Of all of the missions that comprise the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Mexico (comprising all of Central America) the one in Haiti “far surpassed all other parishes by baptizing over 7,000 Haitians into the Orthodox faith,” Costa Mavraganis, Executive Director of Hands of Humanity (HH) told The National Herald.
ABOUT HH
As Mavraganis writes on HH’s website, handsofhumanity.org, “we are an international humanitarian organization focusing on developing participatory, sustainable projects in rural areas of the developing world. The projects involve community development in the areas of efficient cooking methods, clean water, sanitation, fighting deforestation, education and economic relief.
“Our mission is to connect Hands Of Humanity with people of our destination countries in meaningful one-on-one interaction. We encourage people to travel and work with us on our projects. The hope is that exposure to the developing world will enlighten them to the world outside their own and inspire them to continue humanitarian service in their lives.
“This includes teaching existing, proven methods of improving the quality of life to rural people so that they may best help themselves. Hands Of Humanity seeks to empower rural communities to fulfill basic necessities that are fundamental to human dignity. It is our determination that the most cost-effective way to accomplish these goals is through education, example and support. We have learned that given the proper education and tools to work with, people will find a way to help themselves for the long term.”
- BARNABAS JEROME
The parish is served by Fr. Barnabas Jerome, a Haitian-born Greek Orthodox Priest educated in Greece. “His daughter was born in Greece, and he speaks fluent Greek, English, French and Creole,” Mavraganis said of Jerome, who usually conducts the liturgy in French.
Jerome is emblematic of the typical Haitian Orthodox, “who is more Orthodox than Greek,” says Mavraganis, as he contrasts Greeks who are Orthodox, many of whom he says are born into the faith and so they accept it, even as they learn little about it.
Such an honest man is Jerome, Mavraganis says, that he could have fulfilled Diogenes’ search. Jerome “truly talks the talk and walks the walk. People respect him and follow him as he leads an exemplary life,” he says. He is the one who draws in the people.
1 MERCEDES = 400 TUITIONS
The school at the Orthodox Mission is free, even as most Haitian children have to pay for their own. Though Mavraganis is hopeful that the Mission will be self-sustaining, every little bit helps. “Do you know that just one Greek-American diner owner who buys himself a Mercedes can fund the education of 400 desperately poor Orthodox kids in Haiti for an entire year? Think about that. That’s crazy. Yes, we Greek-Americans work hard and have been successful, deservedly so. We’ve spoiled our kids to death. Haiti, and the people of Haiti, could be a great way to remember our roots and reflect on our own struggles through the ages and give back. They are still living that struggle,” he told TNH.
After the 2010 earthquake that devastated Haiti, the people of Greece generously donated to the Haiti Orthodox Mission. Those funds are being used to help the Haiti Mission get on its feet and to progress on a road to self-sustainability. Describing the fate of Orthodoxy in Haiti following the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s division of Orthodoxy in the Americas, Mavraganis says “Haiti had the unfortunate fate of being cut off from the Archdiocese of North America. This severely limits their ability to communicate and receive help from our Orthodox brethren in the United States. The Archdiocese of Central America to which they belong, is a poor archdiocese with limited resources.”
Fr. Barnabas Jerome gives Holy Communion to a Greek Orthodox Haitian.
A scene of the earthquake’s devastation.
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