INITIATIVE BY THE PATRIARCHATE OF ALEXANDRIA FOR THE SUFFERING CHILDREN OF JOHANNESBURG
An emotional visit to the new Institute for Street Children of Johannesburg to which the Orthodox Church of Africa shows its love, was undertaken on 22nd May 2008 By His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa.
It is the “Centre for Street Children” of the Holy Metropolis of Johannesburg which was established earlier this year with the care and concern of the local Metropolitan Seraphim, within the framework of the initiative which the Alexandrian Primate gives to the support of the poor and orphaned children of Africa .
More than forty children coming from divorced parents or parents who have lost the fight with AIDS, find care, a home and food.
There is significant contribution by specialists for their psychological care, as they are visited on a daily basis, as well as by teachers who prepare them during their pre-school education that they may soon join primary schools.
Because of this visit, His Beatitude gave to the suffering children of Africa parcels with gifts and foods, and expressed his satisfaction with the work of the local church as well as with the donations given by local Greeks who voluntarily contribute to this work of love.
His Beatitude also expressed his great content on the donations to this cause by the relative branch of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece, the N.G.O. of the Church of Greece “Allilengii”, as well as the N.G.O. of the Metropolis of Johannesburg.
It should be noted that the works of the ancient Patriarchate of Alexandria in Johannesburg is extended to the “STEGI AGAPIS” which is for poor Greeks, an Old Age Home which operates at the Church of St Nektarios in Johannesburg, as well as the Ecclesiastical Academy “Patriarch Petros VII”, for the preparation of local clergy and lay members of the local Church for the pastoral needs of Orthodox Missions.