In the green hills of central Nigeria, in Benue State, in the Tiv tribe, a missionary team of the Metropolis of Nigeria, consisting of Metropolitan Alexandros, Archbishop Cornelius and the priests of the region, Fr. The Orthodox presence here began 7 years ago with the strange ways of God that reveal His will to reveal the fullness of His Truth, as, where and when He judges. Then, two young children with good studies and special spiritual and social concerns joined our Orthodox family and became angels of its message, initially to their families and their families. A great effort, a long time, many challenges, but also a great will, patience and perseverance, great faith and fervent prayer. These beloved children of yesterday are our clergymen of today, Fr. Christianos and Fr. Niphon. They were later joined by the monk Fr. Andrew. The region is difficult and problematic with high rates of illiteracy, lack of basic education and health infrastructure, a tragic lack of drinking water, absence of a road network, polygamy, paganism, unemployment and lack of hope and vision for the majority of young people. On Saturday morning, 18 May, the church of St. Charalambos in the village of Adikpo, the first orthodox church in the region, was inaugurated, and at noon on the same day, about 50 children and adults were baptised. On Sunday 19/5 the first mass was celebrated with the participation of dozens of believers and local leaders. At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the bishop honored lay collaborators, men and women for their contribution to the work of the local church. The first permanent parish priest of the region, Pr. Andrew, was warmly welcomed by the faithful, who were asked to undertake a particularly difficult task.
The next day, after a strenuous and adventurous march, the team arrived at the village of Karmem, in the parish of Christ. Absolute poverty! The houses of the inhabitants, huts made of mud and straw. The Holy Church, wooden poles with thatched roofs. Same with the school. The pupils barefoot with torn clothes, dusty and hungry. Many with serious illnesses, mainly intestines and typhus. In an emotionally charged atmosphere, the foundation stone of the school was laid – God only knows how and when it will be built. This was followed by a gathering in the church, words of hope and consolation; an image of Christ in their hands and a cross around their necks, the blessing of their bishop. Many villagers were also present, elderly people, women, men and children who left the fields to see and hear. After a long stay, the mission moved on to another place of absolute poverty and misery, the newly established community of Timios Stavros. Under some huge trees that lovingly shade the faithful, a few dozen people, mostly young people, gathered to listen to their clergy, receive their blessing and pray with them. Faces dug out of the sun, tired from hardships and poverty, hands hard, wrinkled from daily toil on earth. The toil for a plate of food to share, in the huts, without drinking water and electricity, without medicine. There, in the most prosperous region of the country with a huge production of food, victims of unacceptable economic systems and social structures. Two more solemn days in the region with meetings of catechists and parish councils and then a march to eastern Nigeria, where there is also a large number of our Orthodox parishes. The prayer of all of us in the Orthodox Church of Nigeria is that God’s grace will cover the new charismatic missionary of the region, Fr. Andrew, to support our brothers and sisters in the pain and hardships they experience daily.
I hope it gives all of us the courage to go on “with our doors closed”, to offer the message of the Resurrection, the hope of the new world of the Kingdom of God.
With a grateful heart and best wishes
+ Alexander of Nigeria
