Before the war in Kosovo, Prizren was known as one of the exemplary multiethnic cities in the province of Kosovo. Albanians, Serbs, Turks and Catholics lived together in tolerance and mutual respect. Prizren’s beautiful churches, mosques and other cultural monuments were the pride of all its citizens.

Prior to the war, the seminary had undergone a renovation and had an enrollment of 130 students. ‎

Some 153 Serbian Orthodox Churches and Monasteries have been destroyed in Kosovo/Metohija since 1998 and only three have been repaired. Seeking protection from Albanian gangs and paramilitaries which began raiding the city of Prizren, more than a thousand Serbs, Catholics, ethnic Turks and Albanians found refuge within the walls of the severely damage seminary since June 1999 – the end of the war in Kosovo.

During the announcement of the seminary’s reopening, the diocese indicated that there are currently 11 students enrolled, and the diocese anticipates 50 seminarians.

His Grace, Bishop Teodosije of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese, will serve as Dean of the seminary with the Hieromonk Andreij, a monk from Decani Monastery, as Vice Dean.

Archimandrite Nekatarios Serfes, President of the Decani Monastery Relief Fund, a non-profit organization committed to rebuilding Kosovo, applauded the news from the organization’s United States headquarters in Boise, Idaho. 

“Glory to God for the progress we are seeing in Kosovo. The announcement of re-opening of the seminary is an answer to our prayers and will be a tremendous blessing to the Orthodox faithful,” Serfes said.

The Decani Monastery Relief Fund solicits financial contributions worldwide to support its work in Kosovo where resident Orthodox Christian monks distribute the funds directly for the benefit of Serbian individuals and families living in the war-ravaged communities of Kosovo-Metohija.

The fund supports six soup kitchens, one bakery, assists in providing daily lunches to four schools as well as shoes and clothing for youth. Additionally, the fund provides 61 scholarships to the University of Northern Kosovo as well as scholarship assistance for Serbian youth attending Boise State University, and Hellenic College/Holy Cross Orthodox Theological Seminary.

In celebration of the announcement of the seminary’s re-opening, Father Nektarios and Decani Monastery Relief Fund Board Member, J. Basil Dannebohm will make a humanitarian relief visit to the region in February 2012.

“The days ahead of us are going to be a great struggle for so many in Kosovo/Metohija. Winter is fast approaching and many will freeze within their homes, churches, monasteries, and local schools if they do not have firewood. Food will also be difficult to obtain. We have a humanitarian crisis in the region and our organization is ready to be on the ground providing assistance, Serfes said.

On behalf of the fund, Serfes and Dannebohm hope to raise $25,000 before their trip which will be distributed among the “poorest of the poor.”

Donations will provide humanitarian aid to refugee centers, provide for the special needs of the elderly, pay electricity bills, provide firewood, finance necessary medical and surgical procedures, help to purchase farm equipment and livestock and to assist in the rebuilding of the seminary, monasteries and churches in the region.

“During our visit to the region we will spend time praying with His Holiness, Patriarch Irinej of Serbia, His Grace, Bishop Teodosije and the monks of Decani Monastery. We will also be visiting soup kitchens, schools, orphanages, the Serbian University Northern Kosovo, monasteries, the seminary and homes of families in need of humanitarian assistance from our organization,” J. Basil Dannebohm said.

“We have a lot of work ahead of us before the work can begin,” Dannebohm continued, “$25,000 is a lot of money to raise before February but Father Nektarios and I are confident, through God’s goodness we will raise the essential funds to make a meaningful difference to Kosovo.”

During the visit, Father Serfes and Mr. Dannebohm will also be conducting lectures at the seminary.

Donations to the Decani Monastery Relief Fund can be made by mail to: 2618 West Bannock Street, Boise, ID 83702 or online at www.decanifund.org/donate

###

Beloved in Christ -

On behalf of the Very Reverend Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes, I am pleased to announce that Thomas J. Bohm of
Hays, Kansas has been appointed to the Decani Monastery Relief Fund Board of Directors and given the title, Ecumenical Liaison. By appointing Mr. Bohm, we are expanding our awareness to a larger audience and bringing our mission in Kosovo the larger scale attention it deserves.

Thomas was born November 22nd, 1943 in Salina, Kansas. He graduated from Sacred Heart High School in 1961 and attended Fort Hays University, St. Mary Seminary in St. Mary, Kentucky and Marymount College, in Salina, Kansas.  He and his wife Deborah have lived in Hays,
Kansas since 1970. They have 3 children.

Thomas has served on the Parish Council of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hays for 12 years, 2 of which he was elected President.

He has also served on the Board of Directors/Trustees of Thomas More Prep-Marian High School, in Hays, Kansas for 3 years, appointed by then Bishop (now Archbishop) Paul Coakley. By invitation, he is still serving on the Board
of Advisors.

Thomas has also served on the Board of Directors of the Mary Elizabeth Maternity Home for unwed mothers for 9 years and elected vice president for 2 years.

Mr. Bohm has also served on the Board of Directors of the Hays Arts Council for 6 years 2 of which he was elected president.

He served on the Board of Directors of the Plan Hays Initiative for a period of 6 years, and helped in the planning of which direction the city would like to go.

In 2011, Mr. Bohm and his wife Debbie were chosen as the recipients of the Points of Light award. The most esteemed honor for alumni and supporters of Thomas More Prep.

Thomas has served on a number of other boards and boasts several additional accomplishments. Clearly, he will be a tremendous resource to our beloved cause.

Please join me in welcoming Thomas J. Bohm to the Board of Directors of the Decani Monastery Relief Fund. 

Humbly in Christ,

J. Basil Dannebohm

Executive Advisor to the President

The Decani Monastery Relief Fund

Board of Directors

May our Gracious God always bless you!

About two weeks ago I sent the attached information on behalf of the Decani Monastery Relief Fund, and am praying that many good souls would take the time to help our fund. Our situation was so destitute that I even received a letter
from the bank stating that we were in the “red!” At this hour, thanks to God, I was able to put some donations into our account that cleared up this matter.

In the meantime, I had a dream on the first day of Great Lent that I met a man from Kosovo.  He told me that without the help of the Decani Monastery Relief Fund he would not be standing where he was at this time, and that his family received a piglet recently, as well as fire wood to keep them warm for the winter! He also indicated he had food to eat which gave him strength, and that our fund helped him come to America to be able to further his education.  During this conversation he was weeping! As he continued talking to me I began to weep as well and when I awoke I had tears in my eyes! I said to myself the first day of Great Lent brings me great sadness because the Decani Fund is struggling!  So, of course I offered further prayer in addition to my morning prayers. 

Everything in Kosovo/Metohija is difficult at this time! If we here in America think that we are struggling at this time we can well imagine what our dear brothers and sisters in Christ are going through. So many families are hungry.  If they are blessed they will eat one meal a day! My goodness, what about the elderly and the children?!  Children who go to school are blessed to receive a meal from the local homeless shelter that is sponsored by the Decani Fund. Hundreds of children are provided with a decent type of meat at lunch time which might be their only or best meal of the day.  In addition to hunger, the nights are still cold and many families are using tree branches for their fire places to keep their homes warm!

“Please!” I say to you dear beloved brothers and sisters in Christ our Lord can you please help our fund wipe away these tears?!  We can do it together, and we have the great opportunity to do it even during Great Lent!

Let us give alms to the Decani Monastery Relief Fund! Let us help wipe away their tears as loving Christians!

May our God reward you and bless you!

Send your donations to the following address:

Decani Monastery Relief Fund
C/O Very Rev. Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes
2618 West Bannock Street
Boise, Idaho 83702
USA

Thank you humbly!

Peace to your soul!

God love and bless you!

Humbly in Christ our Lord,

+ Very Reverend Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes

President of the Decani Monastery Relief Fund Inc. UISA

Beloved in Christ -

Today we witnessed U.S. stocks plunge sharply as fearful investors faced the news that the United States had lost its coveted “AAA” credit rating. The major stock indexes were down, adding to last week’s brutal losses. Over the past few weeks we have seen our congressional leaders and the White House fight with one another over the current debt ceiling. Over the past couple of years the United States has endured the worst recession it has seen in a very long time. In short, for many of us, we have witnessed some of the worst economic circumstances of our lifetime.

As we read the headlines today, I believe this is a fine opportunity for reflection.

For most of us, we have a roof over our head, clean water, delicious food, heat in the winter, cool in the summer, freedom to worship without fear.

To understand the way of life we are so fortunate to have, most of us need only venture out a few miles from our homes. Here in the United States, step out your front door and drive a short distance. Here you will find shopping centers, restaurants, hundreds of churches, entertainment venues … an empire of excess.

Yes … you read that correctly: an empire of excess.

As you look around your neighborhood at the restaurants and grocery stores and even in your own home, think of how much food is wasted. How clean water is taken for granted. Think about your lifestyle. In the United States, you don’t have to be rich to be greedy and gluttonous – it comes naturally because you are surrounded by an empire of excess.

If there’s a lesson to be learned from the recent headlines, it’s clear: the time has come for the United States to STOP living beyond its means. We take too much for granted and we continue to spend more and more. The events we are witnessing should be a loud and clear wakeup call that not even the United States is immune to turmoil.

It’s time to start thinking about a few things … What could happen to our country? Could we face food shortages? Will our homes be warm this winter? Most importantly, would anybody help us in our time of great need?

These are questions asked by the people of Kosovo every day. Sadly, more often than not, their cries fall upon deaf ears. The United States played a major role in Kosovo as you will recall. Once the damage was done and the headlines were old news, people forgot about our brothers and sisters still in great need. The cries of the people of Kosovo faded into the cold winter wind.

Let’s hope that never happens to us. But let’s also take a moment to consider helping Kosovo.

For those of you familiar with my passions, you know that I have a very dear friend, a priest, living in Boise, Idaho, who has a mission for which he takes great passion: The Decani Monastery Relief Fund.

Father Nektarios Serfes works tirelessly to spread the word about the hardships endured by the people of Kosovo and I am committed to assisting him in getting the message out and bringing help to our brothers and sister in need.

The Decani Monastery Relief Fund (DMRF) is a completely non-profit organization.

All donations made to the DMRF are forwarded as quickly as possible to volunteers in Serbia who immediately use this cash resource to distribute financial and/or material aid to persons in need of assistance. No portion of any donation is used for administrative or overhead costs– 100% of every donation is dispersed to aid recipients. Volunteers in both Serbia and in the USA donate their own funds, as well as their time, to assure that your donations in their entirety are used to address the needs the DMRF exists to alleviate.

The DMRF desires to alleviate those who are constantly in need of food, fuel, shelter, and medical attention, as well as assist the needs of the recent Orthodox Monasteries and Churches throughout the Province of Kosovo and Metohija. This fund as well seeks to help the youth and elderly in these same regions.

The fund currently supports six soup kitchens and one bakery – which produce bread loaves, a vitally important part of diet in this region. It also funds the delivery of bread and other foodstuffs to villages and provides daily lunches to four schools as well as shoes and clothing for youth of all ages.

The fund supports 61 scholarships to the University of Northern Kosovo and provides scholarship assistance for Serbian youth at Boise State University, and at Hellenic College/Holy Cross Theological Seminary. Donations also provide financial assistance to Serbian immigrants in Boise, Idaho.

Other important issues, needs and problems addressed by the Decani Monastery Relief Fund include: refugee centers and camps; special needs of the elderly; electricity bills; firewood during winter months (including schools!); necessary medical (and surgical) procedures; Orthodox celebrations of Christmas and Pascha; shortages of hay and farm equipment. The Fund purchases pigs for 200 families annually.

Any assistance you can provide to this wonderful fund would be most appreciated. No donation is too small. Since 100% of the donations go to assisting those in need, every penny counts!

Please consider sending your donation as soon as possible to:
 
The Decani Monastery Relief Fund
c/o Father Nektarios Serfes
2618 West Bannock Street
Boise, ID 83702

Interested in helping us spread the word about the needs of Kosovo? Would you like to travel to Kosovo and help during this time of great need? Do you have questions about the Decani Monastery Relief Fund? Call Father Nektarios at 208-860-2479.

As I mentioned, we have a great deal to be thankful for in America. We also have a great deal to reflect on as we see our country once again facing financial uncertainty. Please spend some time reflecting on the blessings you have, great and small and consider those less fortunate in Kosovo. Donate today to the Decani Monastery Relief Fund.

Please also consider forwarding this message on to your friends and help us spread the word.

May God bless you and keep you and reward you for your generosity.

Best regards,

J. Basil Dannebohm

Advisor to the President of the Board of the Directors

Humbly in Christ our Lord,

+ Very Reverend Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes
President of The Decani Monastery Relief Fund Inc.

His Grace, Bishop TEODOSIJE sent the following letter to the newly appointed members of the board of directors of the Decani Monastery Relief Fund.

SERBIAN ORTHODOX DIOCESE
OF RAŠKA-PRIZREN AND KOSOVO-METOHIJA
Prizren-Gračanica, September 7, 2011

 
Mr. J. Basil Dannebohm
Mr. Will Blanton
Mr. Thomas Bohm

Very Reverend Archimandrite Fr. Nektarios Serfes has informed us about your intention to support Dečani Monastery Relief Fund. Therefore, I am taking this opportunity to extend most sincere gratitude in the name of Visoki Dečani Monastery and my Diocese because in these difficult challenges we are facing in Kosovo every friendly help is of profound importance for our people and a strong encouragement in our efforts to preserve our holy sites. At the same time I would like to congratulate you for becoming a board member of our Fund. I am fully convinced that in such a capacity you would be able to give an additional impetus to the work of the DMRF.

Dečani Monastery Relief Fund has been working since 1998 thanks to diligent efforts and wise leadership of our dear in Christ Fr. Nektarios Serfes. In the last thirteen years this Fund has helped many poor people, refugees, children and all others who were in need. We all strongly believe that this generous and humane work should be continued particularly now when we are facing the pressing need to help many returnees with their children in these cold winter days. We must particularly assist those who live far from minimum of comfort and warmth of their homes.

Our six soup kitchens work every day to provide food for 2000 beneficiaries throughout Kosovo. However, providing food supplies is not an easy task and without assistance of the God loving donors they would not be able to continue their work. At the same time our returnees and poor families lack firewood and adequate clothing for low temperatures that go below 5°F in winter. In our efforts we must not forget the youngest.

 Although we cannot change conditions in which the children are growing up, facing everyday danger and uncertain future, our love and care can help them carry on this burden easier and better feel the love of Christ which we are called to share. We have also a number of talented teenagers who would like to attend the University but their families are too poor to support them. One of our priorities is to support with scholarships these young people who can help their community and the Church with their talents which God has granted to them. The families with five and more children are particularly vulnerable. Almost every day we are receiving their request for financial assistance, particularly for providing health care as quite a number of children due to their life in poverty suffer from chronicle diseases and need urgent care and therapy.

The situation in Kosovo has hardly improved because only one third of our pre-war Serbian Orthodox population still remains here. The most of others continue to live as refugees out of Kosovo. Although we remain in hope that at least some of them might return to their homes the overall situation is far from good. Although the security has somewhat improved and we don’t have frequent attacks on Orthodox Christians, our people are still discriminated on ethnic and religious basis among the majority Muslim Albanian population of Kosovo. Most of 120.000 Kosovo Serbs in Kosovo (pop. 2 million) live in enclaves without job opportunities and the major Kosovo cities are almost without Serb population.

Our monasteries are also in particularly precarious situation. Since the end of the war and arrival of the international peacekeepers 150 of our churches and monasteries have been torched or destroyed completely. We have relied very much in the last years on the protection of the NATO led troops. But in Kosovo number of troops is being reduced and our monks and nuns feel more and more insecure. We all remain deeply concerned about the future of our holy sites which are the pride of the Orthodox Church worldwide. In the last two years the donations to our monastic communities have decreased considerably due to the economic crisis. With very few visitors for many of them it is not easy to provide all necessities for their daily life.

Despite all these difficulties, we live with the hope in our Lord who has protected us in this holy land of monasteries for centuries and strongly believe that with our faith in Christ we can overcome all troubles that await us.

With most sincere gratitude for supporting our efforts to help our suffering brothers and sisters in Kosovo I am sending my blessing to you and your family.

TEODOSIJE
BISHOP OF RAŠKA AND PRIZREN

Dannebohm appointed to Decani Monastery Relief Fund Board of Directors

For more information contact:
 
Decani Monastery Relief Fund
Very Rev. Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes
2618 West Bannock Street
Boise, ID 83702-4705
Phone: 208-860-2479
Email: father@serfes.org

The Decani Monastery Relief Fund
Mission Statement

The Decani Monastery Relief Fund (DMRF) is a non-profit organization.

All donations made to the DMRF are forwarded as quickly as possible to volunteers in Serbia who use this monetary resource to distribute financial and/or material aid to persons in need of immmediate assistance. No portion of any donation is used for administrative or overhead costs – 100% of every donation is dispersed to aid intended recipients. Volunteers in both Serbia and the United States of America donate their own funds, as well as their time, in order to assure that your entire donation is used to address the needs of those in need that the DMRF exists to help .

The DMRF desires to alleviate the suffering of those individuals (youth and elderly) who are constantly in need of food, fuel, shelter, and medical attention, as well as assisting the needs of the recent Orthodox Monasteries and Churches throughout the Province of Kosovo and Metohija.

If you would like information regarding the Fund’s financial operations please visit: http://www.serfes.org/missionary/charter.htm

Interested in Donating The Decani Monastery Relif Fund?

MAIL

Decani Moastery
Relief Fund, INC.
Very Rev. Archimandrite Nektarios Sefes
2618 West Bannock Street
Bosie, ID 83702-4705

Paypal

Click the button to donate now.

Your support means everything!