Dear brothers in Christ,
I am sending you my warmest greetings from Accra, the capital city of Ghana, a country that is struggling to eliminate human misery.
It should be noted that the country lacks water supply network; even in the capital there is no potable water. It is worth mentioning that at the Metropolis we have two cisterns and the purchase of water costs us approximately 700 euros monthly, plus the potable water, which we have to buy as well.
There are hundreds of deaths due to contaminated water on a daily basis, even in Accra. Also, sewage runs on the roadside and the risk of contagious diseases, especially various forms of hepatitis, is high. A lot of clerics as well as children have died of hepatitis. In the province, things are even worse with the most terrible “disease”, famine, ravaging whole families, and in conjunction with the unsuitability of water, the worst scourge of all, these people have not only nothing to eat but also nothing to drink.
Things are getting more and more difficult due to the economic crisis in Europe as well as in Greece and Cyprus, since you are the main supporters of the Missionary Work. Unfortunately, the truth is hard to say and it hurts.
All of us in Africa are doing everything in our power in order to keep our Metropolises and Dioceses alive in every possible way and not have to abandon the Mission.
We are struggling to maintain our schools and institutions without any donations any more. This is why I would like to ask you to help us. If you know any schools in Greece which have school-buses that they no longer need, you could transport them in containers here in Ghana, and we could put them into circulation. This way, on the one hand, the people who go through a lot of discomfort due to lack of transport could be served, and on the other, the Metropolis would be able to have some revenues.
Another thing that is necessary is the purchase of water wagons for the transport of potable water to Parishes and Schools. This way, we will be relieved not only of the high transport costs but also of the frequent infections of the pupils due to water contamination. I would kindly ask you to publish this in the next issue of your periodical “Orthodox Mission”, in the hope that some warm-hearted person will be touched and help with even a small contribution. This way, we will be able to keep our work alive, because unfortunately there are no other solutions to resort to, and we are on the verge of collapse.
Thanking you in advance.
With love in Christ
Savvas of Accra
