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V o l u m e 2 2 , N u m b e r F A L L 2 0 0 6
T h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l M i s s i o n A g e n c y o f S C O B A
MISSION TEAMS 2007Are you Ready t
Make A Difference
A RADIANT LIGHFollowing the Apostles—
Spreading the Good News
the Ends of the Ear
His Eminenc
Archbishop DEMETRIO
Chairman of SCOB
A Life of issionary inistry
Lynette Hoppe— emory Eterna
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Lynette Hoppe The Eulogy of Archbishop Anastasios for Lynette Hoppe .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Delivered in Shen Vlash, Albania, August 29, 2006
Sermon: On Lynette Hoppe ’s Fina l Moments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Excerpt from Fr. Alex Veronis
In Memory of Lynette Hoppe & Her Missionary Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
A Christian Witness of Living and Dying in Honor of Lynette Hoppe . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Excerpt from a Eulogy prepared by Fr. Luke A. Veronis
Family Friend and Fellow Missionary in Albania
On behalf of the Standing Conference ofthe Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas ( SCOBA), I am pleased to offer
words of encouragement for the continued
good work of our Orthodox Christian Mis-
sion Center (OCMC). Formally established
in 1994 as the official international mission
agency of SCOBA, the important ministry of
OCMC has been, in reality, an Apostolic en-
deavor that our Holy Orthodox Church has
carried out from its foundation. Indeed, the
very lifeline of the Christian Church rests
in the primacy of Her mission, namely, to
spread the Good News of eternal salvation
in Jesus Christ to peoples in all corners of
the earth consistent with the Lord’s com-
mandment to His Apostles to “go…and
make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the Name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit…” (Matthew 28:19).
In light of this understanding of the primacy
of mission, it is correct to assert that we
are not properly acting as the Church, the
Body of Christ, unless we, as a Church, are
actively and globally engaged in the work of
missions.
Today, OCMC has reached considerable
levels of growth, as demonstrated by its
fully staffed office of dedicated clergy and
lay professionals and teams of Orthodox
Christian missionaries and their families
throughout the world. The people who carry
out this very special and important ministry
hail from widely varied backgrounds, cul-
tures, ages, and life experiences; but they
all share a commonly held conviction which
hearkens back to the same conviction held
by the Apostles themselves: “They can-
not but speak of what they have seen and
heard.” (cf. Acts 4:20).
In the articles that follow in this informa-
tive and inspirational issue of the OCMC Mis-
sion Magazine, you will see illustrations and
read a variety of accounts from missionar-ies and team members in the field who are
engaged in the sacred work of missionary
activity across the globe. All of these illus-
trations and accounts are different by virtue
of their social contexts, yet each of them
reveals and communicates an identical
source of inspiration, namely, the Holy Spir-
it. You will note that this issue begins with
a special tribute to the late Lynette Hoppe
of blessed memory, a dedicated missionary
of our Church in Albania who fell asleep in
our Lord on August 27, 2006, after fighting
a courageous battle with cancer. On behalf
The OCMC’s Mission Magazine is published twice a
year for members of the Saints Cyril and Methodios
Orthodox Mission Society by the Orthodox Christian
Mission Center.
EDITOR: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fr . M ar ti n R it si
INTERIM MANAGING EDITOR: .. . OksanaKlufasWillower
DESIGN: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C am er on T h or p
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 OCMCvisit our website at www.ocmc.org
or contact us atOrthodox Christian Mission Center
P.O. Box 4319 St. Augustine, FL 32085
PH: (904) 829-5132 Fax: (904) 829-1635Toll Free: 1-877-GO-FORTH (463-6784)
Email: [email protected]
or visit us at: 85 S. Dixie Highway, St. Augustine, FL
Program Contacts:Executive Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fr. Martin Ritsi
Associate Director/
M is si on ar ie s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fr. David Rucker
Te am s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrew J. Lekos
D ev el op me nt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John-Paul Conners
Commu ni ca ti on s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alex Goodwin
Agape Canister & SAMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kenny Kidd
F in an ce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jack Klees
OCMC Missionaries and their families:Alaska: Paul Sidebottom Albania: Georgia Gilman * Nathan,
Tristan and Katherine Hoppe * Dr. Charles, Maria, George
Anthony, Joanna, Adrian and Melania Linderman * Driko
(Andrew) Christine, Anthony and Constantine Pappas *
George, Pauline, Christopher and Madeline Russell *
Dn. Hector and Katerina Firoglanis Argentina: Cynthia
Baldwin-Thanos Guatemala:Christina Hagelios * Edwin Pier
Romania:Flyod and Ancuta Frantz Uganda:John Burnett *
Peter & Sharon Georges
OCMC BOARD OF DIRECTORS:Mr. Cliff Argue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P re si de nt
V. Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Vice President
Fr. Raymond Velencia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tr ea su re r
Fr. George P. Liacopulos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S ec re ta ry
Fr. Alexander Veronis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P res id en t E mer it us
OCMC BOARD MEMBERS:Fr. Nicholas Anctil, Fr. John Chakos, Fr. Louis Christopulos,
Mr. George Conopeotis, Mr. Patrick Crosson, Mrs. CinaDaskalakis, Dr. John Demakis, Fr. Peter Gillquist,Mr. Robert Gremley, Fr. John Harvey, Fr. Gregory Horton,
Fr. David Hudson, Dr. Spero Kinnas, Fr. Dimitri Leussis, Mr.George Maragakes, Fr. Constantine Mersinas, Fr. Luke Mihaly,Mr. Scott Mitchell, Mrs. Helen Nicozisis, Fr. Ted Pisarchuk,
Fr. John Rallis, Fr. David Rucker, Mrs. Elizabeth Slanta, Fr.Matthew Tate, Fr. Nicholas Verdaris, Dr. Gayle Woloschak, Mr.Andrew Yiannakos
Opinions expressedarethose of theindividual authors andnot necessarilythoseof OCMC.We reservetheright toedit all articles andall submissionsforlength andcontent.Articles may bereproduced andused with written acknowledgement of thesource.
Fa l l 2006 • Vo lume 22, Number 2
Taste & See . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Andrew Lentz—Mission Team member to Tanzania
What is God Teaching Me? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Rachel Mellas—Mission Team member to Albania
200 7 Mi ssi on Te am Opp or tu ni ti es . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Let Your Journey Begin—Detachable Poster
A Fluid Blessing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Daniel Belonick —Mission Team Member to Alaska
A Day in a Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Peter Georges—OCMC Missionary in Uganda
I ’d Like a One Way Ticket – Arriving in Albania .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
The Luisi Family—OCMC Missionaries in Albania
Your Con ti nu ed Prayer s f or In di a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Tim Arestou—OCMC Missionary in India
“Dad” Work at the Hogar Ayau Orphanage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Ed Pier—OCMC Missionary in Guatemala
Mission News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
> F E A T U R E S
CONTENTS
MISSION M A G A Z I N E
e Orthodox Christian Mission Center: Helping Orthodox Christians respond to Christ’s call to preach, teach,
ptize, minister to the poor and make disciples of all nations.
A Radiant LIGHTContribution by HIS EMINENCE A RCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS, CHAIRMAN OF SCOBA
On the cover: A reflection of Lynette Hoppe’s ministries.
Each of these examples reflects the work of the Chur
mission, which is nothing less than sharing with others the tr
the Gospel and the love of Jesus Christ. We share this offeri
a Church to others freely, and we do this out of our love f
people, whom we recognize as living icons of God.
rica, countless people are being intro-
duced to the Holy Gospel, many of them
for the first time in their lives. In some
nations where the Orthodox Christian faith
has grown significantly over time, for ex-
ample in Uganda, we see the emergence
of seminaries which are uniquely situatedto meet the social and spiritual needs and
conditions of their people and to train lo-
cal priests accordingly. In other countries,
we see the love of Christ demonstrated
by specialized initiatives of OCMC, such
as the dispatching of trained teams of
professionals to aid with the implemen-
tation and support of substance abuse
programs; or to engage in building and
construction projects to meet the basic
needs of others in developing countries.
Each of these examples reflects the
and life-giving work of OCMC, either
a monetary contribution, or even
through the rewarding experience o
on a missionary team. In any event
for your continued and steadfast pra
the growing prosperity of OCMC, so t
ers might know the glory of the LoChrist, His message of love, and th
ise of eternal life in His Name. On b
all the hierarchs of SCOBA, I bid eac
peace in Christ Jesus, and I pray
radiant light may shine perpetually
hearts, minds, and souls.
With paternal love in Christ,
† DEMETRIOS
Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in
ca and Chairman of the Standing Confe
the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the A
of all the hierarchs of SCOBA, I offer heart-
felt prayers and condolences to her beloved
family. May her memory be eternal.
Additional articles in this issue focus
on the tremendous Orthodox Christian
work that is being carried out by others in
the name of Jesus Christ in places all over
our world. From Alaska, to Albania, to Af-
work of the Church in mission, w
nothing less than sharing with oth
truth of the Gospel and the love o
Christ. We share this offering as a
to others freely, and we do this ou
love for all people, whom we reco
living icons of God. As you read th
please consider supporting the b
Following the Apostles—Spreading the Good News to the Ends of the Earth
The Orthodox Bishops convened at the SCOBA conference in Chicago, October 2006. His Eminence A
bishop Demetrios is located in the front row, fourth from the right.
Radiant Light- Following the Apostles—Spreading the Good News to the Ends of the Earth
ntribution by His Eminence Archbishop DEMETRIOS, Chairman of SCOBA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
4 Highlighting OCMC for20 Years of Service in
Kenya: A letter from Arch-
bishop MAKARIOS of Kenya
0 The Same Body &Heart: Stacy Shipman—
Mission Team member to
Tanzania
15 Works of Great Conse-quence—Mission Team
Families: Alex Goodwin—
Mission Team Member to Ke-
nya & OCMC Communications
Director
17 Mustard Seed, Patienceand Salvation: John Burnett
—OCMC Missionary serving at St.
Paul Seminary in Uganda
19 Through the World ofN. Cameroon and Chad:
Notes from a First Travelogue of
Metropolitan GREGORIOS of
Cameroon
A L S
O
I N
T H I S
I S S U E
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ear Fr. Martin and our beloved Friend in Christ,
hrist is in our midst!
W e send our warmest felicitations and compliments as theOrthodox Christian Mission Center celebrates 20 years ofsending missionaries. ruly, this occasion is a joyous one of
hich you must be so proud. You, Fr. Martin and Presvytera Renee,cole and Stephanos, all are such a dedicted part of this wonderfuldertaking of Orthodox Christians in the United States and Canadath so many Canonical Orthodox Jurisdictions working together tolp build Orthodoxy in Kenya, in Africa and th roughout the World.
ou, and your entire family have been seriously and sincerely involvedthe work of missions since the beginning, as Missionaries in our very
wn Archdiocese, and now as Executive Director of OCMC. Even inis 20th year of celebration of OCMC you have been in Kenya doinge work of Christ, Jesus.
So many, similarly devoted Orthodox Christians have had their
H OCMC 20 EARS S
A M K
give educational opportunities for those who will use them as part oftheir daily lives.
With that said, we are very thankful for the support of the Studentsof Archbishopric who have benefited from further education at HolyCross and St. Vladimir’s Seminaries. You have helped the local churchthrough this essential support because it prepares these pious youngpriests for future leadership within the Orthodox Church in Kenya. Weask that you continue this vital support, as educated leadership continuesthe process of building a strong Orthodox presence in Africa.
Te Orthodox Christian Mission Center’s presence is strongly feltin the Chevogere medical clinic which has become so crucial to locallife. You have contributed greatly to the welfare of the local people in somany ways for which God will radiate His Love and Light upon you.
Te Elder Iakovos salikis, pinpoints the spirit of your work: “…I give one and God gives me ten. As soon as I think of giving something,
immediately God’s response gives me many times over…our charity must beunmurmuring.” 1991
Te service of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center reaches out to somany sources, human and material, because emphasis is placed upon theLord and His Holy eachings. Your Mission eams are blessed because
you emphasize the spiritual element of each member. Te interactionand fellowship of the Mission eam with local Orthodox is a spiritualblessing, as well as an example. Te experiences are shared in the commonprayer and the common work which brings people together in Christ.
St. John of Kronstadt (1908) teaches:“Te almightiness of the Lord is without limits. Whatever His power andHis Grace touches, becomes life-giving…Jesus Christ is the consolation, joy,life and peace of our hearts .”
It is our prayer and wish that the work of the Orthodox ChristianMission Center will continue to be blessed by the Grace of God andthe touch of the Holy Spirit. raditionally, we sing the hymn, “Godgrant you many years!” We also sing, “Having asked for the unity ofthe Faith and the communion of the Holy Spirit, let us commendourselves and each other and our life unto Christ our God”. With this
we feel indeed deep gratitude for the work of OCMC especially for thesacrifices made by the entire Staff, Missionaries, Mission eams andDonors on behalf of the Orthodox Church in Kenya and in Africa.
“Divine aid on the one hand and our will on the other hand bring victoryagainst the devil .” St. Basil the Great
Tere is a song in Swahili which says: “ Maisha ru milima, huwezianguka ” (Life is like a mount, you cannot fall off ). Te implication is thaton our Way to Christ, we face many temptations but our togethernessin Christ keeps us from failing to reach God.
St. Ephraim, the Syrian, speaks directly to all of us:“…Love is the capital of all virtues, the cause of all good, the salt ofvirtues…Blessed and thrice blessed is everyone who has obtained true andun-hypocritical love .”
Te Spirit of the Holy rinity dwells in each of you. May you beencouraged to love those who are in need. Know that whatever yourrole in Mission…through prayer, through donations of materials andmoney, or through your own personal contribution of yourselves, youare doing the Will of God. Feel blessed knowing that God loves youand your good works. St. John Chrysostom reminds us: “Whoeverbears fruit with w orks of faith and love, he is a real disciple of Christ ”.
Asanteni! Tank you for your gifts and your Holy Works.
les in the work of Orthodoxy throughout the World; as donorslping financially, spiritually through their prayers, and by even
ffering themselves as missionaries and members of the many Missioneams which helped in the construction of the Holy rinity Orthodoxhurch in Laikipia, the Chevogere Mission Clinic, the Church of St.ark, the Orthodox Secondary School in Chevogere and the recentission eam which helped to construct the Orthodox Church inpeketoni, in the Lamu area.Te Orthodox Archbishopric of Kenya has also benefited f rom
e SAMP program (Support A Mission Priest). Tis support for ourergy has been so critical in the growth of the faith. Since the early
ys, American Orthodox have been involved directly in teaching in therthodox Patriarchal Ecclesiastical School, ‘Makarios III of Cyprus’.those days the number of clergy were so few in number. oday
e have 165 priests, serving Christ through His Holy Sacramentsroughout the country; in Nyanza Province, in the Rift Valley fromurkana, Nandi, Nakuru and the Maasai areas of Ewu asu Kedong tooitokitik in the shadows of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Tere are also priests inentral Province, the City of Nairobi, Nyeri, Meru and even Embud now on the Coast in Mpeketoni! Surely, without the generous aid
om the SAMP program, we might not have made the progress weve. OCMC has also made contributions of Holy Utensils, Vestmentsd books for the Ecclesiastical School’s Library whi ch are so essentialour Liturgical Practices and to the reading of our students. Not onlyyou build the physical structures of Churches and Schools, but you
Kenya Y
Lsay , “ruly, truly I say to you, he
who hears My Word and believesin Him Who sent Me has eternal life anddoes not come into judgment but haspassed from death to life” (John 5:24). Tis
was surely the case of our beloved LynetteKatherine. She heard Christ’s word andbelieved with all her heart in the Father
who sent the Son. Sh e ga ve witness tothis truth through the Holy Spirit. Lo,Lynette was in communion with Christ
Who is t he R esurrecti on and the Life.
She obeyed the last commandment,“You shall receive power when the HolySpirit has come upon you and you shallbe My witness in Jerusalem, and in all
Judea, and Samaria , and to the end ofthe earth” (Acts 1:8). Te last time Isaw Lynette standing was at the girls’camp on the 16th of August. She wasthin, smiling, and radiating a secretlight. Lynette had the seal of the HolySpirit, knowing clearly that the fruit ofthe Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self control. With thispower of the Spirit, Lynette confrontedsickness and pain for twenty months.
I remember her as a martyr ready toaccept martyrdom in a certain unknownprocess. Lynette has confronted death—face to face—for a very long period—first, with a strong faith, a crucified andresurrected love; second, with a deep peace;third, with a sense of gratitude in theLord; fourth, with an authentic joy; andfinally , with radiating love transmitting
around her more faith, more peace, and more love. She became a model of loveand always, as you saw during these days, created this atmosphere.
Lynette is a modern secret martyr. Inother ages, the faithful were confrontedby lions and other threats; now, in ourage, one of their names is cancer. A brave, gentle, noble soul, Lynette confronteddeath singing: Who shall separate us fromthe love of Christ? Shall it be tribulation, ordistress or, or? For I am sure that neither
death nor life , nor hate, nor anything else inall creation will be able to separate us fromthe love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
By her life she underlined that whether we live or whether we die, we are God’s.Lynette is of great importance for the newera of missionary work—underlining theimportance of inspiring people, not onlyof clergy but especially of lay people, men,and women alike.
I would also like to emphasize theimportance of Lynette and her family tothe Orthodox Church of Albania. I said
that today there is a great loss for us,
death, a secret treasure of the OChurch, a sign of the universal chof the Orthodox Church. We are tfor Nathan, Lynette, and their c
We are thankful to the whole famall these years and days have emour beloved Lynette with so muI would like to express on behalChurch of Albania our thanks father, brothers, and sister for supher in her decision to return (I knthis is not self evident—some actually create problems for peop
would like to come here). Now will be an ambassador in heaven wother holy women from Albania, wgave their own witness in a very
way here. Pray for the progress o
Church, in order to always stayatmosphere of the Resurrection Christ. Especially pray for thethat Lynette loved so much. I hothe young people and all thosesickness and troubles will haexample as a concrete guide in astruggles, an example of Chcourage and strength. May thinspire more people to follow Lin her obedience to Christ and bpartners in Jerusalem, in Albanto the ends of the earth—we
know where.Once again let us read the firs“ruly, truly I say to you, he who h
Word and believes in Him Who shas eternal life…but has passed froto life.” Ten this last grief is noatmosphere of sorrow and sufferingatmosphere of hope, an atmospherresurrection, because we know thatis in the hands of our Lord. Shelived with this hope, this expectatlife of the Resurrection.
May Lynette’s memory be eterna
Te Eulogy of A A for
but at the same time a gain of a precioustreasure and asset. Nathan and Lynettedecided to come to Albania only forthe love of Christ…only obeying Hiscommandment. It was not an easydecision. Tey were foreigners, acceptingdifficulties and risks. For them it wasnothing in the presence of Christ. Andthis last commandment, “Go in peace,”
was exact ly their e xperien ce.Lynette is an example of a devoted
spouse. Nathan remains always the same: a person with a deep love, affection, andconcern for all his family. Tey haveshared all the troubles of our life in
Albania for eight years with their twobeloved children, ristan and Katherine.
Lynette and Nathan accepted living insimplicity, curing their behavior and lifefor the better. Humble, meek, pure inheart, merciful in His making. Tey have
worked among the youth, edited differentChurch publications and made manyother concrete contributions.
Finally, Lynette and Nathan decidedto return in order to die here, or rather topass from death to life here - to be buriedin Albania, an everlasting symbol of thelove of Christ which is stronger than
ynette had the seal of the oly pirit,knowing clearly that the fruit of the pirit is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
Delivered in Shen Vlash, Albania • August 29, 2006
Lynette Hoppe
Archbishop ANASTASIOS offers streKatherine during her mother’s funera
Children in Kenya clapping and singing during a
celebration with Archbishop Makarios
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L ynette is in her mid-forties, the motherof two young children 8 and 6. Sheand her husband Nathan, both well-
ucated with advanced degrees, are OCMCssionaries. Tey converted to the Orthodox
hurch about 12 years ago.Lynette and Nathan, children ofssionaries, departed from the comforts and
curity of America to enter the Albanianission eight years ago to teach at thesurrection Orthodox Seminary. Lynette,
graphic artist and writer, also edited thehurch’s newspaper. She recently publishedbeautifully illustrated photo history of the-year Albanian Mission under the inspireddership of Archbishop Anastasios. In
ecember of 2004, Lynette learned that her
body was racked with cancer and returned tothe Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for treatment.
Presbytera Pearl and I visited Lynette andNathan twice in Albania and witnessed their
vibrant Spirit filled ministry firsthand. Lynetteimpressed us deeply. Her contagious faithradiates Christ’s love. Her simplicity, her joy,her gentle manner and gracious personality,and her skill with words pervade her ministry.
Lynette kept a diary about her battle with cancer and her many friends andadmirers began a website on the Internet at
www.prayforlynette.org to post passages.Lynette knew her own days were limited.
She and her family recently returned to Albaniato be among the people she had served andloved so dearly.
Lynette’s inal omentselivered one week before her death at thennunciation reek O rthodox Church, ancaster, PA
i f e o f
Lynette played a vital role in the AlbanianCamp Ministries, especially planning and
implementing the craft projects. Here Lynettedemonstrates how to make a mosaic with the
girls at her first summer camp.
Lynette trained
key youngAlbanians in
graphic design to
build their capac-ity for ministry.
Fr. Alexander Veronis, August 20, 2006
Lynette writes as she faces imminent death:
“When I first got news of my pending d eparture, I was frantic, thinking I needed to do some kindof ‘ministry,’ but I soon realized that there was novalue in ministry at this point. What I have doneuntil now is what I have done.…I am allowingmyself to simply relax in the love of Jesus, to enjoyHim in a new way. o think about joining Himsoon.”
“I have so much peace in thinking that thereis nothing I can do to win over Christ. All I cando is throw myself into His arms…. I feel that Iam ready to die a ‘painless, blameless, and peacefuldeath’ as we pray every liturgy. I may have a lotof physical pain, but in spirit I feel no pain, otherthan the pain of leaving those I love.”
St. Paul wrote, “For me to live is Christ,but to die is gain.” Like him, Lynette lived forChrist and in Christ and is now ready to joinHim. Like the great Apostle, she accumulatedno wealth on earth, only treasures in heaven.
When our own time comes, may we, too, be ablealso to say with Lynette’s faith and conviction,as did the Apostle Paul before his martyrdom:“I have fought the good fight, I have finishedthe race, I have kept the faith. Tere is now laidup for me the crown of righteousness whichthe Lord, the righteous judge, will award tome on that day, and not only to me, but to all
who have loved His appearing.” (II im. 7:8) AMEN.
o read the full text of Fr. Alexander Veronis’Sermon on Lynette Hoppe, please visit our websiteat www.ocmc.org and click under News.
The Lord has blessed the Mission Center for the past eight years with
a missionary of Lynette’s caliber. The Albanians will never forget her!
or will all who saw her in action in Albania. Lynette taught many how
Christian faces death with hope, faith and love. Her ministry brought
any people closer to Christ. May her life be an example to us all and an
spiration to those called to a life in Missions.
During the
Kosovocrisis, Lynette
ministered torefugees.
At the National Art Gallery of Albania,Lynette stands in front of the poster
advertising her book signing event.
SERMON:
L ynette entered the mission field inearly 1998 with her husband Nathanand 3 month old son ristan. Her role
as a wife, mother and homemaker plus herexperience in illustration and graphic design
were the foundation for vibrant ministriesthat influenced the growth in the Church of
Albania. Lynette soon found that her primaryrole as a missionary was to assist with thechurch publications office, creating variouschurch materials and mentoring others ingraphic design. Even during the Kosovo crisis,
Lynette’s compassion for others was evident as
implemented the craft projects. By 2003 theprogram continued to expand and flourish.Her presence as loving mother and fullmember of the church, impacted many younggirls and women. She also reached out to thechildren in her neighborhood with a four dayNeighborhood Kid’s Camp program, heldat the Hoppe home, which helped draw thechildren from their street into closer contact
with Christ.In December 2004, Lynette was diagnosed
with breast cancer by Dr. Charles Linderman, who urged her to seek treatment in the States.Her parents lived just 30-minutes from thefamed Mayo Clinic in Minnesota where she
sought treatment. In the two week betdiagnosis and the Hoppes’return to thStates, Lynette traveled to Greece to cfinal proofs of her book at the printing prBy February 2005, her book, ResurrecOrthodox Autocephalous Church of 1991-2003, was in print after almost sevof effort.
Te Hoppe family returned to Alban2006. Lynette’s battle with cancer c
yet her solid faith served as a shiningdependence on Christ. Trough her diaries and newsletters, she shared herEven during her final stages and strugcancer, Lynette gathered her strength anfaculties to spend time speaking to the gabout the physical death and preparatioour Lord. Lynette’s testimony and her to our Lord continue to be an examplall of us, not only in our daily lives but oprepare for a Christian end.
she took care of a refugee family in their homefor two months.
Te Hoppe family grew with the birth ofKatherine in April 2000. Her duties includedcreating an annual liturgical calendar, which
was a challenge because the four colorprocessing equipment available in Albania
was either damaged or outdated. She alsoedited Archbishop ANASASIOS’ Englishcorrespondence. Added to her tasks, Lynetteillustrated a book for the Church of Albaniaand another about Albanian saints anddesigned English newsletters.
She played a vital role in the AlbanianCamp ministries. Each year she developed and
Lynette’s battle with cancer continued, yether solid faith served as a shining light of
dependence on Christ.
i n i s t r y
Lynette sings at an outdoor concert in the countryside of Albania as part of an outrea
project in conjunction with the 2002 OCMC summer team.
In Memor yof Lynette
Hoppe & Her Missionar y Work
>> To read more of Lynette’s insp iring journals visit; www.prayforLynette
ynette, very near the end, surrounded byer family. Left to right are: Lynette’s father,ynn Holm, her brothers, Brian, Joel, andohn, and her sister Sherry
Just ten days before her death Lynetat the St. John Vladimir’s girls’ camp
she spent much of the last two monther life, about a Christian end to life.
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ut the righteous person, though she die early,ll be at rest…Tere was one who pleased Godd was loved by him, and while living among
nners she was taken up. She was caught upfore evil could change her…. Being perfected inhort time, she fulfilled long years; for her soul
as pleasing to the Lord, therefore He took herickly from the midst of evil.” (W
:-)
W ofSolomon aptly describe Lynette Hoppe’s46 years of life. Many people have been
pired by the witness of faith, courage, strength,ace, joy and love which Lynette and Nathanve displayed these past 20 months. St. Paulites, “For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if
e die, we die to the Lord. Terefore, whether wee or die, we are the Lord’s.”(R :) Lyn ettes modeled these words not only through theay she lived as a Christian, a missionary, mother,fe, daughter, mentor and friend, but especiallyrough her unforgettable and inspiring journeycancer, suffering, and death.While some may wonder why a faithful servant
the Lord in the prime of her life needed to face
Heaven here and now. And Lynette lived wellthis mystery of life and death like few people
we have ever known. What has made th is mystery even more
poignant is how Lynette and Nathan invitedothers to join them in her final journeythrough the website www.prayforlynette.org.
Tey reflected a genuine understanding of
Christian community by inviting others toshare their experience and walk with them —both by inspiring others through their exampleand lessons learned, while not hesitating to askothers to pray, visit, and help them in theirmoments of darkness.
I had the special and blessed privilegeto experience this journey from an intimateperspective. Not only are our families dearestof friends, but throughout her illness, I spoke
with Lynette almost weekly, along with beingable to see her six times over the past 20months. From such contact, several aspects
of Lynette’s journey brilliantly stand out as alight and example for all of us.
St. Paul wrote, “For me to live is Christ, andto die is gain.” (P :) Shortly before shedied, Lynette shared with me, “Although I cryat the thought of leaving my dear husbandand precious children, I simultaneously realizethat our heavenly homeland awaits me, and Ilook forward to dwelling with our Lord.” Lifeis but a brief sojourn on planet earth. Godcreated us for eternity, and Lynette understoodthat eternal perspective so well. She had apassionate love for Christ, which filled her
with the joy of going home.Of course, her illness held many “valleys
of the shadow of death” which often
humbled her. In following the path of thesaints, though, she was an astute pupil whohumbly learned many invaluable lessonsfrom her illness. In her inspiring journal,she describes her struggles with pride,self-righteousness, lack of understanding,immature desires, and life-long temptations.
Yet, wh ile honestly critiqu ing herself, shediscovered anew the unconditional anddivine love of God.
One of the most illuminating characteristicsLynette radiated throughout her illness washer spirit of joy and gratitude. St. Paul writes
A Christian witness of living and dying In honor of
F. L V
L H
I met them (the Hoppe’s) a few weeks ago ona mission trip in Albania. They are the mostloving, brilliant, God-fearing, and inspirational
family I have ever encountered. I hope, now
that she has passed, people do not forget the
beautiful examples and hope she provided for
so many! May Lynette’s memory be eternal!
Sophia Olson,Mission Team Albania 2006
Please know that many who have been
introduced to Lynette and her family
only since the onset of her illness are at
once saddened for her obviously devoted,
loving, faithful family and edified by her life
and her passing from this life....May the
Holy Spirit, the Comforter be their comfort.
With our respect,Father Peter and Nikki Salmas
W e all send our Prayers and Sympathiesto Lynette’s family and friends fromthe Assumption Greek Orthodox Church,
here in Madison, Wisconsin. We ask that
our Blessed Savior grant her soul rest; and
courage to the family to continue without
her. The world only knows a few individuals
of her stature and her love for life. May those
who she came in contact with have pleasant
memories to cherish and may God grant her
rest and may her memory be eternal.
Presvytera Vasiliki &Fr. Joseph Tzougros
& the Assumption Family
W e can thank God for all the waysLynette was used by God and how sheaccepted His guidance all her life, in times
of strength and weakness.
Because of the Hoppe Family’s presence in
Albania, as well as Archbishop ANASTASIOS
and the OCMC Missionaries & Mission
Teams, the nation of Albania will be in a
better position to fend off the forces of evil.
In Christ,Darla Haines
Many notes and contributions have been received in loving memory of
Lynette Hoppe. Here are a few of the many messages that reflect the
strength and faith that Lynette displayed in her life:
ributes to Lynette
ncer and death —and no less with two youngildren—Lynette exemplified how such a pathillness and death, when experienced with faith,n lead one into a fuller union with God and
ffer a witness more powerful and memorablean many lifetimes on earth. As the WisdomSolomon so poetically describes, the righteous
ten don’t live to a ripe old age, but in the prime
their lives God calls them to remind the worldwhat a genuine, Christ-centered life of divine
ve and invincible faith is all about.Te saintly Bishop G Ace said, “Life is not a problem to be solved, butmystery to be lived.” Lynette embraced thisvine, and sometime harsh mystery of life, andowed it to hone her faith, deepen her love,d increase her compassion. From a humanrspective, we don’t understand cancer andath at a young age. From a divine point of
ew, however, life is a deep mystery that whened properly, leads us into the Kingdom of
Life is but a brief sojourn on planet earth.God created us for eternity, and Lynette
understood that eternal perspective so well.
that we are to “Rejoice always…and give thanksin all circumstances.” ( :,) I’m notexaggerating when I say that at each stage ofLynette’s illness, her first words to me wouldalways be, “Well, although the news isn’t good,still I thank God…”
She possessed the rare, yet divine, ability tosee God’s hand at work in the midst of anyand every situation. She held a deep rootedattitude of gratitude, understanding full wellSt. Paul’s promise that “ Neither death, nor life…nor things present nor things to come…will beable to separate us from the love of God in Christ
Jesus our Lord.” (R :-) I heard Lynettethank God shortly after she discovered hercancer, after her cancer had metastasized,after the cancer entered her bones, and evenin her last days, when the cancer entered herliver and the doctors gave her a few weeks tolive. o be honest w ith you, if I had not talked
with Lynette so frequently, and witnessed theauthenticity of her gratitude, I’m not sure Icould have believed that it was so sincere.
Feeling the concrete presence of God, andliving with this spirit of gratitude, gave root to
one of the most visible signs of an authenticrelationship with our Lord—that of deep,spiritual joy and peace. In the midst of illness,suffering and dying, with the temptation of fearand doubt ever lurking nearby, Lynette never
lost that sense of deep, inner joy. As she wrotein one of her final diary entries, “Both Nathanand I feel overwhelmed by the amazing gracethat God has given to us. We could not be so
joyful without His help….I am happy andfeel a great sense of joyful anticipation at myhome-going. God is with us and will continueto be with us until the end.”
And such joy led to a deep, inner peace.During one of her final days of life, my wifeFaith and I sat around her bed, together withNathan, her father, siblings and friends, singinghymns and reminiscing about Lynette’s legacy.In those final hours, Lynette radiated divinepeace. At times, she would open her eyesand struggle to smile. Yes, she was dying, butsimultaneously she dwelt securely in the peaceof her Lord.
So much more could be said about whata gifted woman Lynette was, but I think herbeloved husband summarized it well a fewdays before her death: “My eyes are full oftears as I write but I also have a strong senseof joy. Te jewel which I have been privilegedto hold a short time is slipping away from
me, but I know that she will be held in farmore worthy arms until we are reunited. Iam so blessed in these days by her joy andher faith and her love. She is truly an iconof Christ to me.”
Lynette shows the girls at winter camp
2002 how to do a stamping craft
Archbishop ANASTASIOS presides at
funeral services at the Monastery of SAlso presiding were Metropolitan Jo
rca, Metropolitan Ignatius of Berat an
Martin Ritsi, Executive Director of
the United States.
Top: Nathan and Lynette’s sister Shethe children, Tristan and Katherine, spruce tree in front of the church at S
in Lynette’s memory. Left: As Tristanlooks on, Father Martin Ritsi lays a on Lynette’s gravesite on behalf of tsion Center and its Board of DirectorsKatherine and Tristan lighting a candl40 day service.
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ventured off with some of the quirkiest, funnestpeople to be found within Orthodoxy, and as anvert, I can attest that quirky and fun are bothundant here. Tey are also among the mostmpassionate and sincere people that I have met.e boarded our planes and made our way to thees of Kenya, Uganda, and anzania. Memoriesod me now… Dr. Bill skipping in the Nairobiport high-fiving everyone in his jet-lagged stupor,lirious with excitement and the experience of
ting foot in Africa… the giant grasshopper thatarly ate Dimitri while still training in Florida…e look on Fr. Michael’s face when our gift frome village came walking toward us bleating andnking. My anzania team debated on a goodme for our goat, but in the end I think it justmed too harsh to name dinner.Of course, there are other memories, too.
emories of the Africans themselves, but oneemory resonates in my mind, the memoriesJosephina… or Fina, as they called her, a smallle girl about five years old. Tere are children
erywhere, all displaying the natural curiosity thatakes all children endearing. Tey rubbed our skinsee if the color would come off. Tey touched ourr. Tey shyly sat in our laps when handed over by
eir welcoming parents. But Fina… Fina had a lighther eyes that shown unmistakably with joy. Herle face was radiant with life!Te first time I met Fina was in the village of
ubale where we taught a catechism seminar for thekoba Diocese under the invitation of His Grace,
W hat is God teaching me?” Asan eighteen year old on myfirst mission trip, this question by
Andy Lekos (Mission Team Director
at OCMC) echoed in my mind
throughout our team’s 2½ week
stay at the Children’s Home of Hope
in St. Vlash, Albania.
How inspiring the children of
the Home were! Each one of them
lived in Christ, “letting their little
light so shine” (Matthew 5:16) that
I felt humbled and privileged to be
there as a Mission Team member.
In the two short weeks I was there, I
learned valuable lessons in patience,
Bishop JERONYMOS. When our team arrivedthey rang the bell and everyone came runninginto the church, as the service was about to begin.
Admittedly I was distracted from the service bythe stares of the small children about me and theKiswahili that impregnated the space around me.In the midst of all those beautiful children stoodFina. As others looked on shyly or in the boldest ofcuriosity, Fina simply smiled and looked up at me asthough I were an old f riend, anticipation lining her
face. Amidst the “karibu’s” (welcome) and “farahana amani’s”(peace and joy) her face is the one thatmade me truly feel welcome in this place on theother side of the world.
Morning after morning this delicious child would run up the village road to greet our team. She would accompany our team from class to class as wetaught about salvation, missions, the role of fasting,and other such catechetical topics. Ten, one day,she wasn’t there. We inquired with her father as to
her mystical absence. “It’s a bout with malaria,”hetold us through Sanktus, our translator. Our heartsbroke as our minds all immediately traced back toensuring that we, ourselves, had taken our own anti-malaria pills, and we reapplied bug spray as we mademental notes to re-tape the holes in the mosquitonets covering our beds.
Tanks be to God that little Fina bounced backbefore our departure. How delighted I was whenthe crowd of students around me began to split andcreate a path, down which the amazingly resilientFina walked carrying a gift. Her tiny little body wasshadowed by the long pole of sugar cane which shehad carefully wrapped in a banana-tree leaf andcarried it toward me. Shyly she handed it to meand as though she had also given me the gift of herradiance. I beamed back at her as I received it.
When Bishop JERONYMOS arrived, little Finamarched with us through the village of Rubale as wesang hymns to the glory of our God. As the studentsdanced and sang for Bishop JERONYMOS and saidgood-bye to our team, the tuckered out little Fina atlast fell asleep in my arms. Little Josephina and Inever spoke an understandable word to one another,but we understood each other perfectly. I continue
to think of Fina daily. I wonder what will become ofher life lived in such amazing poverty and constantlythreatened by diseases completely treatable in myown country. Like we all do, I foolishly ponder thedesign of God—myself born into abundance andopportunities and she born into desperation and thefear of hopelessness. I ache to know if that glow inher beautiful young face will remain.
I suppose, though, in the end, what has changedme the most; no longer is Africa the romanticizeddream I’ve carried about since I was eight. Tenames and faces are now those that belong to people
with whom I have journeyed this life. Tese aren’t“simply” the starving Africans of commercials and“We are the World” sing-alongs, they are OrthodoxChristians with whom I mystically commune at everyEucharist offering. Tey are of the same body and Iam now gripped with the awesome responsibilityto care for them as I would myself. All theologicalmissiology debates aside, all jurisdictional squabblesstifled… we are of the same Body. Josephine is mysister and I miss her.
If I were to tell you that there is a job so
fulfilling that you couldn’t pass it up, would
you listen? You would hav e everything you
need and you would be living in the comfort of
knowing you are doing God’s work. Interested
yet? No? Then ho w about exp eriencing a joy
in your job so wonderful, that you couldn’t
possibly imagine doing anything else with your
life? Are you ready now? All you have to do is
be a Christian!
What most tend to forget is that being aChristian is synonymous with being a missionary.
Yeah, that’s right. I hate to break it to you,
but you are in fact a missionary. It was your
commission when you were baptized as a
Christian. It takes some longer than others to
realize, but once you do your life is changed
halfway around the world in their very ho
The importance of our mission journey w
not in the places we went, b ut in the sp
journey we took with the people we me
blessing was having such incredible com
on the journey in Christ. The reward was
receiving a taste of the Christian missio
a life in Christ.
“Taste and see that the Lord is go
(Psalm 34). Fr. Alexander Schmeman
explains that this verse tells us we mfirst experience (taste) and only then
understand (see). I offer a challenge
experience the Christian missionary
Then, you will truly understand this a
of my mission team journey in Chris
Tanzania. Furaha na amani! Joy and
the common room, a room with a
large fireplace, a circle of couches
and chairs, and all sorts of colorful
crafts that hung from the ceiling.
The children sang songs in both
Albanian and English, in loud
voices, eager to show off for their
visitors. The children each told us
their aspirations for the future: to be
doctors, missionaries, priests and
nuns! I was amazed to see such
young kids with such big hearts. I
thought to myself, “How can I be an
example of mission work to these
children? What can I do”? Andy’s
words echoed in my mind, “What is
of faith, love and the light of Christ
that by the time we departed for
the United States I was amazed to
realize that these children taughtme more about living in Christ than
anything I could have ever hoped to
teach them!
Yet another example of Christ
working through others was the
influence the long-term missionaries
had on us. We had the opportunity
to meet the Linderman, Pappas,
Russell and Hoppe families. Each
family impacted our missionary
experience in unique and special
ways and we were inspired by the
faith and love that emanated from
each missionary. I was incredibly
fortunate to have been able
Lynette Hoppe and learn
and her family’s example
I can speak for the entire short-term Mission Tea
we felt truly blessed to b
presence of such devoted
Christians.
“What is God teach
What have I learned f
experience?” For me, An
question doesn’t need a lo
theological answer. It is fou
very scripture verse that w
orientation; 1 Corinthian
“And now abide faith, ho
these three; but the gre
these is love”.
When our teamarrived they rang the
bell and everyonecame running intothe church, as theservice was about
to begin.
”“
am a young woman of 31 who has dreamed of going toAfrica. I have been preparing myself for the work of missionsor the better part of my adult life. My mother might arguehat I’ve been preparing for it since I was a child, but that’snother matter. When God orchestrated the time and meansor that door to finally open, I found myself heading off on a
Mission eam with the Orthodox Christian Mission Center.
Stacy Shipman—Mission Team Member to Tanzania
LEFT: Bonding with the local children
was a highlight for the Author, Stacy
Shipman BELOW: In Tanzania, the Mis-
sion Team joins the faithful for service
at a new church still under construction
RIGHT: In the eyes of a child, there’s
hope for all that is to come for the
Church in Tanzania.
Body & Heart h e a m e
ee aste forever. I had such a life-changing experience on
my mission trip to Tanzania.
Everyday on my trip, I arose with a joy I had
never experienced before. The 5 a.m. wake up
was difficult, but the joy pushed me out of bed.
There was work to be done! Our mission was to
teach basic catechism courses and visit with local
communities who would otherwise have little or
no contact with the rest of the world. In my time
in Tanzania I learned what hospitality truly means,
generosity was redefined, and being sincere ineverything you say and do was as natural as
breathing. My work became my life and my life
became my work.
Being halfway around the world can be an
incredible experience in itself, but we had the
blessing to interact with fellow Orthodox Christians
By Andrew Lentz
flexibility, faith and love that I will
carry with me throughout my life.
I only hope to follow the children’s
examples: to be a beacon of light,
praising God and sharing that light
with others.
One day we were situated in
God teaching me?” In just my first
day, I experienced so much, beyond
what I expected and witnessed God
working through each and every one
of us as Mission Team members
and children alike.
The children’s lives were so full
Teaching Me?”
I was amazed to see such young kids with such big hearts. I thought to myself,
“How can I be an example of mission work
to these children? What can I do”?
“By Rachel Mellas
“What is God
ABOVE: As a welcome gift
om a Tanzanian parish,
r. Michael Miklos, Mission
eam Leader, receives a
oat on behalf of the team.
A procession of the faithful in one of the ten
communities visited by this year’s Tanzania team.
Joyous faces show true test that Christ lives in the
children from the Home of Hope as they chase bubbles.
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T e a c h i n g
S h a r e a n d t e a c h t h e O r t h o d o x
F a i t h
t o
y o u t h , a d u l t s , c a t e c h u m e n s , m i n i s
t r y
l e a d e r s , a n d f a i t h f u l . C l e r g y , s e m i n a r i a n s ,
t e a c h e r s ,
y o u t h
l e a d e r s ,
s t u d e n t s
a n d
t h o s e w i l l i n g t o t e a c h t h e F a i t h a r e u r
g e d
t o a p p l y .
> > A l a s k a
> > A r g e n t i n a
> > G h a n a
> > I n d i a
> > T a n z a n i a
> > S o u t h
A f r i c a
Y o u t h
C a m p s
P a r t i c i p a t e
i n
y o u t h
c a m p
p r o g r a m s
i n
c o m m u n i t i e s
t h a t
h a v e
r e q u e s
t e d
r e l i g i o u s
e d u c a t i o n
f o r
t h e
y o u t h .
C a m p
c o u n s e l o r s ,
y o u t h
m i n i s t r y
d i r e c t o r s ,
s t u d e n t s a n d t h o s e w i t h c a m p e x p e r i e
n c e
a r e e n c o u r a g e d t o a p p l y .
> > A l b a n i a
> > G u a t e m a l a
> > R o m a n i a
C o n s t r u c t i o n
H e l p
b u i l d
a n
O r t h o d o x
C h u r c h
f o r
a
g r o w i n g c o m m u n i t y b y o f f e r i n g y o u r
l a -
b o r a n d s e r v i c e .
E n g i n e e r s , c o n s t r u c t i o n
w o r k e r s , c o n t r a c t o r s , c a r p e n t e r s , p a i n t -
e r s , e l e c t r i c i a n s a n d a l l h a r d w o r k e r s
a r e
i n v i t e d t o a p p l y t o d a y .
C o n s t r u c t i o n e x
p e -
r i e n c e i s w e l c o m e d ,
b u t n o t n e c e s s a r y .
> > C a m e r o o n
> > K e n y a
> > S o u t h
A f r i c a
H e a l t h
C a r e
P r o v i d e a h o l i s t i c w i t n e s s o f t h e G o s p e l
b y m i n i s t e r i n g t o t h e p h y s i c a l n e e d s o f
c h i l d r e n a n d a d u l t s w h i l e p r o v i d i n g b a s i c
h e a l t h
c a r e
a n d
e d u c a t i o n .
H e a l t h c
a r e
p e r s o n n e l ;
d o c t o r s ,
d e n t i s t s ,
n u r s e s ,
c o u n s e l o r s ,
H I V / A I D S
s p e c i a l i s t s ,
t h e
r a -
p i s t s — a r e e s p e c i a l l y n e e d e d .
> > E t h i o p i a
> > G u a t e m a l a
> > K e n y a
> > R o m a n i a
A l l
h a r d
w o r k e r s
w i l l i n g
t o
s h a r e
t h e
F a i t h
a n d
w i s h i n g
t o
p a r t i c i p a t e
a n d
s e r v e
o n
a n
O R T H O D O X
M I S S I O N
T E A M
a r e
u r g e d
t o
a p p l y
t o d a y .
> > A M E R I C A S : A l a s k a
•
A r g e n t i n a
• G
u a t e m a l a
> > E U R O P E : A l b a n i a
• R o m a n i a
> > A F R I C A : C a m e r o o n
• E t h i o
p i a
• G h a n a
• K e n y a
• S o u t h
A f r i c a
• T a n z a n i a
> > A S I A : I n d i a
> > A n d r e w
L e n t z ,
2 0 0 6
M i s s i o n
T e a m
m e m b e r ,
e x t e n d s t h e m a n y a r m s o f s u p p o r t e r s a s h e
e m b r a c e s a c h i l d i n T a n z a n i a
O R T H O D O X C H R I S T I A N M I S S I O N C E N T E R
O
R
T
H
O
D
O
X
C
H
R
I
S
T
I
A
N
M
I
S
S
I
O
N
C
E
N
T
E
R
M I S S I O N T E
A M S
D e t a c h a b l e K e e p s a k e P o s t e r
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There is usually a certain amount of anxietyassociated with any travel, What should Ipack? Will my luggage arrive on time? A
ssion trip carries additional concerns, How wille group dynamics be? What can we expect? Willey have laundry facilities? Will we be effective inr goals? Many of these questions, ranging from the
asonable to the rather silly, crossed my mind severalmes during the journey across North America tohat was for me a distant land—Alaska.
When I first heard of the opportunity to go toaska through OCMC I jumped at the chance,rtly for selfish reasons. Te mission team wassigned to assist in teaching a youth retreat and helpth the annual pilgrimage to Spruce Island. I had
ways wanted to visit Alaska. Not only was I attractedthe natural beauty I saw in photos but I wanted tolk the land where our first North American Saints,ch as Saints Herman and Innocent, traversed.
veral friends who had previously done missionsps in Alaska confirmed my desire. Moreover, I wasracted to the opportunity to teach the Orthodoxth to youth of the Kodiak region. Being a studentSt. Vladimir’s Seminary I felt compelled to share,some small way, the knowledge of the faith I haden given. What I did not expect however, was therning experience that I was to go through.After a day’s worth of traveling from New York,
finally arrived on Kodiak to the welcome of twothe Alaskan clergy. Although weary from the
ng trip, I was eager to get to work with fellowCMC members who had already arrived and anthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) group from
e University of Connecticut. My first act, however,s to venerate the relics of St. Herman which
in this manner. St. Herman after all wasn’t glorifiedonly due to the numerous miracles he performed, butbecause of his tireless efforts in the simple, ordinarylabors of love for the Alaskan people.
Te day after, while half of our 14 member teamremained in Kodiak to teach a youth retreat, sevenof us, along with a seminarian from St. Herman’s,undertook the trek to the village of Ouzinkie,located on Spruce Island. Our task seemed simpleenough, to run a teen camp for the Kodiak diocese.But I suppose the only way to describe our trip is a
word we used often: fluid. We arrived in Ouzinkiehauling food, supplies, and other necessities for thefive day camp, enough to cover 35 youth and ourteam. Knowing of only a few teens having signed
basketball at the gym, the Akathist to St. Hermanin the Chapel with the villagers, the preparing offish soup with the elders, sharing fellowship witheveryone on the last night, and concluding the tripin the best way we knew how, celebrating the DivineLiturgy together. We went as a team to teach thefaith, but we learned as a team how that faith is livedin the love, warmth, and incredible generosity ofthis little Alaskan village. I was joking with othermembers that when we left they gave me the key tothe village. It’s simply knowing how to open a door
without knocking! Te remainder of the trip was just as remarkable,
taking part in the annual pilgrimage to SpruceIsland, serving Liturgy both on Spruce Island and inKodiak on successive days, with a Vigil in between!
o say the least, we were all quite tired. But as HisGrace Bishop NIKOLAI of Alaska reminded us, apilgrimage is designed to take effort, but out of thateffort one finds their spiritual rewards. o serve an
Akathist to St. Herman is a beautiful experience. oserve the Vigil and Liturgy for his feast is just asstunning. But to be a part of these services in thepresence of St. Herman himself is simply heavenly.Despite our fatigue from our camp experiences,
manual labors around the Cathedral and Seminary,in addition to the many services, we found strengthevery day in the presence of St. Herman and thepeople of Alaska.
Our Alaskan experience was more than we couldhave expected. Plans changed, locations moved,feet and backs wearied. But right before our eyesmiracles occurred. Doors opened that once wereshut, ten youth turned into almost fifty, smiles camefrom shyness, cultures embraced, strangers becamefriends, even Fr. Michael completed knots in hisprayer rope! We came to Alaska as visitors, we leftas family. Troughout, we felt God’s grace throughSt. Herman guiding us. We left knowing that all weencountered proved to be a fluid blessing.
BlessingDaniel Belonick
A Fluid
ide within the Cathedral on Kodiak. As a fellowgrim mentioned; “you have to start out right.”ere, in front of me, lay St. Herman’s relics, along
th the heavy iron-cross and hat that accompaniedm through the Alaskan terrain.
Many times I thought of Saints’lives and worksdistant from my own. But to stand before St.
erman and begin work where he labored was anperience that brought significantly more meaningour efforts. Knowing about St. Herman’s life, thiss a blessing I hadn’t expected, and I think, the onlyy to start this particular trip.From this glorious beginning, I spent the rest of th e
y hitting cement with a pick-axe near the Cathedralclear for drainage. Tis was followed by helping toin the wooden chapel at St. Herman’s Seminaryat was wearied by a long winter. Neither of theseks I envisioned. But it seems more fitting to begin
up in Ouzinkie and bringing along a few frommainland Kodiak, our expectations seemed to behigher than circumstances permitted. Before arriving
in Kodiak we had anticipated almost 30 youth, whichturned into less than 15 by the time of our arrival inOuzinkie. I think most of us at that point were feelinganxious, especially with confusion about where thecamp was to be held. We eventually settled into therecently built community center which offered usboth cooking facilities and room to hold classes andactivities, the perfect hub for our camp.
Over the course of the week, what was to be ateen retreat became a village youth event. Our focus
was the Creed, having two Christian educationsper day, along with art and physical activities. Testrongest moments of the camp, however, were notfelt in the classroom, but in singing the roparionto St. Peter the Aleut by the campers, the games of
St. Herman after all wasn’t glorified only due to the numerous
miracles he performed, but because of his tireless efforts in the
simple, ordinary labors of love for the Alaskan people.
UPPER LEFT: Chapel on Spruce Island built over St.
Herman’s original burial site. LEFT: Liturgy on Spruce
Island ABOVE: Ouzinkie Team at Monk’s Lagoon BE-
LOW: Ouzinkie Youth performing native dances
Te ranks of this year’s short-term mission teams were filled with families in unprecedented numbers,
heading a single call to serve and spread God’s wordto all four corners of the earth. Tey all congregatedfar from their own homes in a seemingly coincidentalanomaly; all hoping that a voyage of great distance
would somehow bring them closer together. As itturned out, these journeys were longer than even theexpansive and boundless wasteland that lazily floatedby, for they began with a love for one another andthey will live on as treasured shared experiences.
Warren Goodwin, of Roseville California, whoserved with his wife and son, stated, “We wereblessed with the opportunity to experience ourfirst OCMC short-term mission as a family. Weexperienced the wonders of Kenya, the enthusiasmof its people, and the solidarity of their Orthodoxfaith. We also were witness to the spiritual growth ofone another as individuals. Te two most significantevents for my wife and I were the warmth and thegratitude given to the entire mission team by theparishioners of the community we were there toserve, and the opportunity to see our son expandhis mission experiences and continue his spiritual
journey.” Tere are memories that mark seminal moments
in every human life. Te images of these moments warm our hearts, remaining clear in our minds,immune to the movements of time. Te passing of a
brick from the tattered hands of a daughter to thoseof her mother as they toiled in a small village on the
horn of Africa to build a house of worship was justone such memory. “For my whole life, my mom has watched and supported me as I’ve grown,”recalledSara Breitsprecher of Minneapolis, Minnesota.“It made me proud to see her step outside of hercomfort zone and I was thankful that I could bethere to support her in her growth. Our trip signifieda change in our relationship. She will always be mymom, but we saw each other as peers for the firsttime giving us a greater appreciation for one anotheras people.”
God has always worked profoundly throughfamilies. With them He has altered the course ofhuman history forever. He reintroduced mankind
to its Creator in the generatstretched from Abraham t
Trough Saint Joachim and AMary, the mother of our Lord a
Jesus Christ. Constantine and hHelen brought faith to an emptwo brothers, Saint Basil the GSaint Gregory of Nyssa, born in century to parents who are also c
saints, shaped Christianity as we know it.History reveals that works of great co
have often come through the family. As seemingly coincidental contribution of families to mission work in 2006 is not coat all. From Alaska to Guatemala, in AlbRomania, and from Kenya to Ugandafamilies shared the Gospel through theitheir words, and their service. As teachersand medical professionals, God workedthem, bestowing upon them the gift of tone another and with Him.
Will the efforts of the families that this year’s short-term mission experience
profound an impact on the course of hu Abraham or Saint Basil the Great? Indalready have. In time their names may be but their contribution, as part of God’ssalvation, will be eternal.
Te common blood that flows throughof family creates an unspoken bond that ithan steel and more precious than the gemstones. It is incorruptible and timeless.Spirit rides on this current like the winds rolling dunes of the Sahara, tying one genthe next , revealing the depths of the Fatfor us, His prodigal children, offering usand beckoning us home.
“ o r k s o f Gr ea t C o n s equ en c e ”
We were blessed with the opportunity to
experience our first OCMC short-term missio
as a family. We experienced the wondersKenya, the enthusiasm of its people, an
the solidarity of their Orthodox faith.
At 30,000 feet the red sands of the Sahara looked like an ocean of fire. Te desert’s stillness could be felt even from on high, providing theperfect opportunity to reflect on the great work that we had just completed.
Most of the other team members were sleeping soundly, lulled by the roar
of the engines and the smooth skies that God had blessed us with. Amongst
them could be found parents, children, husbands, wives, brothers and s isters
desiring not to serve merely as individuals, but as a family.
UPPER LEFT : Breaking a sweat for the Gospel. ABOVE: Father and son
Mission Team members during orientation in St. Augustine RIGHT: A new
Church takes shape thanks to the work of Mission Team members. LEFT:
The sun sets on another day in Africa, affording the perfect opportunity to
reflect on the great work that had just been completed.
MissionTeam
FamiliesBy Alex Goodwin
Alex Goodwin, with his parents, War
and Madeline Goodwin.
4 O C M C M I S S I O N M A G A Z I N E • W W W . O C M C . O R G O C M C M I S S I O N M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 0 6
8/13/2019 Lynette Hoppe
9/13
MissionariesI
am often asked to describe my typical day here inUganda and I never know quite how to answer.Some days are more eventful than others, andday is ever completely routine. oday there is no
usic festival, nor is it a school visitation day. I’mt traveling to a village deep in the bush, nor am Iiting our parishes in Gulu. I’m not even going towntown Kampala. Tere are no prize bulls or goatsthis story, but a pig will make a brief appearance.Te school term ended yesterday, and we
llected report cards from about sixty of ouronsored students. I photocopied the reports forr files while we had power. Because of national
ad-shedding, we have commercial electricity everyher day. oday was an “on” day and I wanted toke advantage of the situation so we could returne original reports to the children after church
Sunday. Ten I spent some time preparingicitation letters for our Children’s Fund.Sharon has been working six and a half days
week at the hospital, so I offered to do a little
opping for fresh vegetables. On the way to thesubi open-air market, I stopped by the house
here our “daughter” Panayota was spending thehool holiday. Panayota is in sixth grade at a villagearding school. She ended up there last year aftere had a discipline problem with an aunt with whome had been staying. Panayota had been beaten one head with a soda bottle and subsequently ranay from home. I didn’t want her to remain alonethe village, nor could I send her back to the aunt’s,I prevailed upon her stepmother to take her inspend the holiday with her half-siblings Sophia,
eorge, and Paraskevi. I had crayons and coloringoks for the kids and a little extra money for mombuy food.I’d heard stories about the irresponsible, drug-
Peter Georges—OCMC Missionary in Uganda
Dëshiroj një biletë vajije (I’d like ane-way ticket).”
After many months of preparation, the
isi Family (Constance, Dennis and their
e year old son Dominico) have arrived
fely in Albania. Below, is a reflection
om Constance of the family’s journey as
ssionaries to Albania:
The morning of September 8th, many ofyou will be waking up, and longing for
ffee when we arrive in Tirana. We’ll be a bit
addicted, alcoholic father, but there he was when Iarrived—calm, industrious, and sober. His latest
venture is raising pigs, and he hasn’t yet accumulatedenough cash to build a sty. A number of giant hogs
were rooting around the yard, and as I tried to navigatemy way around their stout, aromatic bodies, one bigfellow unexpectedly charged and nuzzled my rearend with his snout, much to the amusement of thechildren. After greeting the family, I privately gavemom the money for the family’s needs at Kasubi.
Te sprawling outdoor market was bustling with activity and the women selling the vegetablesbrazenly and laughingly called to me, “ Muzungu, over
here!”I found what I needed and marveled at howmuch I could buy for so little money. I accumulateda large bag of fresh tomatoes, green peppers, carrots,and potatoes for the equivalent of two dollars! TenI crossed the road to buy bread and eggs.
Having accomplished my mission, I looked upand saw the church van parked nearby. Aha! A cheapand convenient ride home. While I was waiting, Iheard a musical voice greeting me. It was Father
Joseph’s wife, Anastasia, with baby Pelagia. Shehad also seen the van and had the same idea. I tookPelagia from her arms and tried to convince thebread vendor that she was my kid but he wouldn’tbuy it. Te driver appeared and soon we were allsafely back on our little hill.
Last week I told Ssem, a contractor friend,that I wanted to visit JjaJja ’s house to see about
adding a “bathroom”to the premises. JjaJja is an old woman who takes care of about a dozen orphanedgrandchildren in a small house between the mainroad and a swamp. Last year we finished her house
and earlier this year we added a pit latrine, but thefamily has no private place to bathe. A bathroomcan actually be an outdoor stall where one takes soapand a basin of water, and maybe a towel! Tat’s howmany people wash themselves here.
Ssem arrived and we headed off to JjaJja ’s.She and the kids were happy to see us, and afterthe obligatory greetings we inspected the site andagreed on a proposed location for the addition. As
we were about to leave, JjaJja insisted we comein to see baby Simon whom she said was “sick.” Iremembered that he had cerebral palsy, but still I
was shocked by what I saw. Te two-year-old was allhead and belly, with tiny, vestigial-looking legs andarms dangling limply from his distended torso. Hishead lolled open-mouthed and his eyes gazed intonowhere. Eleven-year-old Fiona picked him up andgently held him while I sat down on the bed, feelingstunned and helpless.
I soon came to my senses, though, and calledSharon on my mobile phone. She prompted me
with some pointed questions, a nd, ably assistedby Ssem as a translator we determined thatSimon was seriously malnourished. His mother
has been feeding him only milk from a cup. Wegave JjaJja instructions on how to prepare maize-flour porridge fortified with milk, eggs, and othernutrients, provided her with a little money to buy
these items, and told her to come to our hospitalfor some nutritional counseling.
We departed, and just to add a bizarre note to ourleave-taking, we passed a woman sitting on the sideof the road playing with gravel. As we approached,I recognized her as one of JjaJja ’s daughters, themother of two of our kids. She seemed about manic,so I greeted her in Luganda and had a brief butinteresting conversation. Ten Ssem and I boardeda matatu back to Namungoona.
Tat evening after Vespers, I found two of ourhigh school students, Sophia and Batte, waitingto give me their school reports. I reviewed theirperformances, gave a little advice for improvement,and sent them on their way as night was falling. Soends another day in Uganda.
Postscript: Tursday, August 24 oday while I wa s in town, Sophia and her sis terMaria, cousins to little Simon, tearfully cameto tell Sharon that he had died this morning.Merciful God, may his memory be eternal. Hissuffering is over; now he is perfect and dwellingin perfect Love.
bleary-eyed, too, having flown from Chicago
to Frankfurt, to Vienna, to Tirana in about 19
hours. We’ll have left the comfortable, familiar
surroundings of Chicago, and will have arrived
in the poorest nation in Europe.
We are joining a vibrant, growing community
of Christians in Albania. The building of the new
cathedral is well underway. There are plans for
new Orthodox schools. There are hopes for asenior home, near the successful soup kitchen.
The Children’s Home of Hope is now about full,
with 30-35 children. Classes continue at the
Seminary, the church camp season is over. It’s
inspiring, and a little daunting, to be joining
a community that the Holy Spirit has clearly
taken in hand.
There are improvements in Albania. There
is a new, brightly-lit imported goods ~ grocery
store. There are other recently opened stores
– a posh, four-floor shopping mall with European
luxury stores has been putting up posters around
town. Tirana has also been repaving the streets
and with the new streets come new street signs,
to the joy of many who have had some trouble
finding their way around.
We were on the road almost every weekend
for the first 6 months of the year, traveling non-
stop for more than a month during Lent. We’ve
logged more than 100 hours just driving and
have visited 12 states. None of this would have
been possible without the encouragement,
support and prayers of all of you. We are more
grateful than we can possibly say.
During their missionary service, the Luisi’s
primary job will be to work with the youth
and children’s choirs, first in Tirana and thenthroughout the country. Dennis’ skills will
be put to work on various building and repair
projects. There may also be opportunities
to put Constance’s language skills to work in
teaching English and French.
We ask for your continued prayers for the
Constance, Dennis and Domenico. Funds to
help support the Luisi Family can be sent to the
Orthodox Christian Mission Center, designated
for the “Luisi Famil y” in the memo line, to P.O.
Box 4319, St. Augustine, FL 32085-4319.
To find out more about the Mission Center’s
missionaries, visit www.ocmc.org. or contact
us at [email protected].
M y work in the Ugandan Orthodox Churchconsists mainly in teaching and trying tostrengthen St. Paul Seminary in any way that I
can. Generally, I teach Dogmatics, Liturgics, Old
Testament and New. There are 16 seminarians
from villages all over Uganda, of different tribes
and tongues. We’re hoping to initiate some
practical programs in 2007, which will make
use of their skills as farmers. Like the mustard,
which is the smallest of seeds, we will patiently
develop dignity, cooperation, and self
in and among the parishes. There is
room, and need, for creativity in Afri
am tremendously inspired and confide
abilities of our seminarians.
Teaching is not my only activity. In
I am struggling to provide translatio
the service books in modern Englis
10,000 pages of text. It’s been a gr
for people to pray the entire daily cyc
first time in a language they can und
Once the Horologion and Oc
Paraklitiki have been distributed to
parishes, and priests and catechists
in using them—they can serve as a
uniform, accessible, and in fact, alm
foundation for catechetics. I’m im
at how wise the fathers were, whoOctoechos together and gave it to u
main fare of each liturgical day.
By no means am I a professional m
but I’ve sung in Orthodox choirs for 3
and seem to have a good ear. As I’v
providing the English texts, it’s falle
to lead some of the chanting, espe
the Daily Cycle on weekdays. Thes
have been for the most part well-r
We’ve all gained a deeper under
of the services from working wit
every day. Serving Vespers and Ma
the seminarians and other faithf
day has been a major part of my
There is vast room for liturgical
here and it will play a key role in th
evangelization/catechetical programs
be developing.
I’m trying to encourage some
artists to study icons and learn to wri
since our churches have so few. I’m
organize translations and service b
four languages. I’m trying to get a few
started learning computers. We can
their help when they do! We need a cate
program. We need to train teachers an
and catechists. We need to train pri
deacons. I love it here!
Weebale! (Thank you!)
What Can You Do?
We ask for your continued prayers
Burnett’s ministry with seminarians in
Funds to help support the him can be se
Orthodox Christian Mission Center, de
for “John Burnett” in the memo line
Box 4319, St. Augustine, FL 3208
To find out more about the Mission
missionaries, visit www.ocmc.org. or
us at [email protected].
Help us to equip some wonderfu
men to carry the flame of Christ’s l
truth deep into the vast continent sou
Sahara!
Arr iving in Albania The Luisi Family
A Day in the Life
Mustard Seed, Patience andSalvation—The Seminary in UgandaBy John Burnett—OCMC Missionary in Uganda
Peter Georges, OCMC Missionary in Ug
watches the children dance.
Students of St. Paul’s Seminary listen attentively while
John Burnett offers Theological Training.
Children of Uganda smile as their lives
are blessed by Missionaries Peter & Sharon
he Luisi Family,
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