This summer, Father Nicholas J. Solak, parish priest at Holy Trinity Church in Stroudsburg, participated in an OCMC Missionary Trip to Guatemala City, Guatemala. Orthodox Christians and an Orthodox presence in this third world Latin America country is a new reality. But Orthodox growth is taking hold in a surprising and inspiring way.

In 1996, a small Orthodox woman’s monastery in Guatemala took charge of an orphanage with 115 orphans. Through faithful monastic labors, dedicated missionary involvement from America and elsewhere, generous benefactors, supporters, and donors, and God’s grace, the children of this orphanage are being cared for and raised in a loving and healthy community. They are being nurtured in the faith and guided in a Christian life.

For many years now, missionaries from America like Fr. Nicholas have enjoyed and contributed to the exciting work of the orphanage. So much support and work has gone into the up building of the orphanage, that substantial progress has already been made to move the orphanage from downtown Guatemala City to the grounds of the monastery. Such a move will provide a cleaner, healthier, and quieter environment for the children of the orphanage.

Here Fr. Nicholas shares some of his pictures from the orphanage with our Diocesan Website. If you would like to learn more about the Orthodox monastery and orphanage in Guatemala, contact Fr. Nicholas at hteoc@ptd.net.