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Published by the Orthodox
Christian Fellowship, May 27, 2004
Over 100 College
Students Live the Orthodox Faith on their Spring
Break
BOSTON, MA -
This spring, while hundreds of thousands of
college students flocked to spring break hot-spots
such as Cancun and Ft. Lauderdale, 102 Orthodox
college students opted for dramatically different
destinations. These students chose to spend their
week away from school pressures serving those less
fortunate. Real Break, the spring break
alternative program of Orthodox Christian
Fellowship (OCF) had another record breaking year,
with eight teams working in five different
locations. They served the Hogar Rafael Ayau
Orphanage in Guatemala, Project Mexico, the
Aleutian village of Eklutna, Alaska, Raphael House
in San Francisco and St. George the Martyr
Monastery in Greece.
Hogar Rafael Ayau Orphanage in Guatemala hosted
two teams, who experienced the love and hope of
over 150 children living there. Real Break
returned to Project Mexico with three trips, where
the teams completed three buildings to be used as
housing for Project Mexico's summer groups. The
Orthodox young people also spent valuable time
with the 18 boys of St. Innocent Orphanage. In the
serene landscape of Alaska, a world away from the
tropical beaches where many of their classmates
were spending their week, a team built a new floor
for St. Nicholas Church. In Karditsa, Greece, the
students worked on a monastery landscaping
project, while witnessing the vibrant expressions
of Orthodoxy of the surrounding community and
monasteries. Real Break also returned to San
Francisco to help serve food and maintain
facilities at Raphael House, a shelter for
homeless families.
The intent of the program is to impact our
Orthodox college students with the life-changing
experience of living a full Orthodox lifestyle.
Elyse Pickwick, a sophomore from Eastern Kentucky
University reflected on her experience in Greece:
"I have been influenced in so many ways - my focus
was put into perspective. I realized its ok to
change your plans for no other reason but GOD!"
Now in its fifth year, Real Break has had 340
students participate, with 2004 the biggest year,
seeing a 50% increase in participation. Fr.
Michael Nasser, Executive Director of OCF stated,
"Real Break has become one of the most important
experiences a student can choose to take. The time
spent in these amazing places changes the student
for life, spiritually and mentally, ultimately
bringing them closer to Christ."
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. Excess
funds are distributed directly to the location.
This year over $30,000 will be given to these
locations' ministries on behalf of the students
and their donors.
For more information about Real Break visit http://realbreak.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. 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.
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