Forty Nine years have elapsed since the formation of this humble organization, IOMF. At this juncture, we the members of IOMF remember with gratitude the Late Lamented Geevarghese Mar Osthathios thirumeny who graced and blessed the formal foundation of IOMF in the year 1973. His Grace has been an inspiration for IOMF through his benevolent and charitable endeavors all through India. We also remember with gratitude Late Lamented H.G. Stephanos Mar Theodosius, our diocesan metropolitan who has been an inspiring force behind our activities.
IOMF was established in 1972 by a small group of like minded people. With a current membership of around 46 dedicated people IOMF has shown to the world that unity and cooperation among members can make wonders – its contribution to charity during the last forty nine years have reached around Rs.5.62 crores, a major portion of which came from the personal contribution of IOMF members. We also remember with gratitude all our benefactors – members of our church and our well wishers from outside the church – who contributed immensely to the noble causes undertaken by IOMF.
IOMF was originally known as Indian Orthodox Missionary Fellowship but in 1985, due to some administrational difficulties, it was renamed as Indian Orthodox Mercy Fellowship.
IOMF conducted a blood donation campaign on 2nd May 1997 when the Kuwait Blood Bank received blood from donors at the premises of National Evangelical Church, Kuwait – the first of its kind in the history of NECK.
IOMF celebrated its silver jubilee in 1998 with 25 housing aids, 25 marriage aids and 25 self employment aids. As a prelude to the silver jubilee celebrations.
‘Mercyfest 2002’ – IOMF’s 30 years of silent service – was celebrated on 26th April 2002 at the premises of Indian Arts Circle with a mega cultural program with Kalabhavan Sabu and Sajan Sagara, comedy artists from India as special guests. With Mercyfest 2002 IOMF was able to wipe the tears of 30 poor families to have a shelter over their heads, 30 poor girls to have their marriage dreams fulfilled and 30 poor children to complete their higher education. Also IOMF sponsored for four years a complete village in North India as part of the “Makkodia Village Development Programme”.
Year 2004 was declared by IOMF as the year of ‘sight for the poor’ with a plan to provide 23 eye care camps and about 1000 cataract eye operations all through Kerala, Nagpur and Coimbatore through the ‘Vision 2004’ project in coordination with MGOCSM, Central Office, Kottayam. The project was inaugurated with a musical evening directed by Rev. Fr. M. P. George, Director of Sruthi, School of Liturgical Music, Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam accompanied by Mr. M.U. Mathews, Mr. Manoj Kurien and IOMF Divine Melodies – a choir group organized for this purpose with 32 men and women of Orthodox Church and talents from other sister churches in Kuwait. The project was so successful that IOMF was able to conduct 31 Eye Care Camps, treat 10,639 patients, conduct cataract eye surgeries for 737 and provide eye glasses for 3,621 irrespective of their cast, creed or religion.
IOMF was able to donate 50 sewing machines to MGOCSM in 2005 as part of their state-wide project to support poor ladies to find self employment in Kerala.
‘Give a Life’ project, as part of the 35th anniversary of IOMF, was conducted in 2009 through which IOMF was able to provide marriage assistance to 37 poor girls – Rs. 1 lakh each to 34 girls and Rs. ½ lakh each to 4 girls. The closing ceremony of Give a Life project was conducted at Parumala Seminary on 15th August 2009 in the presence of the then Catholicate Designate, bishops, political leaders, IOMF family, ex IOMF family, Kuwait Parish members and the 37 newlyweds with their families which was a rare event to be remembered for ever.
IOMF has entered into its glorious 40 years of silent service in 2012 with the ‘Mercy Homes’ project whereby IOMF intends to provide two bedroom self contained houses costing around Rs.2 lakh each to 40 poor families across most of the dioceses in Kerala, Calcutta and Brahmavar dioceses in coordination with MGOCSM, India as part of the Catholicate Centenary Celebrations. We are repeating history with Divine Feast-2012, a musical evening with a 100+ strong Ecumenical choir directed by Rev. Fr. Dr. M. P. George and coordinated by Mr. M. U. Mathews and Mr. Shine Cherian Sam. You will have the unique experience of enjoying the classical Christian music from one of the leaders in Musicology – Fr. M. P. George.
IOMF has grown from strength to strength, not in number of members but in our charity aids, during the last 44 years. We entrust this small organization in the hands of God Almighty so that He makes us instruments to serve poor and needy without any consideration for cast, creed or religion. Please do pray for us.
