Orthodox Mission in Madagascar experiencing difficult times

(OMF) - Dear friends of the Mission, rejoice in the Lord!

First of all, I would like to thank you for your continuous support to the work which our Holy Metropolis has undertaken to accomplish in far off Madagascar by the Grace of God and the blessings of our Revered Head, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria Theodore II.

The struggle still goes on, despite the difficulties we have to confront, economic as well as in human resources. However, how could we possibly stop such a God-pleasing work, when the Grace of the Most Holy Spirit is ahead of us and paves our way for the Evangelization of immortal souls? When the people who live isolated in far off villages do not mind the efforts and the discomfort and walk for hours in order to reach us and ask from us to go and catechize them so that they find true God and join the body of the Church?

Once, we went to a village 1,300 km away from our missionary centre for christenings. It was a long journey and special preparation for everything necessary was needed, because in such multi-day trips no mistake or omission is allowed. On the way, we stopped at a very distant village to have a lunch in one of the small shops along the road. Our presence and appearance aroused the local people’s interest. Before long a large number of them had gathered around us; then, they were given the explanations they were looking for and their catechesis began. After giving them plenty of books on our Church, we left with the promise to visit this village again. We did visit it again and eventually we created a good parish there...

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