Appeal for our school in Blantyre

My beloved brothers and sisters and valuable partners in the ministry of the Orthodox Mission of our Church, greetings in the Lord always.

By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the many intercessions of His Most Pure and Immaculate Mother, who protects our ministry in the continent of the future, Africa, and the prayers and blessings of our Most Blessed Patriarch Theodoros II, we continue our struggle, amid many difficulties, in the Diocese of Malawi entrusted to us.

Glory to God for all things!

My beloved, first of all, I would like once again to thank you for your support in the multi-responsible work which we serve episcopally. Honorable Mr. President, dear Charalampos Metallidis, Vice President, dear Nostis and other members of the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity, we are grateful from Malawi, because you do not forget us but always try to find ways of support and assistance.

First of all, we would like to express from the depths of our soul and heart a great thank you for the container which you arranged to be sent to us and which has contributed decisively to covering our multiple needs.

Also, we thank you from the depths of our soul and heart, because with the offering of four thousand euros, which you sent us a few days ago, you gave great joy and relief to many of our brothers and sisters in the parish and school of the Resurrection, in Bayani of Blantyre. A few days ago, we inaugurated this new borehole. Glory to our God, the Giver of gifts!

We gratefully remember, however, that the church of the Resurrection and the school near it are works of your love. For this reason, and after persistent request from the parish priest, Fr. Nicodemus, we decided that the new borehole, which you funded, should be built in the same area of your love, so that, near the house of God and the center of education for young people, there would also be clean water, which offers health in earthly life. It reminds us, moreover, of the spiritual water that our Orthodox Church offers, “springing up to eternal life.”

I will now refer to the field of education and specifically to the school of the parish of the Resurrection of our Lord in Bayani of Blantyre. This school, which includes kindergarten and primary school, needs maintenance, as you will see from the photographs.

Also, its full electrification and computerization is absolutely necessary for its smooth and efficient operation. The management and teachers have repeatedly asked us for this.

We also make it known to you that we are in a period of rain, and some works are necessary for the protection and safety of the children from the heavy rainfall. An agreement has already been made with a contractor, and the amount of money we need is in the order of 10,000 euros.

My brothers and sisters, it is beneficial to remind your love, blessed partners, that we will enter, God willing, into the solemn period of Triodion. Our Holy Church, with its appropriate teachings, will prepare us for Great Lent and Holy Week, so that we may be deemed worthy to venerate the three-day Resurrection from the dead of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

But what is the center of our faith? What is the main message of this period? Love, love, love.

Without it, as the Great Apostle Paul proclaims, if we speak in the languages of men and angels, if we know all mysteries, if we have faith so as to move mountains, even if we sacrifice our body, we are nothing.

Let us therefore cooperate, my most beloved brothers and sisters, all of us, let us help one another in the beautiful struggle of practical love, so that we may hear on that fearful day of judgment, from our Christ, “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink… and whatever you did for one of the least of these my brothers, you did for me.”

† Bishop Photios of Malawi