At the risk of appearing sinfully proud, I would like to inform you, Dear Readers, that I have achieved the status of "Impressive" here in Nueva Concepcion. This took a little longer in Guatemala than it did during my missionary tenure in Africa. In Bukoba, Tanzania, where Fr. John and I spent 6 … [Read more...]
Clothing the Male Anatomy
February 19, 2013 by · 3 Comments
While my husband, Fr. John, expends his energy raising the spiritual and theological stature of the priests here in Guatemala, it has become my destiny, as an ecclesiastical seamstress, to be concerned with their physical attributes. My students and I have measured the length and girth of every … [Read more...]
Guatemala Bound
February 2, 2013 by · 1 Comment
It's not easy to say goodbye to 11 adorable grandchildren, knowing that they will have grown and changed in so many ways before we see them again. It's not easy to be far away from our 4 children and their partners who are also our closest allies. A long separation from family, friends, and the … [Read more...]
CUBAN MISSION: Church Growth in a Land of Forced Frugality
January 24, 2013 by · 2 Comments
As is often done in the movies, we are offering a "prequel" with this blogpost. On December 5 - 10, 2012, we, along with Fr. Andres Giron of Guatemala, were invited to join the combined pilgrimage of church Archons and Philoptochos members to Havana, Cuba. This was an opportunity to … [Read more...]
Misfortune/Miracle
January 3, 2013 by · 3 Comments
Misfortune/Miracle by Alexandra Chakos In the dictionary, the words misfortune and miracle, by virtue of their spelling, are not very far apart. Is it possible that, even in reality, a misfortune and a miracle can be closely linked events? I proffer that in some cases, they can be one and the … [Read more...]
PORTRAIT OF A CATECHIST: THE FOOT SOLDIERS OF CHRIST
October 4, 2012 by · 2 Comments
PORTRAIT OF A CATECHIST: FOOT SOLDIERS OF CHRIST Father John Chakos The newly emergent Guatemalan Orthodox Church under the omophorion of Metropolitan Athenagoras faces many challenges, not the least of which is the low number of canonically ordained priests--eight to be exact--who serve the … [Read more...]
Home Again!
October 4, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
I apologize, Dear Readers, for having neglected you for so many weeks. We returned to our Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania home at the beginning of September. The time flew by as we re-aquainted ourselves with family and friends and rejoiced in the birth of our 11th grandchild. While our life in the U.S. … [Read more...]
A ROOM OF MY OWN
August 29, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
In the 1920's, author Virginia Woolf lectured and wrote to advance the cause of women's freedom. In her essay, "A Room of One's Own," she states, "A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction." I propose the same to be true If a woman is to sew. As I rode from … [Read more...]
PASTORAL VISIT TO SAN MIGUEL, TOTONICAPAN
August 23, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
PASTORAL VISIT TO SAN MIGUEL, TOTONICAPAN Father John Chakos The Orthodox Church in Guatemala belongs to the indigenous people. They are the Mayans who were conquered by the Spaniards 500 years ago, but who continue to live proudly and nobly in accordance with the customs and traditions of … [Read more...]
ASCENT TO TOQUIAN: AN ETHEREAL PASSAGE
August 19, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
ASCENT TO TOQUIAN: AN ETHEREAL PASSAGE Father John Chakos Our recent missionary journey with Archbishop Athenagoras took us to Toquian, Mexico, a tiny border town perched up high in the verdant, but steep, mountain range that divides northern Guatemala from southern Mexico. Many … [Read more...]
