Source: ASSIST News, June 29, 2013
A revolt broke out recently against the clergy and mission staff at Waterloo Mission in Freetown, Sierra Leone, which is run by a former Australia rock star who once toured with the Rolling Stones.
Themi Adams, who left the rock world and now heads the [Greek] Orthodox mission in the trouble-torn West African country of Sierra Leone, is accustomed to adversity, and understands very well what could [be] fueling the passion for hostility.
“This community that we are assisting is caught between two ideologies,” said Brother Themi. “They oscillate between peace and violence according to the situation at hand and who is their leader.”
“People do what they know to survive,” said Themi. “If they know ‘bad things’ they will do them. This is what we are here for: to help and get them back on track. And, at times, this can be to our own detriment.”
“There is a tendency to romanticize missionary endeavors. The Orthodox Church and its priests, many here believe are living comfortable lives, but the truth, however, is that the Orthodox Church in Africa is at the frontier, regularly facing life-threatening situations for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Adams says that, since his move to Sierra Leone, his life has been “imminent danger” on at least 50 occasions, but added, “My escape each time was due solely to the grace of God.”
ยป Read full story. You might also be interested in watching a 2012 video interview with Brother Themi in which he describes his journey “from rock star to reverend” (Vimeo video, InFocus).