With God’s help, we managed to spend the holy days of Easter in an atmosphere full of reverence this year too. We may be a little tired, but our heart is full of the joy of God, the joy of the Resurrection.
I have just returned from my visit to our Saint Ephraim community, where I went to see the process of works in our school of Saint John the Forerunner. They are about to finish, it is only the doors and the seats left. Of course, there is still time before the school year starts in the middle of July. Apart from that, we are waiting for the operation permit from the state.
My brothers, we have all the liturgical books (Divine Liturgy, Baptism, Marriage, Funeral, Pre-sanctified Liturgy, Supplications, the Akathist Hymn) translated into the Indonesian language. We have been using them for more than 10 years now, but we encountered plenty of mistakes, which we have corrected. That is why we are planning to have the corrected translations printed, in order to distribute them to several communities. If possible we would like to do it this year, and we can also have the name of the sponsor printed in the book. For this work we need approximately 5,000 € for 1,500 books.
The works on our Theotokos Hospital are about to finish. There are still some complements regarding the equipment (beds, personal computers, oxygen cylinders…). As I have mentioned before, 31,200 € is required for its purchase. You have already sent us 10,000 €, and we have bought a part of the stuff required. We thank you from the bottom of our heart for your generous offer. Therefore, what we need is an extra 20,000€ in order to get this work completed.
Assessment of projects
On the occasion of the Feast of Easter 2013, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for some of your great works here in the Orthodox Mission of Indonesia.
• Thank you for the Schools you have built. Saint Sophia Orthodox School has got 400 pupils (from Primary to Senior High). The Computer Academy comprises 150 students. The buildings of Saint Sophia and the Academy are donations of the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity.
• You have built several churches, one in Pargambiran village dedicated to the Annunciation of the Theotokos, another in Siparbue village dedicated to the Lord’s Resurrection and a third one in Hiligeo, Nias, dedicated to the Holy Apostles Paul and Martha.
• In addition, you are taking part in the completion of the Construction of the Theotokos Hospital at the city of Medan, especially on the third floor.
• A part of the farm in the village of Lae Rias, where we have planted corn, has been bought by you.
How many things haven’t you given for the Orthodox Mission of Indonesia, really! Even your heart! This is something you have done for the Orthodox Mission worldwide as well as for the little Orthodox Mission here in Indonesia.
Vision for the future
The foundations for the establishment of Orthodoxy in Sumatra have been set by you during the 12 years of my ministry here. I am praying to God, first of all, to give us His blessing to prepare the second generation of believers so that they can continue the work with the right spirit; second, to stand on our feet financially, so that the works of the Mission can be functioning properly.
It is with confidence that I look upon our youth, the future of the Church, who will graduate from University in 3 years at the latest and will be able to work properly so as to bring a good spirit into our community as well as create economic resources for it.
These are my dreams so that Orthodoxy can move forward in distant Indonesia. In order to achieve this, my brothers, I still need your hands, your help, until Orthodoxy in Indonesia grows mature in all respects.
That’s all our news, my brothers. I am really grateful to you for having supported the God-pleasing work of the Mission in our country. May our loving God, the owner of the Orthodox Mission in Indonesia, grant you His goods generously.
Christ is Risen! Kristus Sudah Bangkit!
Fr Chrysostomos Manalu
