By Konstantinos Metallidis, member of the Board of Directors.
The older ones remember the founder of our Brotherhood Pantelis Bayas and the late couple of benefactors Panagiotis and Elli Papadimitrakopoulou to prepare parcels consisting of humanitarian aid and send them to the initiator of the project and pioneer missionary Fr.Chrysostomos Papasartopoulos and his successors.
In the offices of the “Friends of Uganda” – this was the first name of our fraternity – a holy “hangout” was created by the grace of God. In obedience to the gospel word “I have begged, and here I was, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am, and here I am. 25:35-36), the blessed brothers and sisters practically responded to the pleas of their spiritual father. Some offered useful items, others packed and others scavenged. Several, even hierarchs of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, retain with emotion and awe the memory of serving as young people alongside the blessed couple Papadimitrakopoulou and at the same time being initiated into the work of the mission.
Since that blessed beginning, our Brotherhood has not stopped sending parcels, or even whole pallets, whenever requested. Many of them contained liturgical utensils, church books and medicines. On top of that, for the past 17 years, the young people of our Brotherhood, inspired by people with missionary zeal, created and organized the missionary warehouse facilities in Filiro Thessaloniki, following the tradition of the older members. Since the beginning of the warehouse’s operation, 108 containers weighing a total of 2,300 tons of humanitarian aid (food, church supplies, stationery, medicines, clothes, medical equipment and furniture) have been sent to date.
Keeping in my mind and heart the exhortation of the Apostle Paul to the Church of the Thessalonians, I address it also to the younger ones as a holy legacy and advice: ‘Brethren, stand up and keep the traditions which you have been taught, whether by word or by letter. Now this is our Lord Jesus Christ, our Lord, and our God and Father, who loved us, and gave us eternal prayers and good hope in grace, pleading your hearts, and upholding you in all things, and in all good works” (2 Thess. 2:15-17) (2 Thess. 2:15-17).
