Our times are changing very quickly and the situations in Africa are becoming unimaginably complicated. It is no longer easy to keep track of the rapid changes in the wheel of local events. Meanwhile, and internal impressions are not as clear as external impressions, which are accumulated every day by the electronic media. In this chaos, the struggle continues.
Mobilisation of the Deans
Ever since the 9 regions of the Deaconesses (High Priestly Commissioners) in the province of Uganda were defined in 2002, there was the impression that the Bishop would bring money and cars to distribute to the 9 commissioners to start their work! However, the challenges of the economic crisis in Europe pushed the Commissioners into extraordinary activities to organize the regions.
Thus, after serious consultations, all members were invited to their mandatory participation and promotion of the work of the Church on all sides.
Status of priests and communities in general
There are 67 priests in 105 communities, distinguished in 9 Districts and Commissions. All are trying to work, except in two areas where the problems are particular and require great attention in solving them. These backlogged areas are Lira in the north and Fort Portal in the west. In summary the following are the figures in numbers:
- 250.000 to 300.000 Orthodox population
- 9 regions with archpriestly commissioners: 3 central, 2 eastern, 2 western, 2 northern regions
- 67 clergymen
- 47 brick churches (25 established)
- 105 parishes & sub-parishes, communities
- 100 catechists
- 51 strong groups of mothers
- 50 weak youth groups
- 18 clinics, 1 small central hospital
- 9 doctors of various specialities
- 99 schools: 15 high schools, 8 lyceums, 26 primary schools, 50 kindergartens – Sunday school classes
- 650 teachers, 160+ school staff
- 19 boarding schools, 3,000 boarders (and many orphans among them)
- 20.000+ students
- 3 teams of builders in the building industry
- 1086 Commissioners for Priests, Churches, Communities, Mothers, Youth, Clinics, Schools, Boarding Schools, Orphanages
- 2 monks, 3 nuns with a rosary
- Special Task Force: Gen. Commissioner, Chief Secretary, Registrar, Accountant, Treasurer, Education Secretary, Guide
- 1 NGO: Social Charity Care of the Orthodox Church in Uganda
Hopes in education
The Orthodox Church in Uganda is now the Church of the young people, simply because the outflow of young people from the Orthodox Church to heterodox religions through education has stopped. We have our own schools, though not as well organized as those of the heterodox. For the moment, schools and education are the backbone of the whole effort.
That is why, in the last two years alone, we have invested 2 billion Ugandan shillings (580,000 euros) in education, to build new schools, supplement the old ones and contribute to the tuition fees of the studying youth. From the very beginning (1997), we abandoned the system of “free education” of Orthodox students in schools and initiated the system of participation of parents or relatives with a “minimum functional fee” in almost all types of education (except for the Seminary). Thus, from the donations of our Greek brothers and sisters, we were able with this system to build additional schools and help more children in education and even – most importantly – pay all workers in the field a small monthly stipend.
† Metropolitan of Uganda Jonah
