Four years ago, the first OCMC mission team to visit the Mayan Orthodox Christians in the highlands of Guatemala elicited this poignant response from the late Fr. Andres Giron: “Now we know that we are not alone.” Since that time many teams have arrived offering their musical, catechetical, medical, … [Read more...]
FINDING PARADISE IN THE MISSION FIELD
June 8, 2017 by · Leave a Comment
What is the happiness that God calls us to? Can we find paradise on earth? Serving now as I do in the fertile mission field of Guatemala, I often experience privileged moments of spiritual joy in the humblest of settings. My first such mission epiphany occurred in Tanzania upon my arrival some … [Read more...]
MEDICAL MISSION UPDATE- GUATEMALA
March 8, 2017 by · Leave a Comment
As the debate rages on in the US over medical insurance, poor people in countries like Guatemala can only dream that one day they might have some kind of medical coverage or even a doctor to see them. The scale of the crisis in the highlands of Guatemala where we have our clinic is not so much … [Read more...]
Avian Adoration- by Alexandra Chakos
January 13, 2017 by · Leave a Comment
We were blessed to celebrate Epiphany in the village of Aguacate. The faithful congregation always arrives an hour before the Liturgy in eager anticipation. It is inspiring to witness the vibrancy of their faith. Men, women, and children of every age pack the church. It was a lengthy service, … [Read more...]
CATHEDRALS OF THE POOR IN GUATEMALA
June 16, 2016 by · 1 Comment
The experience of worshipping with the indigenous people in their small churches made of baked mud and clay or wooden planks defies description. These are the cathedrals of the poor, every bit as magnificent as the hallowed shrines of Orthodoxy in the great centers of the world. What a great mystery … [Read more...]
ORTHODOXY IN IXCAN: A STORY OF RESILIENT FAITH
April 1, 2016 by · 1 Comment
Up until the late fifties, the sparsely populated jungle area of Ixcan in western Guatemala was thought to be worthless by the government. In an effort to populate the region for the benefit of the indigenous tribes, a program of land reform was initiated. Taking advantage of this … [Read more...]
ARCHBISHOP BLESSES AGUACATE CLINIC AMIDST NATIONAL HEALTHCARE CRISIS
November 17, 2015 by · Leave a Comment
On November 8, Archbishop Athenagoras arrived in Aguacate, Guatemala to bless the newly completed Father Andres Giron medical/dental clinic, his gift to the long-suffering Mayan people of that region. Why is this outreach so important to them? Why were the faithful so happy to receive this blessing? … [Read more...]
Soul and Body: a Video about the Aguacate Clinic
July 4, 2015 by · Leave a Comment
In Guatemala the Orthodox Church is ministering to both the soul and the body of the people. A new medical clinic will meet the urgent needs of the Maya populations near the border of Mexico. Watch "Soul and Body" (below) to learn more about the clinic that is under construction! The FATHER … [Read more...]
UPDATE FROM GUATEMALA -ALEXANDRA CHAKOS
February 2, 2015 by · 6 Comments
Things have been busy, to say the least, since our recent arrival in Guatemala. There were 6 of us in our group: Fr. John and myself, Bob Kirschner - project director of our new clinic, Dr. Willie Manteris - a dentist and partner in the building of our clinic, Dave Sevick - computer expert and … [Read more...]
IT TAKES A VILLAGE: AGUACATE BUILDS ITS OWN CLINIC
November 29, 2014 by · 5 Comments
The old African proverb that “it takes a village to raise a child” could also refer to other communal endeavors such as building a clinic. We found this to be the case in Aguacate, Guatemala, after a recent visit (Nov. 16th) to see for ourselves how the project was progressing after three months. To … [Read more...]
