20 Feb OCMC Brings Blessings from Guatemala
OCMC missionaries present “The Rise of Orthodoxy in Guatemala” to local community.
This past Tuesday evening, a small collective within our community extended a warm welcome to Fr. David and Presbytera Rozanne Rucker, veteran Orthodox missionaries who introduced some of their recent missionary efforts on behalf of OCMC.
Bringing with them blessings and greetings from nearly every corner of the world, the Ruckers highlighted some of the major accomplishments of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) since its inception in the 1990s.
Asked why they do what they do, the Ruckers, who commit six months of every year to doing missionary work everywhere from Mongolia to Latin America, gave the following answer: dedication to the Apostolic commission, making disciples of all nations.
Demonstrating this theory in practice (praxis), the climax of the evening took place as Fr. David reported on some of the recent developments in Guatemala, which fall nothing short of miraculous.
Through the efforts and prayers of several champions of Orthodoxy in the region, namely Metropolitan Athenagoras, Madre Inez, and Archimandrite Andres Giron, the Orthodox Church has received this past year over 40,000 indigenous Mayan peoples into her bosom. In fact, much more are expected, with some estimates reaching as high as 150,000!
The need for missionary work in areas like these is more than just a reality: it is an urgent need. Responding to this call, the Ruckers are just one example of how we could orient our lives toward making disciples of all nations, especially among peoples already thirsting for the teaching of the true Faith.
OCMC operates under an inter-jurisdictional mandate of the Episcopal Assembly, which works to coordinate the collective missionary efforts of Orthodox Christian churches, both abroad and domestically. Rather than focusing on the provision of disaster support and relief (a service which many other charitable agencies already provide), the mission of OCMC is focused on the much more specific, but complimentary task of spreading the Word of God. As such, part of OCMC’s organic work is in providing support to local bishops, helping them plant the fruit of the Gospel in the spiritual vineyard, that is, in Christ.
Fr. David in addition to working for OCMC lives and serves a local parish in St. Augustine, Florida. Rozanne is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and certified teacher. Fr. David and Rozanne have three children: Lauren (married to Wesley Pulley), Ethan, and Andrew. Lauren and Wes made the Ruckers grandparents in September 2012 with the birth of James. Hobbies include water sports, fishing, tennis, travel, reading, and long walks together.
For more information on OCMC and the Ruckers, visit www.ocmc.org or click here.
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