Dear Brothers, Hail in the Lord, We write to you from the distant Malawi of Central Africa, where we are interrupting the Orthodox Mission, here in the city of Blantyre, with the blessings always of His Eminence, His Eminence Metropolitan Joachim of the Holy Metropolis of Zambia and Malawi. Above all, I would like to thank you for the church that is being built for us here in the town of Blantyre of the Resurrection of Christ. Warm thanks from the hearts of our African brothers and sisters, where at last they will have a church thanks to you, so that the Sacraments can be celebrated and sanctified. So the church is proceeding as usual and we hope that in two months it will be completed and that our Archbishop will celebrate the inauguration there, together with the first Divine Liturgy. Please pray for us, and especially for the newly converted Christians of Malawi, that the Most High God will enlighten, strengthen and guide us in His Holy Will. By His grace, therefore, the Mission, wherever it can, spreads its love and protection to our suffering fellow Malawians. The Country is among the ten poorest in the World, so you can understand how much poverty and suffering there is. So we try to develop activities in the charitable sector, distributing food to the needy, clothes, sending poor children to school, organising soup kitchens, buying medicines to those who need them and generally trying to ease their pain and comfort them at least with the most basic necessities. But also in the spiritual field, with the instructions, blessings and prayers of our venerable Archbishop, Mr. Joachim, our Mission does everything it can to teach the true Orthodox faith to those who live in heresies or in atheism. So we continue to publish small booklets in Chicheweona, we continue to translate in our translation center the Minarion and other liturgical books, and at the same time other Orthodox booklets, so that new Christians here may be enlightened and their immortal souls may benefit. Also, special provision is made for the deacons, priests and catechists of our church here. Seminars are held every Saturday, they all come from their villages, we give them forms and of course catechetical lessons are taught, so that they in turn, can teach them in their villages. So step by step, and by the grace of God, the Orthodox faith is gaining ground and is being established in this country. In a few days, the Archbishop will ordain the catechists George and Peter as deacons. Please pray for them, that they may merit to serve the Holy Altar worthily, and benefit their fellow men and women. George is destined to serve the Church of the Resurrection that you are building for us. He is an ardent catechist, educated, humble with a simple heart, and thirsty for learning in the faith. Peter is also a very good catechist and a conscientious Orthodox Christian and will serve our church in Zambia, the old state capital. My brothers and sisters, again we thank you and wish the good Lord strengthens and blesses you along with all the mission donors .
I embrace you with the love of Christ,
Priest Hermolaus
