“So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.” Luke 2:16-18

“So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.” Luke 2:16-18

Like the shepherds, the Lord meets each of us where we are at in life and asks that we invite others into the Body of Jesus Christ. This Nativity season, we ask that you prayerfully consider your own gifts, talents, and abilities and how you are able to use these to help make disciples of all nations. We invite you to begin this journey by becoming more engaged in international missions through your prayers for those serving in Christ’s name around our world. We invite you to consider your ability to personally serve, and/or make a financial gift, in support of the mission ministries of the Orthodox Church through the OCMC.

Health Care Providers Needed to ‘Share in a Journey of Faith’

“I’m thankful to have participated in an OCMC Mission Team. It was a great experience. The Orthodox Church is the same worldwide. We all pray the same and worship the same. I feel a kinship to the Orthodox Christians of Uganda,” reported a participant on the 2009 Health Care Team that treated over 4,000 individuals in two weeks in the Gulu region of northern Uganda.

Biblical narratives portray the loving and compassionate Lord, Jesus Christ, healing blind men, lepers, and the woman suffering from an unceasing flow of blood. He traveled throughout Galilee, teaching, preaching, and healing disease and sickness. He healed a servant, a daughter, and the demon possessed. Christ’s love and compassion for His creation was made tangible as He combined caring for the physical needs of His Creation with preaching the Good News of salvation.

In this spirit of offering a tangible witness of love, OCMC will be responding to an invitation to send another Health Care Team to the Gulu region of Uganda. This is an opportunity for Health Care providers (doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and med students – just to name a few) to make a difference in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Africa.

OCMC invites you to help make this ministry possible. If you are a health care provider, please prayerfully consider applying to serve on this Team. If you are not, but know Orthodox health care providers, please tell them about this life-giving ministry and encourage them to get involved.

Team members not only make a difference in the lives of those they meet and serve, but their own lives are transformed as well. Giving of our time and talents to minister to God’s people is an expression of our love for Christ. Our works speak without words, demonstrating Christ’s love for all the world and His desire that all come to know Him.

Make a difference this year: share in a journey of faith!

OCMC Board of Directors Gather at St. Vladimir’s Seminary for Fall 2009 Board Meeting

Crestwood, New York – This year’s Fall Board meeting, held at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, was an opportunity for the Board of Directors of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) to discuss the many developments that have arisen since the Board’s last meeting in May in St. Augustine, Florida at the Dedication of the Archbishop Anastasios and Archbishop Demetrios Missionary Training and Administration Building. Being on the Seminary campus allowed Board members to interact with faculty and students and dialogue about Orthodox Missions in general and service possibilities in particular.

Of note were the acceptance of three new long-term missionary candidates, the growth of the Support a Mission Priest (SAMP) program, which now supports 400 indigenous clergy in 19 Mission countries worldwide, the continued expansion of the Ambassador program, and the hiring of OCMC’s new Major Gifts Officer, Amy Pierce – all indications that the intent of North American Orthodox Christians to make disciples of all nations remains strong. Over 200 individuals have expressed interest and are in some stage of being considered for Missionary service.

Positive news, however, was also met with a certain level of sobriety as the organization, along with most non-profit groups, is feeling the effects of the economic recession from which, some economists say, the world is only now just beginning to emerge. The year 2009 saw the lowest number of Mission Team member participants in years and donations in support of the work of OCMC were down. As a result, the Board discussed measures the OCMC would need to take in order to weather the lingering storm while expanding its mission ministries to meet the growing need for Orthodox Christian witness around the world. These efforts included detailed scrutiny of the 2010 budget and increased emphasis on enrolling individuals in the Friends of Missions program and other fundraising appeals. Also planned in the next few months are dinners and other events sponsored by local Mission committees in Chicago, St. Louis, Washington, DC, and South Florida. A dinner was held in Denver in November.

Graciously hosted by Seminary Chancellor the Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield, OCMC Board Vice President, meetings began on Monday, November 16th, with sessions involving the Board’s Executive Committee and the Strategic Planning Committee. The current Strategic Plan is midway through its five-year term and will be reviewed and updated.

On Tuesday, November 17th, between Matins and Vespers in the Seminary’s Three Hierarch Chapel, the Board gathered for a full report on the ministries of OCMC in 2009 and to discuss the organization’s goals for 2010 including individual departmental operational plans. OCMC Executive Director Fr. Martin Ritsi also shared his recent trip to Pakistan and Africa where he, on behalf of the OCMC, received the St. Mark award from His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa. He also talked about the Church’s efforts to reach the Turkana people of Northern Kenya and the emerging Church in Pakistan.

Later that evening a banquet benefiting the OCMC was held at nearby Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in New Rochelle, New York where former OCMC Board member Fr. Nicholas Anctil is the priest. The guest speaker was His Grace Seraphim, Retired Bishop of Sendai, Japan. His Grace shared his own missionary experiences in Japan and how he was inspired by St. Nikolai who was able to effectively make disciples of the Japanese people. He entreated those in attendance to continue the work of St. Nikolai among different cultures, but also among those we encounter in our daily lives. His Grace Bishop Savas of Troas, the Director of the Office of Church and Society of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America also attended.

Following Matins on Wednesday, November 18th, the Board concluded the Fall meeting with reports from various committees. The Nominations Sub-Committee, chaired by President Emeritus Fr. Alexander Veronis, opened nominations for new Board officers starting three-year terms in the Spring of 2010 including President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. In the report from the Teams Task Force, Chair George Conopeotis shared with the Board new strategies for helping more of the faithful answer the call to missions by participating on short-term teams. Other committee discussions included Governance, Development, Health Care and wrap-ups on the new Building Construction and Dedication events. Though the future may hold continued challenges, it is a testament to God’s will that He desires salvation for all people and indicative of the deep faith of Orthodox Christians in North America that the work of missions carries on. In this hour, prayer, is needed for the staff, board, and missionaries of the OCMC, and all those called to serve as Christ’s witnesses to the ends of the earth.

The Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) is the official mission agency of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) dedicated to making disciples of all nations by incorporating them into the vibrant Eucharistic life of the Church.

OCMC Invites Families to Experience an Orthodox Mission Team

For the first time, OCMC is offering families the opportunity to participate together on Orthodox Mission Teams. Four 2010 OCMC Mission Teams are open to parents and youth who are prayerfully seeking exposure to the important work of making disciples.

Family Teams allow youth (13 and above) to travel with a parent to offer their time and talents as living witnesses to the Orthodox Christian Faith. If you want your teen to have an opportunity to serve others around the world and to be involved in missions, then consider joining a 2010 Orthodox Family Mission Team. This year’s Family Team destinations are: Eklutna and Old Harbor, Alaska; Shen Vlash, Albania; and Cluj, Romania.

The Eklutna Team will travel to the oldest continuously inhabited Athabaskan Indian settlement to work on light general maintenance to the church of St. Nicholas (cutting shrubs, trimming grass, painting the cemetery, and fence and walkway repairs,) and by offering historic tours of the Church. The Albania Team will assist in the daily activities and ministries of the Children’s Home of Hope in Albania. The Romania Team will join ASCOR (the Student Association of Orthodox Christians in Romania) in offering a Youth Camp outside of Cluj to middle school-aged youth. The Team to Old Harbor will participate in the annual Family Camp offered to youth and adults on Sitkalidak Island. The theme of the camp will be “Christ in the Eucharist, Truly a Subsistence Food.”

All of the 2010 Family Teams have been carefully chosen to allow youth to develop relationships with their Orthodox peers and learn about new cultures. Language barriers melt and horizons are broadened as families put their faith into action and share their Orthodox faith.

An Orthodox Mission Team can be a life-changing experience. Family Teams are perfect if you have teens who love Christ and helping others and if your family is seeking spritual growth and a deeper understanding of the universality of the Orthodox faith. An OCMC Family Mission Team is a great way to begin a journey that will have a profound impact on your lives and the lives of others.

For more information or to apply for one of these Family Teams log on to http://teams.ocmc.org, or contact OCMC by phone at 1-877-GO-FORTH or by e-mail at teams@ocmc.org.

Did Not Our Hearts Burn

by Jesse Brandow

After spending nearly two weeks in Guatemala, I arrived back in the United States exhausted and inspired. I hoped to write sooner to share my experience, but I needed time to readjust to life here in the States. It has been nearly three months since I arrived home, and only now am I beginning to understand my trip to the Hogar Rafael Ayau (Hogar means “home” or “orphanage”). My time at the Hogar was so packed with sights, sounds, faces, and prayers that I have a difficult time truly sharing it. Yet it has meant so much to me that I have to share it with you! So I’m putting ink to paper as I begin to tell what God has done for me in Guatemala.

As the plane flew into Guatemala City, my eyes were glued to the window. The sprawling city had no massive skyscrapers to challenge the mountain peaks, which shot up on all sides. It was nothing like Chicago’s huge apartment buildings or New York’s jutting skyline. Here thousands of shacks littered the ground, and my team of ten was headed to the worst district.

Entering the orphanage felt like entering a small fort. It fills an entire city block, and its huge walls keep the children safe from danger. We had to be cleared by guards, who rolled back the gate for our van. Once inside it was easy to forget the world lurking outside those walls: gang fights, drunken parties, and prostitutes. The days in the Hogar were filled with so much joy, but sometimes at night I would suddenly hear the outside world: men arguing and a woman crying for help. On the first day we met the children in church. Each day began and ended in that same house of worship. The children came to services freely and sang all of the songs from memory. Although the boys and girls were a little mischievous in church (they’re kids after all!), they managed to stand for over an hour of services each day, singing in their native tongue. How I miss reciting the Lord’s prayer with them in Spanish, watching them carefully light beeswax candles, and walking up together to receive communion.

Our simple purpose was to love the children. Some of them were abused before coming to the Hogar, others never knew their parents. So what the children needed most was good role models who made them feel like unique and beautiful children of God. More practically, we were there to organize a week-long summer program called ‘The Chocolate Train’, which stopped at many “stations,” including the game room, pool, bakery, and art room. I find it hard to describe to you how full each day was, how special each moment. I played foosball and checkers in the morning and then baked cookies with a dozen children. I jumped in the pool before lunch, then juggled paints, pencils, and crayons in the art room. So many stories fill in the lines of this single paragraph, each one deserving to be told.

Before we left, Madre Ivonne asked each of us to write down the most memorable moment. I’d like to share what I wrote so you can hear one of the stories that crowded the lines of my journal. It was one of those rare moments when a person shines in all his inner beauty. One morning I was sitting on the grass when five or six of the cutest youngsters mobbed me, each one of them begging for attention. Then, with all of them climbing on top of me, one hand popped out in front of my face. I looked and saw Kevin. He has a healed cleft lip, some silver false teeth, and a hard time speaking. You might not guess how special he is. All the other kids desperately wanted me to devote my attention only to them, but Kevin just wanted to give me something. I looked into his hand and saw that he had found a little bug. I held it for a little while before giving it back. That was enough to make Kevin smile so big that I could see his silver teeth. He just wanted to share a little treasure, and the simplicity of his love melted my heart. Imagine 100 children like Kevin who want to know that someone has seen who they are and loved what they saw. Those 100 at the Hogar are part of the 370,000 orphans of Guatemala, all born to broken parents in a broken world. Some were neglected, others were actually tortured, and their scars remain with them forever. Thankfully, 100 children are protected from much of the world’s evil by the Hogar’s walls. Yet the line between love and hatred cannot be found in any physical barrier. That line runs through every human heart. The process of healing begins when the children are brought into the Hogar. As they grow, their hearts open up, and they begin to trust the nuns, staff, and Mission Team members who love them unconditionally. I thank God that I was a small part of their lives. Perhaps with God’s grace I helped some of them to know how beautiful they are.

When my mission trip ended I did not want to return to the U.S. Here I find it difficult to keep focused on love when my vision is crowded by computer screens, hip clothing, and bold advertisements. There may be fewer orphans in the United States, but just as many people need love. Everywhere the world is broken. In Guatemala it is obvious, but here materialism plasters over the cracks. Sometimes I wish I could see the cracks plainly so it would be easier to focus on loving the people around me. But the love I shared at the Hogar still gives me hope that by focusing on Jesus Christ I will be able to heal others through love and to be healed myself.

We all need healing. What God showed me at the Hogar was how to live without despairing at human suffering. The world is dark, but that does not stop joy from shining through the Hogar. By putting Christ’s love at the center of life, the nuns have built an amazing home for the children. In spite of all the painful stories I heard there, I have never felt so much joy anywhere else. More and more, I hope to live in the joy of Christ, for only he can heal our souls.

Please remember the children of the Hogar in your prayers.

P.S. You can find links to my picture albums at www.didnotourheartburn.blogspot.com

Federal Employees – Support Missions through the Combined Federal Campaign!

Federal employees have a unique opportunity to support the ministries of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). The CFC is the world’s largest and most successful annual workplace charity campaign, and since becoming involved with the CFC in 2002, the OCMC has received $289,939.00 in gifts from Federal employees through the program. To date this year, the OCMC has received $41,856.00. As a CFC eligible non-profit, the OCMC must meet the highest of financial accountability standards, and our eligibility is reviewed on an annual basis.

We are in the midst of the CFC annual pledge season, September 1 – December 15, 2009. Any Federal civilian, postal, or military employee can begin to make gifts to the OCMC by visiting www.opm.gov/cfc/ and using the OCMC non-profit code 10304. The deadline to pledge your gift is quickly approaching!

If you are a Federal employee and have been considering ways to support international Orthodox missions, we ask that you consider this as one convenient option. We also invite you to visit www.ocmc.org, or call 877-GO-FORTH, to discover all of the opportunities available to further engage in the vital work of bringing more of our brothers and sisters around the world into the Body of Christ!

My First Romanian Baptism

by Christina Semon

I want to share with you an experience I had in which I witnessed my first Romanian baptism. Here is how it happened.

Wednesday at the PTFC we hold a meeting for the mothers. At this meeting they discussed their problems and listened to others. Then if the staff can offer some advice, they share it. It was my first time attending such meetings. Laura is one of the single mothers who has a son named Dragost. She was crying for half of the meeting while she was explaining her pains and worries. During the meeting, I learned that on Sunday she will have Dragost baptized at an Orthodox Monastery! My eyes brightened up after hearing this news.

On Sunday, I drove three of the ladies that work at the PTFC to the baptism. I saw Dragost’s father, and I learned that Dragost’s parents are around 19 and are Roma — [Gypsy]. Laura did not expect anybody to come to her son’s baptism and she was so grateful that we came to support her. The father, whose name is Florin, was hired by the monastery to help with some construction work and the Abbot got to know Florin. The Abbot talked to him about baptizing Dragost at the monastery. The parents are poor so that some of the typical baptismal things you would see were not there. But in God’s eyes what items they had, and who participated are what mattered the most.

Dragost is now an Orthodox Christian. Glory to God!

‘Getting the Word Out’ About Substance Abuse

by Basil Spyropoulos

In late June/early July 2009, I had the great privilege of being involved with the efforts of the St. Dimitrie Project in Cluj, Romania. The St. Dimitrie Project is a treatment and outreach ministry which focuses on community education in and treatment of substance abuse. I spent two weeks in Romania during which, together with the St. Dimitrie Project Staff and its Director, OCMC Missionary Floyd Frantz, I presented educational lectures on alcoholism and substance abuse to various audiences. The lectures were well-attended by lay people, priests, social workers, psychotherapists, and physicians.

I am greatly impressed by the success the St. Dimitrie Project has had in “getting the word out” about the realities of substance abuse and the fact that it is very treatable. As a direct result of this team’s efforts, including publications and direct outreach, thousands of concerned persons have learned that alcoholism and substance abuse are treatable and that effective treatment can be found locally. Furthermore, treatment groups have been formed in many parts of the country. The project has helped hundreds of people reclaim their lives and, with God’s help, it will continue to expand and touch the lives of many more.

2010 Teams Bulletin Insert Now Available!

The list of the OCMC 2010 Mission Teams is complete, and we need your help to get the word out! Visit http://www.ocmc.org/resources/view_announcement.aspx?AnnouncementId=42 to find a bulletin insert we’ve designed to give your parish more information about the 2010 Mission Teams; please print this and include it in your bulletin as soon as possible. OCMC Teams are an opportunity to change lives and to have your life changed in return! If you would like more information about Mission Teams, please contact OCMC at (904) 829-5132 or teams@ocmc.org. Share in a Journey of Faith!

The 2009 OCMC Mission Team to Guatemala: A Mission of Love (Part 1)

by Steven Shippy

“I am surrounded by love. It’s not the kind of love you see on TV or in the movies, but love in its most true and simple form. It is the love that can only come from God. I have only been here at the Hogar for about a day, but I have already found that love in abundance everywhere I look.”

These were the opening words from the journal I kept during my trip to the Hogar Rafael Ayau orphanage in Guatemala this July. I was joined by 9 other Orthodox Christians from around the country, and together we had one main objective during our eleven days with the children at the Hogar: to love and be loved. Our days, of course, were filled with various activities such as sports, arts and crafts, baking, swimming, and lots and lots of playing and other fun activities. But it is the sharing of our very selves that will remain with us forever.

My trip began long before I stepped on the airplane, with the love, prayers, and support of my family, my friends, and most of all, my parish family at St Mary. Before I left I took on the task of collecting shoes for the teenagers. I was blessed with overwhelming support from the parish, my co-workers, and others and was able to bring 30 pairs of brand-new shoes, about 30 pairs of socks, and some monetary donations to help them cover what I was unable to bring. I also received donations to cover all of the arts and crafts projects that we had to buy supplies for and bring with us. With all of the shoes and supplies, my luggage was heavy; but it was a reminder that this trip is not my own. I left with the support of many people, and without that support, the trip would not have been possible. I am grateful to God for giving me such good friends and family.

During our eleven days at the Hogar, our biggest “mission” was to run “The Chocolate Train,” which is the summer program for the children. Our Team was put into pairs, and each pair was responsible for 8 to 9 children, ranging in ages from 5-13. Our daily activities included sports, arts and crafts, going to the bakery, games, Bible story videos, and playing in the park. There were also days where we had special activities, such as a mini-carnival with hot dogs and cotton candy, a live performance of songs from High School Musical, a birthday party for many of the children, and an inflatable “moonwalk” for the kids to jump and play in.

One of the biggest highlights for us and the children was a trip to the hot pools. There are 5 pools that are geothermally heated, and it was an absolute blast! In addition to our regular children from The Chocolate Train program, we were also joined by the little ones and the teenagers. The fact that it is now nearly a month later and my back still hurts from children climbing all over me and hours of piggy back rides that day gives you an idea of how much fun we had.

While we were at the Hogar, Mother Ivonne had given us the task to write down our most memorable moment. I ended up writing about two of the children I spent the most time with at the hot pools, Kevin and Cathy, who are 5 and 4: “Playing with Kevin and Cathy at the hot pools is a memory I will always keep with me. Cathy is just the sweetest little angel. We had so much fun playing in the water, and her giggling shy smile is so pure. I have a very special bond with Kevin and knew of him before I even came to the Hogar. His laughter will always ring in my ears, and his smile has found a permanent place in my heart.” This was just one moment. There were so many.

One of the greatest blessings I received at the Hogar was getting to spend my 27th birthday there. We traveled to the monastery that day, which is about an hour away; here the new orphanage is being built. What an incredible place! The church sits high on the mountainside above Lake Amatitlan and is like a spiritual lighthouse for all to see. The nuns own almost the entire mountainside, and the difference between where the orphanage is now (in the middle of Guatemala City) and the new location in San Miguel is like the difference between night and day. Once the move is complete, the children can finally move away from the crime, pollution, and violence of the city and enjoy their own little paradise.

The orphanage is under the care of three Orthodox nuns and presently cares for around 60 children, but that number has reached nearly 150 at times. Many are victims of physical and sexual abuse, and it is very hard to hear their stories. However, as Fr. Nick Jonas, our team leader so wonderfully put it, “The children of the Hogar are being healed through practicing the Orthodox Christian way of life in all its fullness!” One of the things you are immediately struck by is their participation in the life of the Church, which includes services twice a day. The children are not required to go, yet most, if not all, attend. The children are the choir, chanters, and readers; the children serve in the altar and do the censings; the children light the candles, ring the bells, and clean the church. It is truly an amazing thing to experience. After my first service, I wrote in my journal, “Their praise to God is so sincere. I wish my parish family could see and experience it. They would be so moved.” I truly wish you could have experienced it.

There are so many things that I would share with you if I had more space to write. The fact that I wrote over 30 pages in my journal and took over 1,500 photographs on this trip might give you an idea of how much I have to share. And those were just the thoughts and memories I could find time to record. But I realize that I can share until my fingers hurt from writing or I’m out of breath from talking–but you still won’t truly and fully understand what I have seen and experienced and why I will carry this trip close to my heart for the rest of my life. I am very grateful for all of the support you have given me, and I now ask of you one more thing for those who are physically able: Go. Go anywhere. Just go. Join an OCMC Mission Team. Not for me, but for the millions of people around the world who are waiting for you to come and share the love of God with them. Mother Teresa once said, “Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go.” She also said, “Love begins at home.”

With those words in mind, I would like to leave you with the last entry from the journal I kept during my two weeks in Guatemala. I pray that someday you will get to experience a trip for yourself.

“Last night we had our final meeting as a team over dinner and discussed the trip in order to have some closure on the whole experience. How did we grow? What did we accomplish? What did we learn? How will our lives be different? We were all able to answer these questions to a degree, but for many of us, I think our understanding of this trip will continually be made clear, perhaps maybe even many years from now. God’s Will for each of us is different. We have all been touched by this experience in unique and individual ways. I will continue to seek its meaning for my life and look forward to the many blessings that will come along with it. I know from experience that the hardest part is still to come. It’s those moments when you’re back home, back to work, and back to “reality” that isn’t really reality at all, and you’re wishing you could be with the kids. But there will be no little hands to hold. No hugs to receive, no tiny voices saying “Esteven! Mirar! (Steven! Look!)” Leaving is hard because here, I am surrounded by love. But there is one thing that I am always reminded of when I am away from home and my family and friends. Here at the Hogar I have come to know all of these beautiful children and it is difficult to understand why they were unwanted, abused, neglected, and exploited. By the grace of God and the love and charity of the nuns of the Holy Trinity monastery, they have been given a second chance. I will never fully understand what they have been through. When I get back home and see my family and friends and church, I can be certain of one thing: that I am still surrounded by love, and for that I am truly thankful.”