Recently, as you may know, we had a campaign to raise funds for Fr. Aleksander Kobesi in Bali. We were so pleased when many of you answered the call for help. But not as pleased as Fr. Aleksander. He literally relies on your generosity for food and Liturgical supplies. When I first had the pleasure to share the news of the fundraiser success Fr. Aleksander was speechless. He was so moved that generous donors like you raised enough funds for over a year's worth of food and Liturgical supplies for an unknown priest. Thank you for supporting hard working clergy like Fr. Aleksander. It brings us so much joy to work with kindhearted donors like yourself! A few days later I followed up with Fr. Aleksander and here's what he had to say.

One time, a priest in Virginia named Fr. John Moses, gave a sermon at his church about being a servant. You can watch it here. A servant is a person who helps other people. Fr. John said, “Servanthood is woven into the very fabric of our daily lives.” He talked about all the people who serve us every day: monastics who pray for us, priests who serve church services, and teachers who give us knowledge. And he gave the example of Jesus being a servant to us for his whole life on earth.

Ten years ago, when Fr. Aleksander first began serving in Bali there was no money for a church. So he held services in his home. But the government shut that down. Told him it’s illegal.

I had the pleasure to speak with Fr. Aleksander Kobesi about the St. Nicholas of Myra mission that he serves at in Bali. He is a quiet, soft spoken man. He took the time to answer each question I asked. I was fascinated to learn more about Orthodoxy in Bali and Fr. Aleksander's experiences there. I hope you find it to be so as well!

In our last activity we talked about missionaries. Do you remember how the apostles traveled throughout the world to spread Christianity? Today we are going to learn about another missionary who is spreading the Faith. His name is Fr. Aleksander.

This summer your generosity made it possible for the 2019 Summer Youth Program, at Holy Trinity Monastery, to accept a record number of 31 young men. These young men came from as far south as Florida, and as far west as Michigan. Over the course of two weeks, at the monastery, the young men were able to grow in their faith and experience the joys of monastery living.

For over a decade our very own Fr. Dcn. Andrei Psarev, of Holy Trinity Seminary, has been not only instructing seminarians but also working diligently to expand his knowledge of Church History. Fr. Andrei began continuing his education at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, writing his masters thesis on the historical evaluation of the attitude of the Russian Church Abroad towards non-Orthodox Christians and the ecumenical movement between 1920-1964.

I recently interviewed two people who have gotten to know Fr. Rafael over the years. One was Fr. George Lagodich, senior priest at St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Montreal, and other Arthur Shtrevensky, a parishioner there. Read on what they have to say about this wonderful man!

We're trying something new! We think it's important to start having conversations with our little ones about Orthodoxy, giving to the needy, and missionary work from an early age. That's why today we're sharing with you something you can do with your children. A short story first, conversational questions, and an activity. Let us know what you think in comments and if you'd like to see more posts like this!

Welcome! After last week’s post, “Introducing the Vibrant Orthodox Community of the Dominican Republic,” we are excited to share more about Fr. Rafael, Orthodoxy in the Dominican Republic, and how we wrote this appeal.

Welcome back to our new blog! This week we are so excited to be sharing with you more about our latest appeal, on behalf of Priest Rafael Martinez Gonzales and the Orthodoxy community of the Dominican Republic. Fr. Rafael reached out to the Fund for Assistance a few months ago in great need for help financing a new van, for himself and his mission, because his current car is on its last leg. Over the last few months we have worked with Fr. Rafael, to learn more about him, his missionary work, and the Orthodox communities of the Dominican Republic. Today, we are finally able to share more about this amazing community and how you can help them continue to strive!

In the Serene Sea of August

“Open the gates and receive Her who bore the Maker of Heaven and earth. Let us in hymns praise the revered and holy body which held the Lord, upon whom no one can gaze” (Dormition of the Theotokos, Great Vespers)

We are so excited to introduce you to the Fund for Assistance blog! Here we will share updates from the people who you've given hope, through your generosity. Sign up to receive our updates, in your inbox! Please read on to learn more about our first mission update from Fr. Boris, in Buenos Aires, Argentina:

I know that you love our First Hierarch and care about his physical and spiritual wellbeing. Metropolitan Hilarion never asks for anything. But today - Vladyka needs your help.

Hi, my name is “Baby ROCOR.” I’m 11 months old. You don’t know it, but you saved my life by giving me my papa when I needed him most. After I was born, my mama got really sick. It was really scary because I didn’t get to see her for the first month of my life. But you made it possible for my papa to take care of me while mama was sick.

You have no idea how excited we were to share the photos of the new van with you. But considering how incredible your response was to this appeal, we knew that you would want something more than just photos. So we made a video.

They farm if they have land, they run errands for others, they wash other people’s clothes and floors... They survive as best they can - in a country that is too crippled by political instability and poverty to help. In a world that doesn’t seem to care. But you can make the difference between life and death - literally. 

Donors like you are helping arm our priests to battle the relativism in the world and the rising renovationism in the Orthodox Church!

It’s a mad, mad, mad, mad world out there. And it would take a special kind of naiveté to think that the madness is not touching our beloved Orthodox world. For example, there are professors in Orthodox seminaries actually say that saints like St. Mary of Egypt never lived. Concelebration with Catholics in some circles is considered all but a foregone conclusion. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

“People think the war is over in Kosovo…. It’s not!” – said Fr Nektarios, almost crying on the phone. This conversation happened a few weeks after Fr Nektarios’s return from his latest trip to Kosovo. He went there to deliver the aid you sent to your starving brothers and sisters.

I’m used to being around the secular world during the school year. Used to having to explain my faith, who I am, and why I live the life I do. But there’s one place where I never have to explain anything, because here everyone understands me without me having to say anything. Here everything I cherish and hold dear to my soul is exactly what those around me feel.  This wonderful place is the St. Herman Youth Conference.