Orthodox Christian MissionCenter is the vehicle for the accom-plishment of our work set before us bythe Lord in His Great Commission togo forth into all the world to preachthe Gospel.”

Fr. Martin Ritsi, OCMC’sExecutive Director said, “The honorof this award goes out to a myriad ofpersons who make the ministry ofOCMC possible, including our hierar-chs, the board of trustees, the staff,the benefactors, those who pray formissions and, most especially, for ourmissionaries in the field, sacrificing tosee the love of Christ spread andmade manifest to the ends of theearth.”

Churches built in Tanzania

Two church building projects wererecently completed in Tanzania.

The Church of All Saints stands shining in Kasikizi, thanks to the 2002OCMC Mission Team to Tanzania, Fr.George Livanos and his parish of AllSaints Greek Orthodox Church inCannonsburg, PA. The Church ofSaints Constantine and Helen, donat-ed by Mr. George Brown fromColumbus, OH, in loving memory ofhis wife, is completed in Kibizi. Thepeople of the Bukoba diocese inTanzania thank all the Americans andCanadians who helped to build thesechurches: “We thank you from thebottom of our hearts for these won-derful gifts. They are gifts of love tothe body of Christ, His Church.”

Mission Center Blessed by Official Visitof Hierarchs & Laity

Archbishop Demetrios, Primate ofthe Greek Orthodox Church in

America and Chairman of theStanding Conference of CanonicalOrthodox Bishops in America, alongwith Metropolitan Iakovos ofChicago, Metropolitan Anthony ofSan Francisco, Metropolitan Alexiosof Atlanta, Bishop Dimitrios ofXanthos and 70 members ofLeadership 100 made an official visitto the Orthodox Christian MissionCenter in St. Augustine, Florida. Thevisit was in conjunction with the 12thAnnual Leadership 100 Conferencewhich was held February 19-23, 2003in Amelia Island, Florida.

Leadership 100 is a group of bene-factors who are dedicated to seedingand nurturing ministries that advancethe Orthodox faith. The OrthodoxChristian Mission Center is the sec-ond largest recipient of grants fromLeadership 100 for the establishmentand support of various missions pro-grams.

“This visit was a great encourage-ment for all of us at the MissionCenter,” said Father Martin Ritsi,OCMC’s Executive Director. “We arehonored and strengthened by the visi-tation of the Archbishop and the

other hierarchs along with the mem-bers of Leadership 100 who came tosee the Mission Center.”

Gambia Meets Orthodoxy

His Grace Panteleimon, Bishop ofGhana, made his first visit to the

smallest country on the continent ofAfrica, officially called the Republicof The Gambia; which is one of tencountries in his diocese. Gambia isthree countries away from Ghana inWestern Africa and is bordered onthree sides by the country Senegal.With an estimated population of1,456,000, 90% of the country isMuslim. Gambia is just over 4,360square miles of which approximately366 square miles are water from theGambia River that runs through thewhole country.

“This is a very peaceful countryand the people are friendly.Orthodoxy is completely unknownhere,” His Grace Panteleimon said.“There is a great possibility to estab-lish a small school or a medical clinicto help the people here and demon-strate Christ’s love.”

His Grace visited several villagesalong the river and near the capitalcity, Banjul. One of the villages he dis-covered was named "Ghana Town."The people of Ghana Town are

OCMC was blessed by the visit of many hierarchs: (l-r) Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta;Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago; Archbishop Demetrios, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Churchin America and Chairman of SCOBA; Metropolitan Anthony of San Francisco; Bishop Dimitriosof Xanthos, the founding director of the Mission Center, and the current Executive Director, intraditional dress from the country of Benin, Fr. Martin Ritsi.

OCMC mission magazine26

New Baptisms in the Ivory Coast

The Orthodox faith is new to thepeople of the Ivory Coast. It has

only been a year since His GracePanteleimon made his first visit to thisWest African country in his diocese tosee if there were people there search-ing for the Orthodox faith. Since thattime, Rev. Fr. Jeremie Sylvanus PepinBehanzin was ordained to the priest-hood and named Vicar in CôteD’Ivoire (Ivory Coast). Many peoplehave been catechized and baptizedand the local Orthodox community is

continuing to grow. Recently 18 newmembers were added to the Body ofChrist when they were baptized in thelagoon of Abidjan.

The local Orthodox Church in theIvory Coast is facing very difficult con-ditions because of a civil war, which iscreating many serious needs and prob-lems throughout the whole country.Moving around the country and overborders is very difficult because soldiers regularly stop and investigateall travelers. Obtaining land is alsovery complicated since the civil war

has left much uncertainty. For now, allchurch services are celebrated in pri-vate homes, but the people are pray-ing for the chance to buy land and tobegin to build the first OrthodoxChurch in the Ivory Coast.

Mission Center honored as Co-Recipient of the Athenagoras Human Rights Award

The Orthodox Christian MissionCenter was honored, along with

IOCC, as co-recipients of theAthenagoras Human Rights Award.

MISSION NEWSMISSION NEWSSPRING 2003

Some of the very first Orthodox Christians were baptized by the first Orthodox priest, Fr. Jeremie Behanzin, in the lagoon of Abidjan,in the Ivory Coast.

OCMC mission magazine Spring 2003

ter of Dr. Charles and MelanieLinderman is their mother. Paulineand Melanie will be working to openand run a soup kitchen in Tirana,Albania. Melanie, a grandmotherdescribing her motivation to go, said,“Being an empty-nester, I wasn’tready to just retire and sit and enjoymy grandchildren. I wanted to contribute to their, and my own, spiri-tual growth.”

George Russell, Pauline’s hus-band, will be working to open a tech-nology center to train engineers in thelatest engineering software. Georgehopes that his business skills, coupledwith his witness as an OrthodoxChristian, will provide new opportuni-ties, both economic and spiritual, foryoung Albanians. George and Paulineboth feel that becoming missionarieswill benefit their two children,Christopher and Madeline. Paulinestated, “…it is actually because of thechildren that we made this decision toset an example of leading a Christ-centered life.”

THANK YOU ANTHONY & LARA CALLAS!

After two years in the mission fieldAnthony and Lara Callas have

completed their missionary term andhave returned home. “As OCMCMissionaries in Albania we have beenblessed with many diverse experiencesand opportunities to know and sharethe love of Christ,” Anthony saidreflecting on their missionary experi-ence. Anthony has served as the direc-tor of the Technical Engineering

Office of the Orthodox Church inAlbania which has been responsiblefor, among other things, overseeingthe construction of churches andschools.

Lara has worked in a legal capaci-ty on a variety of projects includinghelping the Church in its efforts toreclaim properties seized during thecommunist period. She has workedvery closely with parliamentary repre-sentatives to help draft new lawsregarding restitution and compensa-tion for former property owners. Larahas also been involved in the creationof witness protection mechanisms andlaws in Albania to help people be lessafraid to testify against criminals,especially those who send women outof the country to be forced into pros-titution. “We feel blessed to have par-ticipated in this great missionaryeffort and look forward to continuingto support missionary work at ourhome parish and through OCMC.”

Fellow OCMC Missionaries inAlbania hosted a farewell dinner forthe Callases. Dr. Charles Lindermanrecited a poem he had writtenexpressing thankfulness for their workand sadness at their leaving. Alsopresent was OCMC’s ExecutiveDirector, Fr. Martin Ritsi who was in Albania meeting with the mission-aries. On behalf of the MissionCenter, he thanked the Callases fortheir ministry to the Albanian people.An additional blessing was the gift ofan icon from the group. The wholeevening demonstrated the mutualsupport, respect and friendship thatexists among the OCMC Missionariesin Albania.

Thank you dear friends we will miss you…

O Anthony and Lara the day has finally come

Once thought so far away has quickly come upon

We understand that the world needs you too

How blessed the world will be

to receive you twoThank you dear friends

we will miss you

Anthony what can we say, you changed our lives in a very real way

We now have a place where the neglected children can stayThe home will be dry and

warm and lovingThank you dear friends

we will miss you

Lara a new road is made where thosewho stand for truth can live

You set a standard that will point theway to protect future generations

to giveTo fight for justice and truth and live

Thank you dear friends we will miss you

The homeless now know whom to trustWith many now having a place to rest

The love shown to those that need love proved to be

a reminder for us on how to beThank you dear friends

we will miss you

With the days running low and the emotions running high

We remember the days gone nighWith Christ as our guide and friends

like you on the ridePlease know that you will always be in

our hearts and mindsDear Friends we will miss you…

Dr. CharlesLinderman reading his poem

Correction: On p.28 of vol. 18, No. 2 Quito, Ecuador was spelled incorrectly. OCMC mission magazine28

MISSION NEWS continued

Ghanaians who came to Gambia gen-erations ago. They speak the samelanguage as in Ghana and were gra-cious and hospitable to His GracePanteleimon. His Grace calls on allOrthodox Christians to pray for thepeople of Gambia, as they are beingintroduced to the light of Orthodoxy.

The Strength of the Orthodox Church in Korea

The Orthodox Church in Korea celebrated the 103rd anniversary

of its first Divine Liturgy. The celebration held at the St. NicholasCathedral in Seoul was a time for theOrthodox faithful in Korea to learnmore about and to remember the firstOrthodox missionaries who broughtthe Orthodox faith to their nation.

The work of those early missionar-ies has brought forth much fruit andtoday, a vibrant Orthodox Church isthriving in Korea under the guidanceof His Eminence Dionysios,Metropolitan of New Zealand, andHis Grace Soterios, Bishop of Zela.There is a full schedule of services cel-ebrated regularly in Korean in sevenchurches around the country. TheCathedral in Seoul has daily servicesand a regular worshipping communitymade up of people from various cul-

tures and ethnicities. Fr. Daniel Na, a Korean Orthodox

priest who has been working for over20 years to help the Orthodox Churchgrow, was the featured speaker forthis season’s OCMC Spring Lecturetour. Fr. Daniel spoke to over 20 communities about the great workGod is doing in our sister Church inKorea. For example, what was onceonly a family of four celebratingmonthly liturgies with a visiting priestis now St. Paul Orthodox Church inIncheon, Korea. The church now has136 baptized Orthodox Christians, afull schedule of services, bible studies,Sunday school and philanthropicactivity. The work of spreading theOrthodox faith in Korea continues asnew areas are being evan-gelized and communitiesare growing steadily.

Commission on WorldMission and Evangelism

Fr. Martin Ritsi,Executive Director of

the Mission Center, is a member of theCommission on WorldMission and Evangelism(CWME) of the WorldCouncil of Churches

(WCC). As a commissioner of this 43-person committee, Fr. Martin is oneof seven Orthodox representativesand the only one from North andSouth America. The Commission’smain task is to plan the next WorldMission and Evangelism Conference.

A recent meeting of theCommission held in Geneva con-firmed that the World Mission andEvangelism Conference will be held inAthens, Greece from May 12 to 19 in2005. This location was unanimouslychosen and the synod of the Church ofGreece has officially accepted andwelcomed this event. This internation-al Conference being held in anOrthodox country will provide animportant opportunity for witness toOrthodox mission work, as well as fur-ther motivate the Orthodox Churchon the ministry of mission.

New Missionaries: George & PaulineRussell with Melanie Linderman

Anew missionary family is enteringthe mission field in Albania in

order to help meet the needs of thegrowing Orthodox Church in Albania.Over 20% of Albanians are Orthodoxand, yet of all the Christian denomi-nations, the Orthodox Church currently has the least amount of missionaries there. The majority of Albania remains non-Christian.

George & Pauline Russell andMelanie Linderman are all related tocurrent OCMC Missionaries inAlbania, Dr. Charles and MariaLinderman. Pauline Russell is the sis-

Sunday school students all over Korea learn about their Orthodox faith and the work of thefirst Orthodox missionaries who brought the Faith to their nation as they celebrate the 103rdanniversary of the first Divine Liturgy in Korea.

New Missionaries: George & Pauline Russell and Pauline'smother Melanie Linderman are all getting ready to becomelong-term missionaries and join Pauline's brother's family,Dr. Charles and Maria Linderman, in Albania.

Lara and Anthony Callas returned OCMCMissionaries

29

OCMC mission magazine OCMC mission magazine Spring 200330 31

FROM THE PATRIARCHDear Editor,We would like to thank you for yourletter and the enclosed 2003 Orthodoxmissions calendar. We take thisopportunity to congratulate you forthis piece of work and your contribu-tion to the mission work of ourPatriarchate within the African conti-nent. Such work supports and helpsout African brothers and sisters whoare suffering a lot and they are in des-perate need. May the grace, love andabundant mercy of our Lord JesusChrist be with you.

With Patriarchal blessing,+Petros VIIPope and Patriarch of Alexandria andAll Africa

FOUNDING DIRECTORDear Editor,Many times the Holy Spirit answersprayers with people. His GraceBishop Dimitrios of Xanthos, thefounding Director of the OrthodoxChristian Mission Center, is one ofthose people. He answered the call ofJesus. As Executive Director, his lead-ership was strong and quiet. He beganwith a dream and the result was

spreading the word of God, with thehelp of dedicated missionariesthrough the establishment of theOrthodox Christian Mission Center.As we celebrate the 20th anniversaryof his ordination to the priesthood, wegive thanks for answered prayer andHis Grace Bishop Dimitrios.

Sincerely,Constance Fotiou Gaitanis St. Augustine, FL

MISSION SUNDAYDear Editor,This year on Mission Sunday, I andtwo other former OCMC team mem-bers from Ss. Constantine and HelenChurch in Orange, New Jersey pre-sented our mission experiences to ourparish. In lieu of the sermon, wespoke about becoming missionariesand sharing God’s love. A displaytable was also set up during coffeehour to display photos and trip mem-orabilia from our team experiences toMexico, Galilee and Guatemala. Abasket was passed and the parish-ioners’ donations were matched bythe church. I am proud and grateful tobe part of such a generous communi-ty. Thank you OCMC for giving me

the opportunity to be part of missionteams. God bless you all in your mis-sion endeavors.

In Christ’s Love,Florence GivelisSs Constantine and Helen ChurchOrange, NJ

WITNESSING ORTHODOXYDear Editor,With all due respect to the marvelouswork you are doing, I believe ourgreatest mission is to teach allOrthodox Christians, especially in theUnited States, the art of sharing ourFaith. Your article, Mission,Evangelism and Proselytism did notpresent a program, a method of howto evangelize. Almost all Christiandenominations teach a program onhow to share the faith. We don’t haveto change one thing in Orthodoxy,except the attitude and mind-set ofmany Orthodox, particularly laity,regarding being willing to share ourfaith.

Keep up the good work,Ted Borgeas Alexandros La Jolla, California

MISSIONARY VISITDear Editor,With much love we forward theenclosed checks to the OrthodoxChristian Mission Center to beapplied to Fr. Luke Veronis’ mission-ary account in Albania. Fr. Luke hasvisited our community on severaloccasions and we are honored to offerthis humble support to him and to ourMission Center. May God continue tobless you, Fr. Luke, and all those whoserve our Lord in the active missionfield.

With love in the Lord,Fr. Theodore J. BarbasWatertown, MA

LettersSAMP IN SUNDAY SCHOOLDear Editor,My name is Jeni Papadakis and Iteach 8th grade Sunday School atHoly Trinity Cathedral in Salt LakeCity. Our curriculum for this year is"Sacraments of our Church," andsince a priest is essential in adminis-tering these Sacraments, we decidedto join in the Support A MissionPriest Program. The kids raisedmoney through bake sales andenjoyed seeing the picture of the

priest they are helping to support.Having a picture, biography and a bitof history about the country hashelped the children be able to con-nect. It was wonderful to see our teensspending a few Saturday afternoonsdoing something for someone else.

Thank you,Jeni PapadakisHoly Trinity CathedralSalt Lake City, Utah

Mission Sunday Witness: Paul Koutouzakis, Florence Givelis and George Kottas from Ss.Constantine and Helen Church in Orange, NJ.

MUCHAS GRACIASDear Editor,To your big hearts from our littleones – Thank you very much foryour donations.Thank you!!!The boys and girls of the HogarRafael Ayau OrphanageGuatemala City, Guatemala

HELP WANTEDDirector of Finance The Director of Finance isresponsible for financial mat-ters and to establish OCMCfinancial administrative objectives, policies, programs,and practices which insurethe OCMC of a continuouslysound financial structure.Controlling the flow of cashthrough the organization andmaintaining the integrity offunds, securities and othervaluable documents is key tothis position. They must havea Bachelor’s Degree inAccounting and five yearsexperience with financialstatements, the ability to pre-pare written reports, maintainaccurate records, and communicate effectively.

ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN MISSION CENTERORTHODOX CHRISTIAN MISSION CENTERP.O. Box 4319 • St. Augustine, FL 32085-4319

God of truth and love: Father, Son, and HolySpirit, hear our prayer for those who do notknow You.

That they may come to a saving knowledge of the truth, and that Your Name may bepraised among all peoples of the world.

Sustain, inspire, and enlighten Your servants who bring them the Gospel. Bring fresh vigorto wavering faith; sustain our faith when it isstill fragile.

Continually renew missionary zeal in our-selves and in the Church, and raise up newmissionaries who will follow You to the ends of the world.

Make us witnesses to Your goodness—full of love, full of strength, and full offaith—for Your glory and the salvation of the entire world.

Through the prayers of St. Paul, St. Fotini, Ss. Cyril and Methodios, St. Kosmas Aitolos, St. Innocent of Alaska, St. Nicholas ofJapan, and all the missionary saints, havemercy on us and save us. Amen.

For MissionsA Prayer