My dear brothers,
On this glorious holiday season, accept my warm and heartfelt wishes from far away Uganda, that the Risen Lord may grant you health and strength, in your lives and in all your good works.
With God’s grace, we continue our missionary work for the evangelization of spiritually thirsty people who long to hear about Orthodoxy, who desire to become members of the Church of Christ, and for the expression of love in Christ to our poor brothers and sisters.
The difficulties and needs are many, but with prayer and our trust in God, we overcome them and we move forward with the means we have and have available to us in our missionary work.
Thank God for welcoming me into your missionary embrace. My many thanks to all those who offer for me the least bishop of Uganda. I am grateful to you for this source of your love that ministers to this God-given missionary work to spread the Orthodox faith in the nations.
I think many times, when I find myself captive to the human suffering of my flock, that I am not alone, since three important members of the Board of your Fraternity have visited, at various times, my long-suffering homeland.
Of course you are aware of the multiple livelihood needs that I face on a daily basis. I have known since I was a small child that the blessed Fr. Chrysostomos Papasarantopoulos took his first missionary steps in my homeland. He was also the spiritual founder of the “Brotherhood of Orthodox Foreign Mission”, formerly “Friends of Uganda” in 1963.
Please keep us in your prayers. Whatever you offer us will be a comfort to all of us who work in Christ’s ministry.
At this time when the world population is being stung by Covid-19, our effort is focused on establishing pharmacies in every remote area of our Diocese so that people can access them as much as possible. We know that our task is difficult, but love for our fellow man overcomes every obstacle. A medicine, a pill, a vaccine, a little clean water can save lives. Just as a simple test can prevent a fatal disease. I won’t hide from you that I personally went through my own Calvary, but thank God!
✝ Gulu Silvestros
