St. Augustine, FL - The Orthodox Christian Mission Center's 2006 Mission Teams are preparing to travel around the world. Participants will assist Orthodox communities around the globe on various projects. OCMC short-term Mission Teams will travel to Alaska, Albania, Argentina, Ethiopia, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Romania, Tanzania, and Uganda. They will offer Christian witness to the Orthodox Faith, while providing service and support to numerous faithful. Projects include teaching, youth ministry, renovation, construction, and health care outreach.
Our team to Ethiopia will partner with International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) to educate local health care providers working with people living with HIV/AIDS. The Kenya Team will assist in the construction of St. Panteleimon Orthodox Church in Lamou. The Tanzania Teaching Team will participate in evangelism and catechism seminars for young adults and church school teachers throughout the Diocese of Bukoba, and the Uganda Medical Team, based at the Holy Cross Hospital in Namungoona, will assist various medical clinics in nearby villages.
In Asia, the India Teaching Team will offer catechism to adults and youth and lead clergy seminars in Calcutta. The team will also assist with daily outreach programs to the poor.
In Europe, the Albania Mission Team will teach and assist in the daily activities and ministries of the Children's Home of Hope in St. Vlash. The Romania Health Care Team will provide substance abuse counselor training for the staff of the St. Dimitrie Project, and the Youth Outreach Team will help organize and participate in youth camps outside of Cluj.
In Latin America, OCMC will send its first team to assist with construction, repairs and partial restoration of dwellings outside of Buenos Aries, Argentina. The Guatemala Youth Outreach Teams will assist in the activities at the Hogar Rafael Ayau orphanage in Guatemala City.
In North America, four mission teams will travel to Alaska. The Orthodox Dental Team will provide basic dental care and oral hygiene education to villages on the Lower Kuskokwim River. The Teaching Team will work in Port Graham, Nanwalek and Anchorage offering adult seminars and youth camps on the Orthodox Faith. The Youth Ministry Team will offer an Orthodox youth camp for teenagers in the Kodiak Deanery. A Construction Team will help the local community in New Halen complete the Transfiguration of Our Lord Church.
In conjunction with the ongoing work and teaching projects, health care personnel are needed to help oversee the health of the mission team members, conduct medical clinics, and offer counseling and health instruction. Most communities around the world do not have access to basic medical care or instruction, nor do they have the opportunity to visit with a physician or receive regular medical attention.
Orthodox mission teams make a difference. Through work, witness, and worship, mission teams become a visible expression of love, unity, and support in the Church. Mission teams require hard workers willing to participate and to share the Faith.
Please contact OCMC for additional information and applications. All wishing to volunteer their services, time and talents on an Orthodox mission team, please call toll-free, 1-877-GO FORTH (463-6784), or email [email protected]. Visit our website at ocmc.org. Applications can be downloaded at http://www.ocmc.org/teams.php.