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| July 31, 2005 KiM-Info Newsletter 31-07-05 Decani Monastery Relief Fund provides assistance for the poor and chidren in Kosovo
Visoki Decani Monastery, July 25, 2005 During the past two days Bishop Teodosije of Lipljan visited the Serbs living in Prekovci (Novo Brdo municipality) and Osojane near Klina in order to distribute humanitarian aid with Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes from the USA on behalf of the Decani Monastery Relief Fund. The Decani Monastery Relief Fund (DMRF) is a nonprofit humanitarian organization founded in October 1998 in the USA with the blessing of His Grace Bishop Artemije and Abbot Teodosije of Visoki Decani Monastery. The work of the Fund has received the support and blessing of His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver (Greek Archdiocese of America) as well as the Society of Friends of Mt. Athos headed by the Rt. Revd. Dr. Kallistos Ware, Bishop of Diokleia. The president of the Decani Monastery Relief Fund is Archimandrite Nektarios (Demetrios) Serfes from Boise, Idaho, USA. The vice-presidents are Bishop Teodosije of Lipljan and Protosingel Sava of Visoki Decani Monastery. The secretary of the Fund is Mr. Veljko Sikirica from Washington, D.C. In the course of the past seven years the Decani Relief Fund has collected over 330,000 US dollars to help the suffering people in Kosovo and Metohija. The collected proceeds are distributed through Visoki Decani Monastery to the most at risk families in Kosovo and Metohija as well as to refugees on the territory of central Serbia and Montenegro. The priority of the Fund are the children, who are also sent by organized tour to Greece each summer. In cooperation with Visoki Decani Monastery Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes regularly publishes donations reports on his website, including the names of the donors. See the latest report at  Decani Relief Fund assists the work of a kitchen for the poor in the village of Prekovci, Novo Brdo Aid for soup-kitchen in Novo Brdo In Prekovci, Novo Brdo, a soup-kitchen for the poor has been working for the past two years. Founded with the blessing of His Grace Bishop Artemije, the kitchen is run by the non-governmental organization "Majka Jugovica" headed by Presbytera Svetlana Stevic from Zvecan. Bishop Teodosije and Archimandrite Nektarios have ensured financial assistance for the kitchen, which will be able to remain open thanks to the generosity of donors from the US and other countries. The kitchen provides warm meals every day for 210 of the poorest inhabitants in Novo Brdo municipality. The remaining Serbs in Novo Brdo municipality are among the poorest population in Kosovo and Metohija. The Decani Monastery Relief Fund has provided assistance for those most in need in the past. Archimandrite Nektarios was deeply moved by the love with which he was received and he promised the Serbs from this region that he would continue to speak in America about the difficulty of their lives in order to encourage donors to help their suffering brothers and sisters in far away Kosovo and Metohija.  Bishop Teodosije, Archimandrite Nektarios and children in Osojane in front of the restored church of St. Gabriel the Archangel Aid for the children in Osojane Today Bishop Teodosije and Archimandrite Nektarios visited the village of Osojane, the first returnee village in Metohija, where they distributed financial aid on behalf of the Decani Monastery Relief Fund to the children gathered in the church of St. Gabriel. The church is the only Serbian Orthodox Church that has been restored and is currently used for religious services thanks to the assistance of the Greek Orthodox Church. In addition to the funds collected from US donors, Archimandrite Nektarios also presented the children with small icons. In front of those gathered in the church Bishop Teodosije publicly thanked Father Nektarios and Mr. Veljko Sikirica (who was unable to come to Kosovo and Metohija at this time), emphasizing that their dedicated efforts and love, together with that of the donors to the Fund, are the best example of how to fulfill the commandments of the Gospel to love one's neighbor. In addition to Novo Brdo and Osojane, Bishop Teodosije and Father Nektarios visited Gracanica Monastery where they spoke with Bishop Artemije. On behalf of the Diocese of Raska and Prizren and the faithful, Bishop Artemije also expressed his gratitude. They then visited the monasteries of Devic, Gorioc and the Pec Patriarchate, where Father Nektarios venerated the holy relics of the holy Serbian archbishops and patriarchs. Tomorrow Archimandrite Nektarios will serve together with His Holiness Patriarch Pavle and the other senior archpriests of the Serbian Orthodox Church at the monastery of Holy Archangels near Prizren. He will then visit several of the important monasteries of central Serbia with Bishop Teodosije prior to his return to the USA.  In conversation with Bishop Artemije in Gracanica - Bishop Teodosije and Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes About Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes Archimandrite Nektarios (Demetrios) Serfes was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, USA. Through his father, the late James Serfes, he is from northern Greece by origin, while his mother Bettie (Rebecca) Serfes is of Scottish origin. After attending Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Theological Seminary in Boston he graduated from St. Tikhon's Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania. Father Nektarios Serfes is currently serving in the parish of Sts. Constantine and Helen Equal-to-the-apostles in Boise, Idaho, under the omophorion of Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in America). Archimandrite Nektarios is well-known among the Orthodox in the USA through his web site http://www.serfes.org and his great love toward the suffering churches in Russia and Serbia.  Fr. Nektarije with Patriarch Pavle and Bishop Artemije during the Holy Archierarchal service at Holy Archangels Monastery near Prizren DECANI MONASTERY RELIEF FUND The Decani Monastery Relief Fund (DMRF) is a completely non-profit organization. Information regarding the Fund's financial operations may be viewed by going to the following web site: http://www.serfes.org/missionary/charter.htm All donations made to the DMRF are forwarded as quickly as possible to volunteers in Serbia who immediately use this cash resource to distribute financial and/or material aid to persons in need of assistance. No portion of any donation is used for administrative or overhead costs-- 100% of every donation is dispersed to aid recipients. Volunteers in both Serbia and in the USA donate their own funds, as well as their time, to assure that your donations in their entirety are used to address the needs the DMRF exists to alleviate. All donations made to the DMRF are forwarded as quickly as possible to volunteers in Serbia who immediately use this cash resource to distribute financial and/or material aid to persons in need of assistance. No portion of any donation is used for administrative or overhead costs -- 100% of every donation is dispersed to aid recipients. Volunteers in both Serbia and in the USA donate their own funds, as well as their time, to assure that your donations in their entirety are used to address the needs the DMRF exists to alleviate. The DMRF desires to alleviate those who are constantly in need of food, fuel, shelter, and medical attention, as well as assist the needs of the recent Orthodox Monasteries and Churches throughout the Province of Kosovo and Metohija. This fund as well seeks to help the youth and elderly in these same regions.  Bishop Teodosije and Father Nektarios with children in Osojane Again we offer our deep and humble thanks to all who with love and Christian charity made donations to assist those who are suffering and struggling in the Providence of Kosovo and Metohija. All of these donations have now been dispersed and that the fund is back to zero. Because, unfortunately, the needs persist, we also continue our appeals for additional monetary support so that we can keep on helping those still in dire need in this region of the world. Their very survival, both as individuals and as a Christian population, depends on the solidarity support they receive on a continuing basis from their brothers and sisters in Christ who live in America, Europe, Canada, and elsewhere. Let us relate the good news that assistance will continue onward because of your solidarity with, and Christian charity toward those who continue to need assistance. Please send your donations to the following: Decani Monastery Relief Fund Your donation is tax deductible. If you would also like to have a tax deductible report for your donation, please indicate this when you send in your donation. When you make your donation, please make your check or money order out to the Decani Monastery Relief Fund, NOT to the name of any individual. God bless you for your great love! Be assured that we will remember you in prayer. Decani Monastery Relief Fund ows particular gratitude to Fr. Viktor Potapov (ROCOR) from Washington D.C. and his kind assistance without which the work of the Fund will hardly be possible. Report Jan-May 2005  Archimandrite Nektarios serves Holy Liturgy in Visoki Decani Monastery  Veljko Sikirica the treasurer of the DMRF and his son Vanja with Bishops Artemije and Teodosije at the tomb of St. Justin of Celije, Monastery of Celije (winter 2003/2004)
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