New Missionaries Being Trained
Guatemala and Mexico are the destinations for the newest missionaries attending OCMC’s New Candidate Orientation this week. Normally conducted at the Archbishop Anastasios and Archbishop Demetrios Missionary Training and Administration Building in St. Augustine, Florida, the seven new missionaries are attending the classes virtually throughout the week. One participant stated, “I have learned that the Lord is the master architect, and I am the bricklayer. It is God’s plan – it is not about me,” while another observed that the sessions have reiterated, “We want what we are doing to last; it is about helping create self-support, not dependency.”
Serving as a missionary is a challenging vocation and the preparation is rigorous. It is vital for missionaries to not only be well-equipped to accomplish their work of evangelism, but also to be resilient in the face of great difficulties. OCMC staff and missionaries are conducting sessions on topics ranging from sustainability to evangelism, as well as how to raise support for their work.
The educational sessions this week build on a broader online course about missionary service in which the candidates study numerous books and articles on cross-cultural ministry and learn specific skills that will help them get started when they arrive in the mission field.
As part of their training, each future missionary selected a missionary saint and shared about the saint’s life and why they had a meaningful connection with him or her. Dn. James Nicholas, Missionary Director at OCMC observed,“Through the intercessions of these saints, we are excited to have these new missionary candidates continue the great missionary tradition of the Church, as we send them out to follow Christ’s commandment – to ‘make disciples of all nations.’” (Matthew 28:19).
This critical work can only continue with your support! If you want to be part of this process, please pray for our present and future missionaries – and consider financially supporting them as well! Click here to learn about and support each of our missionaries!
Do you think you might belong in one of our New Candidate Orientations as a potential future missionary? Contact Archdeacon Joseph at jmatusiak@ocmc.org, or click here for more information and to submit your own application!