Hundreds of Lives to be Touched on Real Break 2004
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Boston, MA [OCF Offices]—Orthodox Christian Fellowship’s (OCF) Real Break program has begun registration for its 2004 trips on which hundreds of lives of those less fortunate will be touched and students will have a life changing experience. They will serve Hogar Rafael Ayau Orphanage in Guatemala, Project Mexico, the Aleutian Villages in Eklutna, Alaska, Raphael House in San Francisco and St. George the Martyr Monastery in Greece.
Each Real Break provides alternatives to “traditional” spring breaks for Orthodox college students, and gives them instead a full Christian experience of fellowship and service to others. The program provides opportunities for spiritual growth with one-on-one interaction with a priest accompanying each group. Each participant is asked to raise the funds for their trip, with donors becoming a part of each participant’s experience as photos and stories are shared upon their return. In expressing his excitement for the experiences the students will have, His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah, the National OCF SCOBA Overseer, noted, “Their Real Break experience is brief, but it is nothing less than quality time of great value. These Orthodox students are truly God’s instruments who give hope to the hopeless and joy to the downtrodden.”
The dates and locations for 2004 are:
February 14 - 21—Hogar Rafael Ayau (Guatemala)
February 21 - 28—Project Mexico
February 28 - March 6—Project Mexico
March 6 - 13—Alaska, Greece (until the 13th), Project Mexico (for UCONN/PSU OCFs)
March 13 - 20—Raphael House (San Francisco), Hogar Rafael Ayau (Guatemala)
March 20 - 27—Raphael House (San Francisco), Hogar Rafael Ayau (Guatemala)
March 27 - April 3—Project Mexico
In four years, Real Break has involved over 240 participants, serving eight different locations. Rev. Michael Nasser, Executive Director of OCF, stated, “I believe that there is no experience more crucial for a student to go through than serving others and experiencing their God-given ability to work on his behalf. It is nothing less than life-changing.”
Registration and more information can be found on the OCF website at www.ocf.net
About OCF
Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) is the official campus ministry effort of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA). It is a Pan-Orthodox effort, overseen by an Executive Committee and aided by a sixteen-person Student Advisory Board. The office is located in Boston, MA, where a full time staff develops OCF programs and resources. [P.O. Box 249 - Boston, MA 02130 - 1-800-919-1623]
The staff is available to guide and support local OCF chapters through communication with the larger Orthodox community, national programs, and development of resources for use by Orthodox college students. SCOBA designated the 3rd Sunday in September each year as “College Student Sunday” to raise awareness of our students on campus and OCF’s activities.