NINE YEARS OF OFFERING
Missionary work, as a ministry of our Church, is established upon the command of the Lord: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). In our time, these words of Christ often sound like a forgotten command, which reminds us of the tireless journeys of the Apostle Paul, and the other Apostles, as though they concerned only them and their era.
Yet missionary work is neither vague nor abstract, nor merely the sensitivity of a few “eccentric” individuals who visit countries in Africa or elsewhere simply to speak about Christ or to perform acts of love and charity. It is something far greater and more essential. It is the foremost ministry of the Church: to embrace the whole world and to invite all people into communion—those who, with good intentions, hear and accept the salvific words of the Gospel and of the Holy Fathers.
However, in countries such as Tanzania and throughout Africa, one cannot speak of love or preach the Gospel of love unless this proclamation is accompanied by corresponding works. How can the hungry, the thirsty, or the seriously ill receive a message of hope in an environment where hope scarcely shines and where hardship overshadows daily life?
Within this context, the Orthodox Mission strives daily to bear witness to the faith and to fulfill the commandment of love through ministry to the suffering brother, without discrimination of color, gender, tribe, or religion. This union of proclamation and offering renders the Orthodox presence in this region vibrant and dynamic.
Of course, this multifaceted ministry presumes both material and spiritual support for those serving on the front lines of the missionary field. From the beginning of its foundation, this role has been undertaken by the “Missionary Shelter of Saint Dionysios of Mount Olympus” Association.
From 2017 until today, under the protection of Saint Dionysios and with the help of all members and friends of the Mission, significant works of a religious and charitable nature have been accomplished. Eleven new churches have been built, and older ones renovated throughout the entire region of the Diocese of Arusha and Central Tanzania. Liturgical and spiritual books have been published in the local Swahili language for the more proper celebration of divine services and the Holy Sacraments, as well as for the spiritual formation of both clergy and faithful. Thousands of catechumens have been baptized, while catechetical work continues unabated, as many villages and communities appeal to us, expressing their desire to become acquainted with Orthodoxy.
In the field of philanthropy, your love has borne remarkable fruits in alleviating human suffering. Education, soup kitchens, water wells, the operation of the polyclinic, and assistance to impoverished families form the core elements of the multifaceted mosaic of your offering. Behind each of these actions lie the precious fragments of your love for our brothers and your trust in the work carried out by our Association.
With your support, organized soup kitchens and the distribution of food to needy families continue almost daily, with the sole aim of combating hunger and deprivation. Your contribution covers the tuition fees of 36 pupils and university students, builds and renovates schools, and equips educational facilities where schoolbooks, desks, and notebooks are lacking, and where students are often compelled to memorize lessons written on worn out blackboards. Furthermore, the 20 water boreholes constructed through your compassionate generosity provide clean drinking water to thousands of people and dozens of villages—places where even a single drop is precious and often obtained only after walking many kilometers, carrying a bucket, and collecting muddy remnants of water.
The greatest offering, however, is the operation of the polyclinic and its recent expansion with the addition of gynecological and pediatric departments, while plans are also underway for the creation of a surgical unit for childbirth. This ministry alleviates human pain and gives rise to hope in a land where nothing is taken for granted, not even life itself.
From this prospective, firstly we wish to express our boundless gratitude to our venerable Elder Maximos, Abbot of the Holy Patriarchal and Stavropegic Monastery of Saint Dionysios on Mount Olympus. Through his blessing and encouragement our Association was founded, and through his guidance and constant support we continue this blessed struggle in support of the missionary work. Together with our Elder, we also thank the fathers of our Monastery, whose prayers and tangible love sustain this great endeavor.
We likewise extend heartfelt thanks to all donors, known and anonymous, who in various ways support every action of our Association and respond to each of our appeals for the accomplishment of important works in distant Tanzania.
Above all, sincere gratitude is expressed to all members, donors, and friends of the Missionary Shelter—our steadfast companions in this great struggle of offering to our fellow human beings. From the day of the Association’s founding, they have stood by us: some offering their love through monthly contributions, others through greater donations, and others through voluntary participation in various activities. All are necessary and indispensable. Each one contributes to this great edifice, to this “SHELTER,” whose foundation is Christ and which shelters love, light, and hope for our brethren throughout the world.
Saint Maximos the Confessor speaks characteristically of the virtue of almsgiving: “Nothing makes the path to righteousness so easy, nothing is so conducive to deification and to drawing near to God, as mercy offered from the depths of the soul with joy and gladness to those in need… That which is genuinely offered according to one’s ability, from the soul, is beloved by God, even if it appears small in comparison with other great offerings. He did not reject the widow who offered her two coins, whoever that widow may have been.” (Mystagogy, Saint Maximos the Confessor)
We thank you all from the depths of our hearts.
From the Missionary Shelter of Saint Dionysios of Mount Olympus