Daphne and James Hargrave serve the Holy Archdiocese of Mwanza in Western Tanzania, under the leadership of His Eminence, Metropolitan JERONYMOS. James has been an OCMC Missionary since 2010. Having married in May 2012, Daphne and James are preparing to return to the field as a missionary family.

As the Orthodox Church in Western Tanzania continues to grow, Church leadership is working to establish and improve Archdiocesan ministries including health care, education, and youth ministry. His Eminence, Metropolitan JERONYMOS of Mwanza and Western Tanzania has asked James and Daphne to assist the Church in these ministries.

During her service as a Protestant missionary in North Africa in the early 2000s, Daphne saw an acute need for health care ministry. She went home to Canada to pursue a nursing degree in order to return to Africa as a medical missionary. While in nursing school, Daphne was received into the Orthodox Church and in October of 2011 came to Tanzania on an OCMC Health Care Team. During the trip, she made a commitment to pursue long-term missionary service.

James also has an African background, having been raised by Protestant missionaries in East Africa. During university he was received into the Orthodox Church, and in 2008 began preparing for missionary service with OCMC. In 2009, he was invited to speak at Daphne's parish, Holy Nativity Orthodox Church in Langley, British Columbia. After corresponding for two years, James and Daphne renewed their relationship during the October 2011 Health Care Team which he helped to host. They were married in May 2012 and returned to Africa together in October 2012.

As a registered nurse, Daphne plans to assist Church leadership in developing and implementing health care ministries throughout the Archdiocese. In order to understand the realities and needs of local people, she will require a deep understanding of the Swahili language. Therefore, intensive language study will be her main assignment for the first year in the field.

Before their wedding in 2012, James served for two years as a single missionary in Mwanza. He plans to continue his work assisting Archdiocese leadership in communications, translation, and youth ministry as well as developing a Church newsletter and working with English-language education. He also plans to continue working on his Swahili language skills while beginning to study the Sukuma language. Together, Daphne and James plan to host short-term OCMC Teams.

The Hargraves count on your prayers and financial support in order to serve in Tanzania. Funds donated in support and encouragement of their service should be made out to "Orthodox Christian Mission Center" with "Hargrave" in the memo line and sent to: Orthodox Christian Mission Center, 220 Mason Manatee Way, St Augustine, FL 32086 USA. You can also call 1-904-829-5132 (ask for the Finance department) or visit http://www.ocmc.org/TheHargraveFamily and click on "Support This Missionary Ministry."