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Friday, February 19, 2016

A Very Southern Work



Bringing Christianity to Africans, that is.  For this had become quite a large part of Southern slavery by the time of the War (if ‘slavery’ is even the right word for it; Henry Hughes’s ‘warrenteeism’, or perhaps ‘paternalism’, might be better words, for Southern slavery differed greatly from the crushing, grinding slavery of the ancient heathen empires and of the modern sweatshops in places like Vietnam).

So a Southron’s heart ought to cheer to read reports like this one from the Orthodox Mission Fraternity about the work being done in Malawi.  It begins,

It is true that we often hear about the difficulties, obstacles, problems that concern the local missionary divisions. Many times, however, theory differs from reality.

Going to Malawi, you experience this reality, from the way you are treated by the natives, from various third-world diseases and more generally from the adversities of everyday life. Amid this difficult situation though, abounds the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. How? Not through reasonable explanations, neither through mathematical operations, nor through inductive reasoning but through the miracle of faith and prayer.

A basic principle for the person in charge of the Mission is prayer. That is why every time he asks us for it. The Salutations, the Compline and every kind of service accompany us on our missionary trips. The cross, the prayer, the rosary are all irresistible weapons against hostile machinations.

Admirable effort is made regarding the translation of the sacred texts. A painstaking, costly and deeply spiritual work, which, as it appears, will constitute a huge legacy for the people of Malawi one day. As regards the sacrament of baptism, it is performed with all due solemnity and only if preceded by at least one year of catechesis.


 . . .

Source:  Emmanouil Karakoutsis, ‘Malawi: The Fertile Field of Christ’, http://orthodoxmission.org.gr/2016/02/malawi-fertile-field-christ/, accessed 19 Feb. 2016

Þrough (Through) our prayers, almsgiving, and other actions, let us in Dixie and any other good-hearted folks help the Fraternity in Malawi and everywhere else they are active, as best we can.

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