His Grace Bishop Lukas with Coptic Orphans field staff and Serve to Learn volunteers
H.G. Bishop Loukas of the Diocese of Abanoub & El Fateh has had a tremendous ministry to orphans. In the excerpt below from the Diocese Anniversary Book, he talks about his involvement with Coptic Orphans.
Actually I found this service [Coptic Orphans] better than the orphanage because when we serve the child at his home amidst his family he is spared the stigma of the orphanage. He feels that he is a normal child without any complexities or problems. He grows up with his mother, siblings and neighbors’ children. He is provided with all his needs. He feels proud and his head is high.
We selected many volunteers to help people in charge. I appointed a consecrated deaconess or a significant servant to be in charge of each district. They all serve children with great love spiritually, socially and educationally. The children are now very joyful.
I thank God because this was my hope to serve orphans and to reach each one of them. Now we are serving 200 children but I think there is more [work to do] because there are areas that aren’t covered yet.
I hope that in the coming years we would increase our numbers and those who aren’t served by this ministry would be served by the Lord’s Brethren Committee, although it isn’t of the same service level.
In fact we are recording our thanks to Mrs Nermien Riad who is responsible for Coptic Orphans for her great cooperation with us in this field.