THE WORK OF THE BENEVOLENT MISSIONARY SOCIETY
–A Letter to the Metropolis of Boston Parishes–

October 22/November 4, 2005
Holy Seven Youths of Ephesus

Dear Fathers and Brethren:

With the grace of God and your assistance, we have been able to make some headway in our missionary work in Uganda and Kenya. We have been able to establish some individual projects to help our clergy there support themselves, and also to help some orphans, as you will see below.

In the past two years we have made contributions to address immediate needs of the parishes and children. Monies were sent for food, medicine, educational materials, and school fees. We also initiated a few small income generating projects for the clergy. For instance, we have financed a grain mill in Kangulumira, Uganda, [we paid for the purchase of land, a 40hp electric grain mill machine, installed 3phase electricity, and built a storage room]. This project has provided employment for several needy people in the community, has paid for school fees, books and uniforms for 184 children and has provided basic sustenance for several orphans.

In Golomolo village, in Uganda, we have supplied food and some educational materials, repaired a water pump so they can have clean water to drink. We plan to initiate a small project to generate income so that they can become financially independent, if possible.

In Mytiana, we have financed a banana plantation to provide employment for the clergy.

In Seeta, we have sent monies to pay for the support of 32 orphans.

In Kiboga, we have started a sewing training school for young ladies.

Our long term goal is to fund a project in each of the above villages of Uganda that would generate enough income to support the clergy, the faithful and the orphans in those areas.

At their own expense, some members of our Missionary Society visit annually our parishes there to insure that the funds are spent for the purpose intended and are not wasted.

What I am asking you to do is the following: If your parish would devote one Sunday a year [only one Sunday out of the fifty-two!] to sponsor a banquet on that day and call it “The Missionary Banquet,” this would serve the purpose of helping the parishes in Africa, and we could extend our work there considerably. One more thing that all of us should have in mind is that the Missionary Society has some administrative costs also — specifically travel expenses to and from Africa [a round trip airline ticket costs about $1,500], hotel expenses while visiting there, and postage costs for sending catechetical materials. Many individuals are already sending contributions for this, and we are eternally grateful to them.

We are starting to get on a solid footing in Uganda and Kenya. God willing, the Metropolis of Toronto — which has promised to help Kenya — will also organize its own Benevolent Missionary Society in the near future. Please see what you can do about organizing a “Missionary Banquet” in your parish as well.

Thank you and God bless you for your support.

In Christ,
+Ephraim, Metropolitan