OCMC 2014 Teaching Mission to Kenya
Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC)
220 Mason Manatee Way, St. Augustine, FL 32086
12/6/14
Dearest family, friend, and, neighbor,
Jambo! and Asante!, Hello and Thank you in Swahili! We would like to thank you/Asante from our heart for your prayers and your support for the OCMC 2014 Teaching Mission to Kenya. Archbishop Makarios, our host, prayed for each of you by name at the Divine Liturgy in Kenya.
We both had life shifting experiences with our fellow Orthodox brothers and sisters in Christ in Africa and continue to be impacted by the people and our experiences with them. We were given the blessing to live for just over a week, in an oasis or mini paradise, in the middle of the largest slum in Africa - Kibera. That mini paradise, filled with beautiful flowers and plants, is the Orthodox Patriarchal Ecclesiastical School: Makarios III Archbishop of Cyprus Seminary. The seminary serves students from all of Africa. Also located in this oasis is the Orthodox College of Africa, the St. Clement of Alexandria School (300 Pre-K to 8th grade students), a Medical Clinic, a field, and an Orthodox Cathedral dedicated to All-Saints. We also visited another school, The Child of God Academy, deeper in the slums.
Kenya was a humbling experience because it made us both realize at a deeper level what really matters in life. God’s love is in the relationships, not in the material things. During our time there, we focused on teaching, sharing, listening, and learning. We began our time with the children in the Divine Liturgy, where all three hundred students sang the entire service by heart in English, Swahili and in Greek. There were no chanters or choir directors. At the primary school, we focused our time in lessons about icons, the parables, sacraments, and the Holy Cross, which was supplemented with two arts and crafts projects. Thanks to all of you, the children were each able to make their own beaded crosses to wear and protect them. Even though the school was Orthodox, no child had their own cross and it was touching to see them wear it throughout the week. We had the precious opportunity to exchange thoughts with the children. They had truly inquisitive questions. They even taught Spyridoula some of their African dancing games and in turn she taught them Greek Dance, hasaposeviko, which was a lot of fun to watch.
At the seminary, we attended classes and Vasiliki taught two courses, and offered an after dinner reflection. Spyridoula, along with two other team members, helped lead and answer questions in a symposium that focused greatly on youth ministry and Orthodoxy in America. From these discussions, we are now jointly trying to find ways to implement youth programs, even a summer camp, at the seminary and at their local parishes. We also made the same beaded crosses with all the seminarians because again many had no cross, nor a Bible. Each and every seminarian, representing a number of different countries, impacted us deeply and they are our brothers or ndugu in Christ. Everything at the seminary was a blessing, especially attending church every morning and evening with the beautiful seminary choir, the adult baptism of a seminarian from Rwanda, and the sharing of fellowship (cultural singing, dancing, stories) at dinner and every moment of the day that created such strong and deep relationships with every single seminarian there.
At the Orthodox College of Africa, we met with their education and business chairs. Vasiliki offered a presentation on Learning Theories. While at the college, we met and enjoyed a harmonic performance by the Royal Melodious Singers whose members come from a variety of Christian denominations. Together they are committed to reaching the nations for the Lord through singing.
Thank you again for your support because without you we would not have been able to experience Christ’s overflowing and contagious Love in Kenya! If any of you would like for us to visit your church or home, and share our experience, please give us a few dates and we will see what we can do.
Since it is not possible to share everything in a simple letter, we are just starting this BlogSpot (fotinisduo.blogspot.com) where we will be continuing to post our stories, reflections, and the stories of those we met, along with the hundreds of pictures and videos taken :). We hope that by sharing this experience in this way, each of you could get a glimpse of the treasure that we found in Kenya.
With sincere gratitude for you in the Lord and His agape,
Vasiliki and Spyridoula Fotinis
Vasiliki and Spyridoula Fotinis
May your learning never end and your love for others weave community!
