A LETTER FROM FR. JOSEPH ABOUT THE AFRICAN MISSION TEAMS
November 16, 2009
Dear Friend,
My purpose in writing this letter for you is to give voice to the “least of God’s children” who suffer terribly and because I need your help to help them. In June, God willing, I will be leading a medical team to Uganda to treat some of the poorest of the poor. We anticipate bringing four doctors, four nurses, and two medical students who will act as pharmacists. This year’s medical team, in just ten days, treated nearly 4,000 people.
What am I going to be doing as leader of the team since I have no medical training? My job is to help get them there, look out for them while in-country, help secure medical supplies and medicine, and get them back safely. We will fly into Entebbe Airport in southern Uganda and then drive to the northern part of the country. This area has been decimated by revolutionary forces and has experienced the horrors of war for twenty years. Whole villages were terrified by the viciousness of these armed bands. The cutting off of hands, feet and lips along with death were the punishment for suspected actions that displeased these fanatics. Here, young children were pressed into service as soldiers for the guerillas and forced to stay by threats of certain death for their families if they tried to leave.
In the rural areas around Gulu where we will be working, there are few medical services available and no money for medicine. Some of the villagers own only the clothes that they are wearing. We are able to bring only small amounts of medicines into Uganda. Any substantial amount would be impounded for two months and whatever was subsequently released would be minimal. Therefore, as in the past, we will bring cash with us to purchase medical supplies and medicines in-country. One good thing is that medicines are much cheaper there. We hope to bring at least $20,000.00 with us.
We try not to be a burden to the people that we come to serve. The team members are therefore asked to cover their own costs which will be approximately $4,500 each. This includes airfare, visa, and shots including yellow fever and typhoid as well as the needed malaria prophylaxis. Some of the money will also be used to defer in-country transportation costs, costs of interpreters, the purchase of bottled water, medical supplies, etc. While the doctors can afford to pay for their costs, the nurses and medical students would find it difficult. Likewise the $20,000.00 for medicines that I mentioned is the minimum goal. The more money we raise the more medicines we can buy. What medicines we do not use while we are there we will leave with one of our trusted contacts for continued distribution.
We are a small parish and cannot meet these financial requirements alone. In addition to participating in this medical mission to Uganda, we are sending a teacher with a teaching team to Tanzania and must raise funds for that as well. Likewise we will continue to witness to our Lord and to Holy Orthodoxy at the Florida State Fair in Tampa which will be held for twelve days.
I have never asked anyone for money before and my parish has never held any form of fund raiser but we consider it an honor and a duty not just to ask but to beg on behalf of these, whose very lives depend on us. Some may ask “why not our own first?” These Ugandans, like all mankind, are “our own” for like us they were made in the “image and likeness of God.” I ask that you take the time to prayerfully decide how and to what extent you can help. If you want to talk more about this important project, please feel free to call me at the church. If I am not there it will ring through to my cell phone.
To give whatever is in your heart, please make checks payable to St. Philip the Apostle Orthodox Church. One hundred percent of all contributions will be used for these teams with all costs of raising the funds born by us. Checks can be mailed to the parish. We are, of course, a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit corporation and all contributions are tax deductible.
Thank you for your kind and generous consideration of this request on behalf of our brothers and sister who need so much. Please pray for all of us at St. Philip for without God’s grace we can do nothing.
God bless you,
Fr. Joseph
