Saint Mary of Egypt in Kenya

In 2008, Father Antipas, priest of the Russian Orthodox Exarchate of Africa, founded the Ngando Orthodox School and Community Learning Center in Nairobi, since then, he with Mr. David Sauls, an American who was interested in helping the cause, has been able to provide an Orthodox curriculum to the students and provide them with an Orthodox Baptism. Recently, land was attained in Fr. Antipas' home village of Gem, Siaya County to build a new refuge center, but it was destroyed by the Kenyan government in 2020. Shortly after, a blessed donation of $20,000 USD was given to the cause to buy ten acres of land in Gem. Fr. Antipas is now in the process of developing the St. Mary of Egypt Orthodox Mission and Refuge of Kenya. The Saint Mary of Egypt Orthodox Mission and Refuge of Kenya is set to spread the Orthodox Faith and the Gospel of Christ, help the poor, oppressed, and improvised people of Kenya. Their desire is to remove as many of their students as possible from the harsh and dangerous environment of Nairobi, and establish a parish, school, and refuge in Siaya, a safer area for them to grown and to develop.

 

The Mission Center is expected to run a school, a children's home, a health center, and an Orthodox Parish. In order to end a culture of dependency in Orthodox parishes and dioceses in Africa in an attempt to alleviate hunger and poverty, the objective of the Mission is to among the few mission centers which seek to adopt a paradigm shift to Orthodox Missions through education and training, and the creation of employment to empower Orthodox communities in Africa through sustainable programs such as agribusiness.

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The new Mission will therefore grow crops, keep poultry and livestock to produce food to support the school, the orphanage, the poor, and the vulnerable in the community, as well as to generate an income to support the Mission.

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The Mission will provide a safe haven for orphaned and vulnerable children, women and girls at risk due to the rampant cases of domestic violence, forced early marriages, and female genital mutilation (FGM), which is a deadly cultural practice among many communities in Africa. In addition, the project would provide children and youth with basic education (primary and secondary) as well as with opportunities to pursue vocational training in the future. 

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Fr. Antipas resides in Nairobi and was ordained a priest in the Archbishop Makarios III Ecclesiastical School and received a Theology Degree, and is seeking to complete a B.A. in Sustainable Human Development, Tangaza University.  He obtained a certificate in Early and Middle  Childhood  Education from Saint Clement Orthodox Teacher's College, a Higher Theology Degree from Carlile College, and presently runs the Ngando Orthodox School and Community Learning Center in Nairobi, which is registered as a Community Based Organization with the Kenyan Government.  He is a priest of the Russian Orthodox Exarchate of Africa

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David Sauls is a 911/Radio Operator with the Upson County, Georgia Sheriff's Department, and a member of Saint Innocent of Alaska Orthodox Church, Macon, Georgia.  He resides in Thomaston, Georgia.

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