OCMC Mission TeamsPresbytera Renee Ritsi <strong>in</strong><strong>Tanzania</strong> <strong>in</strong> 2012, where sheserved as Team Leader andwas challenged to br<strong>in</strong>g thebest out <strong>in</strong> team members andencourage a deeper understand<strong>in</strong>gof missions.Servant Leadersby Pres. Renee Ritsi“And whatever you do <strong>in</strong> wordor deed, do all <strong>in</strong> the Name ofthe Lord Jesus, giv<strong>in</strong>g thanksto God the Father throughHim.” —Col 3:17Whatever you do, do it all <strong>in</strong> the Name of the Lord, giv<strong>in</strong>g thanks to Him. <strong>The</strong>se wordshave directed me through many Team experiences on three different cont<strong>in</strong>ents, liv<strong>in</strong>gas an <strong>Orthodox</strong> <strong>Christian</strong> woman, wife, mother and presbytera, team host and team leader.My Team experiences have spilled over <strong>in</strong> life lessons for other parts of my life, build<strong>in</strong>gupon each other and becom<strong>in</strong>g woven <strong>in</strong>to the very fabric of who I am. Some Teams startoff perfect and stay perfect – with easy lessons present<strong>in</strong>g themselves for both the Team andthe <strong>in</strong>dividuals that the Team has gone to serve. Other times the opportunities for spiritualgrowth come from process<strong>in</strong>g difficult challenges.Hav<strong>in</strong>g experience <strong>in</strong> a cross culturalsett<strong>in</strong>g, possess<strong>in</strong>g a solid knowledge ofmissions, be<strong>in</strong>g a pastoral listener are afew key <strong>in</strong>gredients for a Team Leader topossess so that Team Member experiencesbecome for them a piece of the spiritualfoundation of their very lives.Team Members come from differentparts of the cont<strong>in</strong>ent and from differentjurisdictions; they range <strong>in</strong> age from youngchildren to grandparents and <strong>in</strong> backgroundfrom students to retired professionals.Team Leaders do their best to bond thesedifferences <strong>in</strong>to one, spiritually driven, crossculturally open, service m<strong>in</strong>ded group thatmore than anyth<strong>in</strong>g reflects Christ throughtheir words and deeds, while encourag<strong>in</strong>geach Team Member to use their own uniquegifts to glorify Him.Challenged by the level of povertyand social <strong>in</strong>justice that exceeds anyth<strong>in</strong>gexperienced at home, it is very commonfor healthcare Teams to often see patientswho could be healed if they lived wheremedical care was more available. Eventh<strong>in</strong>gs like an <strong>in</strong>fection that would haveresponded to antibiotics at home canlead to gangrene and amputation <strong>in</strong> athird world situation. <strong>The</strong> Team Leader,by be<strong>in</strong>g aware of the culture and be<strong>in</strong>g asound<strong>in</strong>g board for the flood of emotionthat these <strong>in</strong>justices hold, helps the teamfilter those experiences. By encourag<strong>in</strong>gthem to accept the differences that cannotbe changed and to use them as motivationfor compassion and action, this allowsthe challenges to become spiritual lessonsthat help us grow <strong>in</strong> Christ and ultimatelyto become more Christ-like.20 OCMC MISSION MAGAZINE • WWW.OCMC.ORG
On my list of top twenty Teammemories is an experience from one ofthe first Teams to Albania after the fall ofcommunism – when a high distrust forreligion, missionaries and mission workwas prevalent. Our van was stopped at apolice checkpo<strong>in</strong>t and a Team membernonchalantly tossed a plum pit out the vanw<strong>in</strong>dow. That <strong>in</strong>nocent plum pit struckthe cheek of the officer who was check<strong>in</strong>gthe registration and driver’s papers. <strong>The</strong>little plum pit delayed the team’s arrival totheir even<strong>in</strong>g dest<strong>in</strong>ation while the officerrega<strong>in</strong>ed his composure by scrut<strong>in</strong>iz<strong>in</strong>geveryone’s passport and visa and tak<strong>in</strong>ggreat liberty <strong>in</strong> mak<strong>in</strong>g everyone wait <strong>in</strong>the hot summer sun. As m<strong>in</strong>utes mergedwith hours the Team’s emotions rangedfrom anger to compliance and then toresentment. Later that even<strong>in</strong>g, as the Teamwas debrief<strong>in</strong>g we discussed the importanceof accept<strong>in</strong>g th<strong>in</strong>gs that we can’t change. Byaccept<strong>in</strong>g and work<strong>in</strong>g with<strong>in</strong> the exist<strong>in</strong>gsituation to present Christ, we are rem<strong>in</strong>dedthat He is rarely seen <strong>in</strong> the eyes of angryand resentful people and we are His handsand His feet, His love and His outstretchedarms to His people.Another experience that has made it tomy top twenty list is from a more recentTeam’s first day <strong>in</strong> <strong>Tanzania</strong>. This Team’shost, His Em<strong>in</strong>ence Jeronymos, had beenone of my students over 25 years ago andwished to accompany our road wearyRIGHT : Presbytera Renee Ritsi served as TeamLeader <strong>in</strong> <strong>Tanzania</strong> on the 2012 healthcare team.Team Leaders help the other team members to actwith compassion and allow challenges they faceto become spiritual lessons. BELOW: On the 2012<strong>Tanzania</strong> healthcare team, team members arrived ata local parish, where bamboo rooms had been builtoutside the church for team members to adm<strong>in</strong>isterhealthcare—an example of beautiful hospitality bytheir hosts.travelers from the airport to where theTeam would be stay<strong>in</strong>g, on the other sideof the country. <strong>The</strong> 12 hour drive wouldhave, <strong>in</strong> itself, been a bit of a challenge, butthe plane arrived late - very late. Instead ofstart<strong>in</strong>g our journey right away, we were firsttreated to a wonderful lunch with a numberof speeches and then to a tour of the cityand a stop to see the new cathedral that wasunder construction. <strong>The</strong>n we had to make afew stops to pick up more people, load about50 boxes of medic<strong>in</strong>es, and offer some wellhydrated Team Members relief. Instead ofgett<strong>in</strong>g to our sleep<strong>in</strong>g quarters by d<strong>in</strong>ner,it was around 4 a.m. As we processed theblur of events that was our first day, wecould have focused on the lack of sleepor organization that seemed evident, but<strong>in</strong>stead an important lesson about a proudand hospitable host was <strong>in</strong> the mak<strong>in</strong>g.As we piled out of the van just a fewhours later at the parish of St. Fanourios,we were overwhelmed by a packed church.We had driven through sparsely populatedcountryside and doubted if there would bemany people at the first cl<strong>in</strong>ic. A numberof Team members hadn’t slept that night asthey packaged medic<strong>in</strong>es, and we were allexhausted. As we drove up to the Churchwe saw an amaz<strong>in</strong>g sight. Crude bamboorooms had been erected along the side ofthe Church. Fresh cut grass covered the dirtand rocks. Colorful cloths and palm leavesdivided the wait<strong>in</strong>g rooms from the doctor’soffice. <strong>The</strong> pharmacy room was bright andsunny, with walls that only came up halfway from the ground. <strong>The</strong> morn<strong>in</strong>g began<strong>in</strong>side of the Church with a short prayerservice, a number of speeches express<strong>in</strong>ggratitude and a service to bless oil. <strong>The</strong>nthe Team and our translators were ano<strong>in</strong>tedand we rushed to complete sett<strong>in</strong>g up thecl<strong>in</strong>ics so we could beg<strong>in</strong> to see the longl<strong>in</strong>es of people who were stand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> l<strong>in</strong>eto be ano<strong>in</strong>ted. That first day, and everysubsequent day, we did our best to imitatethe humble yet gracious actions our hostsshowed us as the l<strong>in</strong>es of patients seemedto never end.Often, I am asked difficult questionsby Team Members. For example, why,when so many people are hungry orwithout basic education, are f<strong>in</strong>ances usedto build permanent Church structures<strong>in</strong> mission countries? Draw<strong>in</strong>g upon themissiological pr<strong>in</strong>ciples of our Church, aTeam Leader can help the team transformthis question <strong>in</strong>to a stepp<strong>in</strong>g stone for adeeper spiritual understand<strong>in</strong>g of missions.Across generations and cultures, when the<strong>Orthodox</strong> Church spreads to a new region,it is common for the faithful to build afitt<strong>in</strong>g place <strong>in</strong> which to worship God, andfrom which the fullness of the sacramentaland spiritual life of the Church is dispersed.We understand that as <strong>Orthodox</strong><strong>Christian</strong>s, a build<strong>in</strong>g is not necessarybecause we ourselves are the liv<strong>in</strong>g templeof God, but when a church is built it is away for ourselves and others to observethat our God is ‘He who was, who is andwho is to come’ and He lives on this earth,with us and that this build<strong>in</strong>g is built as anoutpour<strong>in</strong>g of our love and respect for Him.As a Team Leader, we are challenged tobr<strong>in</strong>g the best out <strong>in</strong> each <strong>in</strong>dividual andto help encourage a deeper understand<strong>in</strong>gof the mission beh<strong>in</strong>d the service. Ourexperience <strong>in</strong> a cross cultural sett<strong>in</strong>g,knowledge of missions and be<strong>in</strong>g a pastorallistener are a few key <strong>in</strong>gredients that helpsTeam Members “do it all <strong>in</strong> the Name of theLord, giv<strong>in</strong>g thanks to Him”.If you feel called to serve as a missionteam leader, please contact Teams DirectorAndrew Lekos by phone at 1-877-GO-FORTH, or by e-mail at teams@ocmc.org.OCMC MISSION MAGAZINE • SPRING 201321
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