Dear brothers and partners in the Mission work that is taking place in my beautiful country Uganda, I greet you all, and through my humbleness you have greetings not only from all those who work in the Lord’s vineyard and the faithful crew of our Diocese, but also from the people who receive the aid that comes from you, regardless of what each one is or stands for. Before God we are all equal and the human needs of all are the same. For that, I thank you wholeheartedly because with your help, everything happens according to God’s plan, and our work ,material as well as spiritual, is realized and bears fruit.
Hopefully, my previous reference to the subject of education and our schools has already met with response from some kind-hearted people, which has moved us deeply as it enabled us to provide access to knowledge for more children, thus making it easier for the children’s poor parents to see their kids succeed in the society.
Here in my country schools operate on the quarter system. Three months lessons, one month vacation. This is the school year. As for the poor areas where we want to help children from poor families, each school year does not exceed, in terms of expenses, the amount of €150,00. And yet, some parents cannot afford it. As a result, these children, while being thirsty to acquire knowledge, miss this opportunity to study. I want you to know that our children have the zeal to learn, they have clear minds, and they absorb what we teach them like a sponge.
Our children, at least those that we have been able to help so far, do not behave unappreciatively or ungratefully. With the means available to us as a Diocese, we see many miracles taking place in our daily lives. Whenever we are at a deadlock and worry about what is going to happen, God’s miraculous intervention through His people provides the best solution.
The starting point of every single project of ours is prayer. We raise our hands in supplication to heaven and ask the Lord to help us. We sow the seed, and God’s providence increases it.
How many children, boys and girls, have benefited from the work of the Church, while they were condemned to live in ignorance and in poverty and become victims of exploitation from some cunning people! And how many parents so far have trusted us and have been able to keep their families together, without being forced to deprive their children of their tender age by getting them to work, losing in some cases even human dignity!
To earn our living, knowledge is essential. This is what we do in our schools. We offer knowledge so that our children can spread their wings and broaden their horizons. We do not want to see them imprisoned in their fate. We, at least as a Church and as people of God, want our children to have knowledge and be able to take the present day into their hands in order to create a strong tomorrow. Our Primate, Theodore II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, always points out that “Africa is the hope of the future”, and that “this land will give life to the society of the West, which has grown old from bliss
My dear brothers, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Our works in God’s vineyard begin with you. We take your love and sow it in our land. We reap the fruit of this love here on earth, but you will enjoy them there, in heaven, when the Angel pleads to the Righteous Judge.
I would also like to thank wholeheartedly the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity, who, by publishing this magazine, enables me to communicate with you by presenting our work and keeping you informed of our future visions and plans.
May the God of mercy and peace be with you.
† Silvestros of Jinja
