The Rev. James Simons [TLC, May 5] offered an account of a "deacon (soon to be priest) who felt called to mission work with a particular people group in Asia," whose experience at 815 Second Ave. raises questions about the national church's focus on mission.

Fr. Simons neglected to mention that the deacon's interview at the Episcopal Church Center happened in the early 1980s, with a staff person who left long ago. He neglected to mention that the deacon has received support and encouragement over the years from a number of national staff persons, and received a financial contribution just a few months ago toward his participation in a major conference on evangelism in his region.

The primary focus of the national church's missionary program, as established by General Convention, has been to respond to requests from partner churches in the Anglican Communion. There are more requests than we can fill. Voluntary mission societies say the same. There is no policy that says we do not send missionaries to people of other faiths. If we had a legitimate request to do so, we would consider it as any other.

Margaret S. Larom World Mission Interpretation and Network Officer Episcopal Church Center New York, N.Y.