Beloved readers,
From my heart, I hope the First Day of Christmas began a joyous and abundant celebration
for you and your loved ones. My family was invited to the table of a
lovely Christian family who, with much love, prepared a beautiful feast to
celebrate Christmas Day. The table lacked nothing—set with meats, cheeses,
salads, olives, oil, bread, potatoes, wine, coffee, tea, pastries,
candies. All the things that make one’s heart happy and fill the belly
while expanding the waistband. It was a lavish meal, lovingly prepared by
those who love Christ and His church.
Is there anything wrong with setting a table of abundance on a
major feast day such as Christmas? No, beloved readers, I don’t think
so. It is an imitation of how God sets a banquet for us, lavishly, with
all good things. Unfortunately, due to sin in the world a good bit of
inequity exists. Some Christians who may have been able to set an
abundant holiday table in the past, no longer can. Oppression and/or
persecution sees to that. Lands are ravaged, goods are hard to come
by. Items which were once affordable become out of reach. Homes are
cold and often dark due to Christian persecution. I think the love that
resides in the hearts of many Christians becomes pricked when hearing of the
hardship of brethren around the world. Sadly we do not always realize
that there are ways to encourage and benefit the brethren in time of
persecution. There are ways to bring hope and comfort to the
oppressed. God makes a way and I will share one with you.
A couple days ago I forwarded a message from Fr. Nektarios
Serfes (Boise, Idaho) president of The Decani Monastery Relief Fund. I
know Fr. Nektarios, I vouch for his good and generous heart and his love for
the people of Kosovo / Metohija (Serbia). When Fr. traveled there back in
October, within a week he distributed nearly $12,500 in humanitarian assistance
to the sufferers there. Those people are an oppressed population of
Orthodox Christians. Some of you shared in that ministry through your
donations. Sadly, Fr. returned with yet a heavy heart as he saw that
conditions were, in his words, “deplorable,” and needs for assistance
increasing. Christian families live in cold homes, children attend cold
schools, electricity gets turned off at night by the power company to the
Serbian homes in particular, costs of food, fuel and medicine are
increasing. If you understand the meaning of genocide, you can connect
the dots as to what is underway in Kosovo/Metohija. What will become of
the remaining Christian population? The area has been, and is, undergoing
a slow crucifixion.
What can be done? Certainly prayer and
raising of awareness. But, also, practical help is greatly needed and
appreciated.
Right now, the Serbian Orthodox are looking toward celebrating
the Feast of our Lord’s Nativity on January 7. Fr. Nektarios has a list
of 200 families whose needs are most acute. His goal is to raise enough
money to buy each family a single pig (pork) that will feed a family of four
for approximately one month. The cost, per pig, is $150. This
pig would be the nourishing base of a Christmas holiday meal for each
family.
Let me ask you: would you be able to bless one or more
Serbian Orthodox families in Kosovo / Metohija this holiday season?
Would you be willing, as a messenger of the love of God, to feed
others who simply cannot do so on their own? If this is asking too
much, could you fund part of a pig for a family? I understand that not
everyone can give the max, but most people can give something. I believe
it is truth to say we have not experienced the kind of deprivation and
persecution these people have and it’s been going on for a number of years
already. The suffering of these people is, primarily, due to their
confession of the Christian faith.
God has given us an opportunity to be His messengers of relief
and love within the Body of Christ. We are one—and we will meet
one another someday. Wouldn’t you love to be greeted as someone who had
shown a brother or sister you’d never met the love of Christ? How your
heart would rejoice to hear, “Your love and care gave me courage at a dark time
of life. Your love and care fed me for Christ’s sake—I was hungry and
you gave me to eat—just like the Gospel says. You are truly my
brother (or sister) in Christ!” Money in the hands of Christians is
simply a tool. We handle God’s money and release it for use as His
trusted stewards. Think of all the good it can do—think of the
refreshment for tired, discouraged souls! Think of such giving as an
eternal investment, as it is just that.
If you have been blessed this holiday season, please consider
blessing these dear Christian sufferers in Serbia. I believe God is counting on
our response because we are the ones who can make resources available. We
hold a tool of compassion and relief for others. Be certain
that the Decani Monastery Relief Fund will put your gift to good use. It
will be used to feed persecuted, needy Christian families & elderly in
Kosovo/Metohija on January 7, 2015, the Feast of our Lord’s Nativity. Your
practical love will be the cause of their rejoicing!
Please send your loving tax-deduction donation to the following
address:
Decani
Monastery Relief Fund
c/o Very
Rev. Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes
2618 West
Bannock Street
Boise,
Idaho 83702
OR
God bless us
all and thank you for your compassion,
Pres.
Candace
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