OCMC and the Manuel Family welcome our newest missionary baby!

The missionary vocation is an offering of the whole self and family to God. All of our missionaries strive to share the light and love of Christ with the world, through themselves and even their children. On March 26, the day after the feast of the Annunciation, our missionaries in Guatemala, Fr. Thomas and Pres. Elizabeth Manuel, welcomed Athanasios (Thanasi) Gabriel into the world as OCMC’s newest missionary baby!  

Fr. Thomas's and Pres. Elizabeth's commitment to serve the Lord through missions now extends to both Athanasios and his older brother Vasili, who have the blessing of growing up immersed in the mission field. This is a great example, not only for those of us called to be cross-cultural missionaries, but for all of us living as Christians and therefore missionaries to the people around us. 

Athanasios takes his name from both Fr. Thomas's and Pres. Elizabeth's relatives, with the great defender of Orthodoxy, St. Athanasios of Alexandria, as his patron saint. His middle name, Gabriel, comes from his birth on the feast of the Archangel Gabriel. Even now, in his first few weeks of life, little Thanasi, as he will be nicknamed, already depicts the love of Christ and His saints! 

Please keep the Manuel family, and especially baby Thanasi, in your prayers! And if you are considering a vocation as a missionary please click here.