Like everywhere else, life here in the Antipodes moves at roughly the same pace. With the Almighty God rising with His sun on the wicked and the good and raining on the just and the unjust, and with the inhabitants and rulers of the earth, of whom some thank and praise Him and others deny and blaspheme Him. In New Zealand there is a regime of irreligion. Everyone is free to believe or not to believe. To sin or to do good. Thank God for the inherent moral law.
However, the presence of the Cross also comforts the Orthodox churches and especially the Holy Monastery of Levin. The message of Orthodoxy is spreading at an increasing rate. Orthodoxy is the sweet and unique hope of our times.
In Fiji and the Oceania islands in general, poverty goes hand in hand with the simplicity and true humanity of life. The indigenous people live as God wills and do not go against His laws as the so-called civilized people of Europe, America and Australia do.
The Orphanage was completed, the Temple began
In Fiji, by the grace of God, Orthodoxy is slowly but surely advancing. The building of the orphanage in Saweni, as shown in the photo, has been completed and will soon be inaugurated and open for business to the great joy of the poor Fijians and all those who have helped to make this blessed work possible. On the same plot of land purchased with money from the Orthodox Foreign Missionary Brotherhood, the foundations have been laid and in a few weeks, God willing, the construction of the Holy Trinity Church, which will be our official Church, will continue. The cost will be around FJ$120,000 (i.e. about €47,000). We begin with the hope that this project will be finished and we will be able to celebrate the first Mass and sing the beautiful Trinitarian hymn “Let us all praise God, in the same way, the Father and the Son, and the Spirit, the divine, the triune state, the one Kingdom and the Lordship”.
In the course of these projects there are, as is natural, difficulties and obstacles either from nature (constant rainfall) or from people (dishonesty, clumsiness, etc.). I would like to take this opportunity to thank first the Brotherhood of Orthodox Foreign Mission and then all the known and unknown contributors, who have helped and will help in the holy works that are being done in the beautiful islands of Fiji and with which Christ and His Church and our Orthodox Greece are glorified. May the Creator and Creator of the world, who sent His only begotten Son into the world to enlighten and save the world, claim us, though weak and sinful, not to forget Him nor to embitter Him with our ingratitude, but always to thank and praise Him morning and evening and at every hour and moment as do the animals and the birds and all the senseless creation on earth and the angels and the spirits of the righteous in heaven.
† The New Zealand Amphilochius
Support the rebuilding of the Holy Trinity Church in Saweni. Help the operation of our orphanage which will soon host its first children. You too can support the work of the Orthodox Church in Fiji by making a donation.
