Partnership for the Shipment of 30 Tons of Humanitarian Aid to Congo and Bulgaria

On Sunday, June 14, the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity completed, with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Barnabas of Neapolis and Stavroupolis, the loading of two new humanitarian aid shipments from its warehouse in Filyro. Specifically, it sent a 40-foot high cube container for the Holy Metropolis of Katanga in southern Congo and a fully loaded truck bound for the Parish of Panagia in Ognyanovo, Bulgaria, and charitable institutions in Plovdiv.

These shipments, totaling over 30 tons, contained food, ecclesiastical and medical supplies, firefighting uniforms, clothes, toys, and other essential items.

The zeal of the volunteers who worked on this project was moving, as was the loving collaboration of Holy Metropolises, monasteries, parishes, and missionary fraternities for the collection of the goods offered.

More specifically:

The Holy Metropolis of Thessaloniki offered a significant sum of money for the purchase of valuable goods, as well as 200 new blankets.
The Holy Metropolis of Neapolis and Stavroupolis mediated the donation of 11 pallets of new clothes.
The Holy Metropolis of Kitros sent ecclesiastical items.
The Holy Metropolis of Rethymno, through its foreign mission office, the Holy Monastery of Saint Anastasia, and the responsible priest Fr. Vasileios Papadakis, offered 8 pallets of food and ecclesiastical items.
The Holy Monastery of Venerable Gregory of Mount Athos contributed substantially to the entire effort.
The Holy Monastery of Saint John the Forerunner of Serres sent seven pallets of food and ecclesiastical items.
The Holy Monastery of Saint Arsenios offered food, specifically olives and olive oil.
Many parishes of the Holy Metropolis of Philippi collected various essential items.
The Missionary Association Saint Cosmas the Aetolian covered the purchase of one pallet of candles.
The Christian Hope Fraternity undertook the offering and packaging of many of the donated items.
And of course, the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity covered the shipping costs, the collection and loading of the donated items, and the purchase of more than 15 tons of food and ecclesiastical items.

The above event highlights the unity and love that bear fruit.

In Sunday’s Gospel reading, the calling of the disciples Simon and Andrew to become laborers of the Gospel is mentioned. They left everything and followed the Lord “immediately” (Matthew 4:20). They formed the group of disciples, had everything in common, and became “one” (John 17:22), as Christ asked His Father shortly before His crucifixion: to keep them united, so that by observing their unity, the world would “believe that You sent Me” (John 17:21).

The unity, love, and offering we experienced this Sunday at the Mission’s warehouses clearly demonstrated that the Lord was present. Christ calls us to mission, but in His own unique way, as we chant: “He called all to unity” (Kontakion of Pentecost).

Warm thanks to everyone who, in any way, contributed to this ministry of love. The warehouse will remain closed until October 4 for renovation work.