Thus on August 17, he celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the roughly built church of St. Makarios – it is made of mud – in a remote village in the Kakamega region. The divine service and the sermon preached by His Eminence were followed by a procession of priests and faithful to a nearby river, where there were group baptisms of more than a hundred people, from infants to elders.
It was a spectacle reminding of the Jordan River. Deeply moved, His Eminence thanked God for this blessing as well as priests and catechists, who work tirelessly for the progress of Orthodoxy and the development and promotion of the Orthodox faith and tradition among the wretched people, inviting them to guard this treasure deep inside their soul and life with frequent participation in the sacraments of the Church in order to be made worthy of becoming partakers of the kingdom of God.
On August 21, His Eminence was in the Nyeri region, at St. Anthony’s parish in the village of Isamara, where the next day the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by priests from various places and in the presence of hundreds of women, who participated in a seminar of Orthodox spirituality.
In the end, His Eminence opened the three-day conference, stressing the important role women play in the development of Orthodoxy throughout Kenya, and he invited them to continue with even stronger faith, zeal and commitment their active participation in all the local Church events in Kenya. His Eminence partook of a common meal with those Orthodox women, who sang Christian songs in order to please him.
Then His Eminence visited our large orphanage in St. Nicodemus parish Kasika, which hosts one hundred and ninety orphans. He received a warm welcome from all of them, which touched him deeply, and he thanked them and assured them that the Diocese would continue to provide them with free food and education and that they should consider him their father and that place their home.
His Eminence remembered how the orphanage project started a few years ago, hesitantly but steadily, without any specific sponsorship, and thanked God for that miracle that is taking place today thanks to love, and it is dedicated to God and to vulnerable young boys and girls who are seeking a better and happier future. Each child has its own story, no matter how tragic it may seem at the present time- at least there is the certainty and confidence that now they can feel that they belong somewhere; hopefully, they will be able to have a better life, as they are entitled to it, just like any other human being.
His Eminence has known these kids since they were very little. Emotionally touched, he stayed with them until late in the afternoon playing, singing and walking around the full of green premises of the orphanage, in order to emphasize that the Orthodox Church is the Mother who protects, cherishes and helps all children, regardless of race or even religion. The kids, in order to please His Eminence, danced and sang Christian as well as traditional songs. A very emotional moment indeed was when a teenager talked on behalf of all the children, and in the end, said a strong improvised prayer, asking God to strengthen, protect and give health to the Bishop.
From the Holy Metropolis
http://orthodoxmission.org.gr/2014/09/august-tour-western-kenya/
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