Dear Friends of the Mission,
Rejoice in the Lord always.
It is with great joy that I recall our meeting at the Fraternity Offices, in this blessed place where, armed with Faith, abundant Love and Zeal, you fight in the rear and support the Orthodox Mission around the world, part of which is our humble missionary effort in India.
I am well aware of the difficulties that our country is experiencing and the needs of our Greek compatriots and, to be honest, I find it really hard to ask for financial assistance from Greece.
We experience the results of the crisis in India as well, and despite our faith in God’s love and providence, it is humanly impossible not to feel anxious, since we are responsible for so many souls.
So far with the help of God, we have been able to keep the following programs running:
- The Calcutta soup kitchens: Breakfast milk for homeless children and lunch for the blind and the disabled elderly.
- Free medical and pharmaceutical treatment at the five Mission Clinics.
- The operation of the five schools of the Mission in the villages where there are Orthodox churches and parish communities.
- The operation of our two Orphanages, one for boys and one for girls, which we believe are the nursery of future Missionaries.
- The smooth functioning of our English school on the premises of the Girls’ Orphanage, attended by our orphaned children and not only.
All of the above have resulted from enormous efforts and a great deal of concern and anxiety, as revenues are constantly falling, while needs and living costs are rising.
During this anguished effort, we received your donation of 13.300 euros, which will be used according to the purposes designated by the donors, whom we thank from the depth of our souls.
We were especially relieved by your donation for the soup kitchen for the less fortunate. I cannot describe it with words! We were about to discontinue this program due to lack of funds and our whole existence was suffering thinking all these blind, disabled and elderly people who for years survive only thanks to this little food that our Mission gives them every day. It grieved me but I had no way out. The solution was finally given by the all-merciful Lord through the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity that all these years stands by our side like Simon of Cyrene in the gloomiest moments of our cruciresurrectional course.
All oceans have a bottom. Truly I tell you, however, that my gratitude to your Fraternity is bottomless. How could I reciprocate? I have no time to write long responses and articles. I only have a prayer from the innermost of my soul. May God grant health and strength to all of you, so that with the same zeal and sacrificial love you will keep on serving the work of God for the evangelization of the nations.
With honor and love in Christ,
Sister Nektaria
