3rd water tank: hope of life
Dear brothers in Christ, I would like to thank you once again for the significant help you offer us from time to time in terms of buying food for 10,000 euros and for the funding of various projects and especially the tanks for 30,000 euros in the last period. I would like to inform you that a month ago the last tank in a remote village 22 kilometres from the main road was finished, so people are now being served in this way and do not have to carry water from very far away. The joy of all the villagers young and old was great and on my last visit they thanked me many times. I am enclosing photos. With God’s help and the blessings of Pope and Patriarch Theodore, everything is going well, although we have been affected by the crisis in Greece and Cyprus.
Disaster at the monsoon dance
Lately we have had a lot of destruction from the monsoon. Many houses were destroyed and people were left on the streets. Three churches of ours were destroyed and now need major repairs to be reopened. The dam of a river that was near the township in Tulear broke and half the town was destroyed. The houses of two priests were almost covered by water and they lost all their belongings. Our Church did not remain inactive in this case either. We sent food, milk and clothes and they were distributed to the flood victims. We also had several victims in this disaster. Slowly the damage is being repaired, but time and money are needed. Therefore, please assist us with your prayer and sensitivity. Our Holy Church is always present in the problems that people face in their lives, without discrimination.
Progress of the spiritual work
We continue, among other things, with the support of the Brotherhood of Orthodox Foreign Mission, touring villages and towns where people are interested in getting to know Orthodoxy. The word of God is sown well – unwell and bears fruit according to the soil, as the Gospel says, which is fully applicable in today’s world. The grace of God goes ahead and prepares the soil (the souls of men) to be receptive to the word of God.
This is where the mystery of human salvation begins. The reasons are many and varied, and we cannot even imagine them. Small, insignificant events become the cause of catechism and acquaintance in a village. The seed is sown in the souls of people and slowly it bears fruit until a small nucleus is created and in the end an Orthodox church. What greater miracle can one ask for than this?
The miracle is performed by the grace of God in the souls of men. He transforms and regenerates them so that they accept the truth, the true God, the true religion. The Holy Spirit constantly opens doors for His indwelling. We often have invitations from various villages to visit them and talk about the Orthodox Church. The attraction is by the grace of God who always goes ahead and opens the hearts of the people. We praise God for our humble ministry and wish that He will present persons to work in His vineyard, for indeed the lack of workers is felt day by day.
With paternal wishes
Ignatius of Madagascar
