Message of Gratitude from the Metropolitan of Accra for the Work of the Fraternity
With doxology and profound emotion, we lift our hearts to the All-Good God for the manifold gifts of His love, expressed through the precious and continuous ministry of the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity. The Holy Metropolis of Accra wishes to publicly express its gratitude and thanks to all members of the Fraternity, both named and anonymous donors, for their invaluable contribution to the missionary work of the Orthodox Church in Africa.
Recently, by the blessing of God and through the care of the Fraternity, we received in Accra a 20-ton container, filled with food, ecclesiastical items, spiritual books in English, furniture, clothing, and hundreds of other items. These gifts of love from Hellenism will be distributed to the parishes and communities of our Metropolis, to relieve our poor and suffering brethren. This is not merely a material offering; it is an act of God-centered love, which becomes a visible Gospel: “Let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18). Every package opened in the humble homes of our parishioners is a message of hope, a voice reminding us that Orthodoxy is one, living, and loving, uniting Thessaloniki and Accra in a common chalice of Christ’s Love.
A great blessing was also the completion of two new water boreholes in the Parishes of Saint Athanasius the Great in Akrokyere and Saint Mark in Konsimwa, in northern Ghana, in the Ashanti region. Until recently, the residents of these areas suffered from a lack of clean water. Now, thanks to the generosity and prayers of our brethren, these springs gush forth life, revealing the true “living water” (John 4:10) that Christ offers. Every drop of water is a blessing, a sign of God’s infinite providence for humanity, called to transform even arid land into a garden of spiritual fruitfulness.
With gratitude, we also mention the great and moving donation of 35,000 euros from the Fraternity, as a contribution to the establishment of the Orthodox Clinic “Saint Nektarios” in Accra. These funds will be used for the conversion of an existing building: the ground floor will house the Clinic, while the first floor will function as a Theological School. Thus, in the same edifice, the care of the body and the education of the soul will be united, following the example of Christ who “went about doing good and healing all” (Acts 10:38). Under the same roof, the healing of the body and the enlightenment of the mind will be united, continuing the tradition of the Church that serves humanity holistically.
My brethren, where Christ blesses, heals, and teaches, there life finds its fullness; “that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
The work of the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity is a beacon of faith and selflessness for all of Africa. For decades, with toil, prayer, and sacrifice, it has supported the missions of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, establishing Churches, schools, boreholes, clinics, and kindergartens. Its imprint is spiritual and indelible, because it is based on the vision and example of Saint Chrysostomos, the missionary of Africa, its inspired founder.
Through the intercessions of the Saint, who first opened the way of the Gospel on this continent, we pray that the mission may continue to “sow in blessings” and reap fruits of faith and salvation.
Every work born of Christ’s love is a miracle. The container, the water, the clinic, the school — all are small miracles of the same Divine Providence, acting through the hearts of the faithful, all of you who support us. And for all these, the Metropolis of Accra sings: “Glory to God for all things!”
† Daniel of Accra
