Orthodox Missions among the Aztec People of Mexico

The seeds of Orthodoxy are flowering all over the world, even in Mexico where, under Archbishop Alejo of the Orthodox Church in America’s Diocese of Mexico, communities of Aztec people have embraced the Faith. For the past couple of years, OCMC, in partnership with the Orthodox Church in America’s (OCA) Department of Evangelization, has been sending short-term mission teams to minister to these Orthodox Christians who call the rural villages of San Esteban and Pisaflores home.

OCMC and the OCA are sending another team to San Esteban and Pisaflores in 2016, from March 26th to April 2nd, and we need your participation! As a member of this team, you will teach children basic catechism and craft activities in a Vacation Bible School format, offer adult catechism, and attend worship services with the local communities.

OCMC Board Member Fr. Ted Pisarchuk, who leads the teams to Mexico, reflects, “Every year the children look forward to participating in our summer camp, while the adults enjoy short talks on the Orthodox Christian faith offered after services. And, as always, the villagers offer warm hospitality and delicious local foods.”

This is a once in a lifetime experience that will take you to a part of the world that needs your help and where the people long for a deeper life in Christ! San Esteban, for example, is a remote subsistence village where, Fr. Ted explains, “The residents grow their own corn, black beans, and fruit. Most everyone raises chickens, and the food is truly organic and fresh! Homes are mostly built of concrete block with corrugated metal roofs. Many homes do not have indoor bathroom facilities, and where there is running water, it consists of one-quarter inch polybutylene pipes, akin to garden hoses, that run down the side of the road or are suspended from poles. Transportation is mostly by foot or horseback, while burros function as ‘pickup trucks’.”

If you are a Spanish speaker, have a heart for sharing the Gospel, and can answer the call to serve the Aztec people of Mexico, please sign up for this team today!

You can visit http://www.ocmc.org/about/view_team.aspx?TeamId=167, email teams@ocmc.org, or call 1-877-463-6784 for more information or to apply!

Source: OCA