Honey and Lemon...

With plenty of honey and lemon, paracetemol and rest, I'm thankful that I am feeling much better after last week. It's been a tricky week having to teach when not feeling 100%, but praise God that Friday arrived, and so far the weekend has been a restful one. I've decided to make a few changes to my weekly schedule, namely - the (almost) daily afternoon Greek coffee. Could this be the culprit to my not very good sleep? We shall see. I can say that since cutting the afternoon coffee, I've been waking up with a bit more energy. Anyway, why am I telling you this? I don't know, but it fills in a bit of the blog doesn't it?

Today, I met with a friend to explore some of the area surrounding the Acropolis. It is a very beautiful part of Athens. We climbed Filopappou hill, which offers one of the best views of the Acropolis.

In fact, there are spectacular views all over the whole city and it also provides the perfect place to get away from all the noise of the centre. 

After wandering around, we decided to go for a drink, and as you can see from the picture above, the Acropolis looks even better lit up at night.

Over the week, there were encouraging times both at the 'helping hands' ministry on Tuesday, and the 2nd Church on Thursday. Please pray for both teams, and in general for those hoping to reach out to refugees and the homeless. It can be an emotionally demanding ministry as there is only so much you can do. The good news is God can do immeasurably more than we can ever do or ask!

I want to end this blog post with an unsettling thought, but one I lay before the Sovereign God. I've become increasingly aware of the number of people begging on the streets, or in the metro. I counted 5 people on my short walk to the supermarket this morning. However, what was deeply saddening today, was a man I saw begging on the metro. He had no arms and was very disfigured from what looked like an acid attack. I will spare you the details but it reminded me how much suffering there is in our broken world. There I was face to face with a man who in worldly terms had nothing, physically and materially broke. Yet as I looked at him, and I couldn't help but think he did have something, a God who loved him, regardless of what he looked like, regardless of what little he had. And then I thought, does he know? I confess I didn't say anything, but I will pray that he might come to know something of the hope found in this verse from 2 Corinthians 8:9:

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.   

The prison of Socrates

One day...

Last week resulted in me getting slightly ill. I'm assuming it is a virus thing but by Friday, I was completely exhausted. Over the weekend, I was thankful to be able to get some rest, and also be looked after by some church friends on Sunday. When you feel ill a little bit of TLC goes a long way! Anyway, it's now Monday and praise God I'm starting to feel much better but not 100% yet. Lots of lemon and honey and if I can get some more, Lemsip. I don't think they sell Lemsip in Greece as the pharmacist looked very bemused when I tried to explain this powdered drink with paracetemol. Never mind, I'm confident that rest will suffice. Your prayers would be very much valued.

Give thanks, the Lord is very gracious and upheld me through my lessons at school today. To be honest, I was not looking forward to going in, but upon reflection, I think some of the lessons were probably the best I've had with the classes. I've particularly enjoyed teaching two classes how to write a good essay. They're making progress which is encouraging.

Tomorrow, I will God-willing be with the 'helping hands' team. We had a very encouraging time last week serving the refugees. One of the joys of this ministry is having the opportunity to give someone a good meal - something I'm sure we all take for granted from time to time. On Thursday last week, I had a good conversation with a Sudanese friend who comes to 2nd Church. His story is remarkable and a very sad one too. I had to leave mid-way through talking so hoping that this Thursday will be part 2. It is encouraging to hear and see how God is changing people in Greece.

Even through hardship and in many cases unimaginable tragedy, people see that there is hope only in Jesus. Even for someone like me, feeling a bit under the weather (no comparison) - one day:

‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 

Amen

Signposts to a greater destination...

It all seems so long ago... Christmas that is. I don't know if you ever get that post-Christmas feeling, after all the preparation, anticipation and then it's over. We are now 12 days into 2014, and during church this morning, a thought came to my mind. I say this morning, however it's a thought that's actually been floating around my mind for a few days now. Have you ever thought - "was that it?" What I mean is, have you ever been left feeling empty, as though you expected something more? Let me point out that I'm not trying to put a dampener on Christmas, I love Christmas! As mentioned in a previous blog, this Christmas was a very special one as I met up with family and friends after four months. However, it occurred to me (and I'm sure countless others), could the "was that it?" feeling be more than just a feeling, could it actually be because of a reality that is very much inside us, the reality that there is something more, and that we've been looking for fulfilment and life in all the wrong places.

You know what it's like. The presents have been neatly wrapped, lovingly placed under the tree, care and attention has gone into making sure that the gift is ready for its recipient. Yet, in less than 3 minutes, the wrapping paper has been completely demolished, and the aftermath of this unwrapping event is there for all to see (unless of course you are one of those people who like to reuse the paper for next year). Yes, there is much joy to be found in the opening of Christmas presents. The discovery of what's inside, the possession of a new item either desired or not, and not forgetting, the blessing of making someone you love happy. Yet here we are, 12 days into January and unless it's just me, it seems not much has changed. That new discovery will soon become an all too familiar one, that new item will soon become old, and the happiness of that gift receiving moment seems all too long ago. Perhaps we were wrong to place our hope in those gifts under the tree? Maybe your reading this thinking, "it's only a Christmas present, stop getting all theological and chill out."

To conclude, one thing I learnt last year, and continue to learn is this, you cannot do life without God. Think about it, if there is a God, then we are here because of him. If there is a God, then there is a mind behind everything. And the good news is, this God has spoken to us. In the Bible we read:

You make known to me the path of life;
    you will fill me with joy in your presence,
    with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

                                                                               Psalm 16:11


You see, there is a reality working inside each of us. We were built, designed and destined to find our fulfilment, our joy and ultimate pleasure in God. This is why those Christmas gifts, or any earthly possessions or pleasures for that matter, will not deliver. They are signposts pointing to a greater possession, a greater pleasure - God himself. What does this mean for the here and now? It means that we have hope. If you were left feeling disappointed, wondering "was that it?", the good news of the gospel tells us - no it wasn't! Life is found not in a possession or a pleasure but in a person, and his name is Jesus. And so, let us enjoy and be thankful for every gift we have in the here and now, but let us remember that they are signposts pointing to a greater destination. The one who will fill us with joy in his presence, with pleasures forevermore.   

It is the 9th of January isn't it???

I was rather amused when I commented on the weather to a Greek colleague who responded - "I know, I don't like winter!" - today it was around 20oC! To me this is summer! Apparently however it is usual to get a few days of hot temperatures followed by colder weather. Anyway, over 20oC and bright sunshine on the 9th January is certainly new to me.

2nd Church - feeding ministry

Arriving at the church this morning, I realised I was a little early. The perfect excuse for some impromptu boogie-woogie. Note to self: arriving early may result in boogie-woogie. Today, it was the feeding ministry at 2nd church, and although we were a slightly smaller team, the numbers of guests were by no means small. There was a good crowd of people and possibly due to the weather, a good atmosphere.

I've really enjoyed getting to know the people who come each week, and even though there is often little in the way of conversation, it is always good to see familiar faces. Our hope as a team, is that we might be able to share something of the light of Christ in the lives of those we meet. Many of the people we see are experiencing dark times, yet as we know, we all need to life and light of Jesus.

Please pray for those who are working in the community of Koukaki. It is all about building relationships as one friend told me today.

It was another good time at the school today. I've enjoyed teaching one lesson which is based around the life of 'Bear Grylls'. The theme of the lesson is about survival and the children are to think about what they would do if they were lost in a jungle.

To set the scene (so to speak) I made the class imagine they were in a rainforest (with the help of powerpoint, jungle sounds etc). It was fun, although I'm not sure one girl really liked seeing Bear Grylls eating barbequed snake!


I end this blog entry with the news that I have seen today the biggest Kiwi fruits ever! You can see the picture below. Have a good weekend!

Kiwi fruit

 

A new year...

There has already been much to give thanks for as I look ahead to the coming months in Athens. It felt a little strange landing back in Greece after the holiday, however the now familiar sights and smells (pollution) of the city were strangely welcoming as I emerged from the metro station. I enjoyed seeing friends at church on Sunday. It was a special time as the church was celebrating its 90th anniversary. After the service, we had some food together (lots of food) and heard all about the history of the church. On my table was a delightful elderly man who, I discovered, after some good past experiences, loves English people.

A good time on Sunday celebrating
90yrs of the 2nd Greek Evangelical Church

I am very thankful for the fellowship at 2nd Church. It is a place where the Bible is clearly taught and each week I am reminded of the transforming message of the gospel. It has also been encouraging to be involved in the one of the ministries to the local community.

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Today marked the beginning of a new school term and also the start of 'helping hands'. There was a depleted team at the refugee centre as most of the staff were stuck in America due to the snowstorms. In the end it was decided that we would just serve tea and invite people to sit, chat play games and hear a talk from the Bible. It was a very encouraging time. I would add however that I'm not planning to enter any chess competitions in the near future. I got completely destroyed by one of the refugees. It was fun and in the end he was actually trying to help me not get beat. Never mind! Please pray for all those who were at the centre today. They heard a clear gospel presentation but we know that only God can do the work of changing peoples hearts. 

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My school term started today and it was a good first couple of lessons. I am definitely feeling more prepared this time round, and looking forward to putting this preparation into action. If I'm learning anything from this teaching job, it is that 'good preparation', is like having a car with power steering, i.e. it makes driving so much easier. Please be praying that my good intentions are long lasting and make it through to Easter.

Post-holiday ponderings...

Earlier today, I arrived back in Athens after a very enjoyable Christmas holiday. It was a wonderful two weeks spent meeting with family and friends, eating, drinking, eating some more and very much enjoying the opportunity to look back and reflect on the past four months in Greece. The Lord has been teaching me a great deal about myself and I know that the coming months ahead will be just as revealing. As the new year rang in, I had been reflecting a bit on how God uses the little moments of life to shape us and make the big changes we so desperately need. This is what being a Christian is all about. The Christian life is not simply a pass into heaven, it is a process towards heaven. I've been reading a book called 'How People Change' by Paul Tripp and Tim Lane. It has begun to make me see how God is deeply concerned in making his people more like Christ. He is committed to transforming us even when we are not. The good news is that it is a process driven by grace. It's not about my effort, although I am to work hard, it's not about my achievements, although they are to be celebrated, it is simply about laying every area of our lives at the feet of Jesus, trusting and depending in his goodness and greatness alone. Anyway, this blog entry almost turned into a book review, sorry about that.

There is much to look forward to over the coming year and as always, your prayer support is greatly appreciated. I will be back serving with the 'helping hands' team on Tuesday, and this is also the day my school term begins. I do feel much more prepared for the coming term which is largely to do with learning the hard way last term. Also, the feeding ministry at my church will be up and running this coming week. To share a few pointers please pray for:

1. A good start to 2014 - I've made a few little resolutions - pray I would make the most of my time in Athens. That I would make the most of the little moments.

2. My teaching role - that I would be better prepared for the new term and as a result be a diligent, efficient, and effective teacher.

3. Friendships in Athens - that I would continue to make friends and be an encouragement to others when possible.

4. The future - for wisdom as I consider the future and think more longer term.    

Happy New Year!

Καλή Χρονιά!

 

 

Playing catch with my dad's dog. It
was a rather long game...



Pre-holiday ponderings...

 

This time, in 2 days, God-willing I will be back in that little strange shaped country called England. I thought it might be appropriate to write a short blog entry looking back over the past months - pondering and giving thanks for all God has taught me. There is of course far too much to mention, however here are a few things that spring to mind.

1. Stamps

Very early on in my Greek adventures I encountered something which to this day remains a mystery - stamps. No, not the stamps we use to send letters, but the kind of stamps that reveal if something is authentic or not. I hadn't foreseen how long it would take to do what appeared on the surface a very simple process.

However upon reflection, after meeting many refugees, I now know that being an EU citizen, I actually have it easy. Some people I've met have been waiting years for certain documents, it makes my 3 weeks seems like nothing!



2. Church

Before arriving in Athens, I always knew that I wanted to find a church where I could both belong and serve. During my first two weeks I was thankful for fellowship at the Glyfada Christian Centre. I did however decide to commit to the 2nd Greek Evangelical Church, mainly due to already knowing people from the church, but also it being a little closer to home. I've been really enjoying getting to know people and helping with the feeding ministry on a Thursday. Today we had a special Christmas meal surprise for the guests. Instead of serving the food outside, we invited over 100 people into the church for a meal, Christmas music and also to hear the Christmas message. I had the pleasure of being able to play the piano (it's a Yamaha - my favourite), and even did a few boogie-woogie numbers which was fun! It has been encouraging to hear how God has grown (and continues to grow) the ministry, but also a privilege to serve and learn from all those involved.

3. Helping Hands

Every Tuesday, I go to help serve over 100 refugees a meal at the Helping Hands centre in Omonia (part of Athens). This has been an incredible experience and as mentioned above, just being with the team has been a pleasure and a privilege. What I have discovered from helping with this ministry is that there is real joy to be found in the small areas of ministry.

Sometimes we allow ourselves to think that it is all about delivering the perfect sermon, or planting a thriving church and all these things are good and praiseworthy, but there is great joy to be found in simply handing a refugee a bowl of spaghetti Bolognese. We never know in that moment what part we might be playing in God's great plan for that person's life.


4. School

I am very thankful for my teaching position at the language school. Not only have they been very welcoming, they have also been very patient with me as I settle into the new teaching role. It has also been a pleasure getting to know all the children (and there have been many). I teach a wide age range (8 - 15) so I can't say there isn't variety in what I am doing. The majority of my classes have been a delight to teach and although there have been challenges along the way, I am learning much from the experience.

One of the highlights of the first term has to be an essay I marked from a boy (14yrs I think) who has struggled a bit and produced at a low level in his writing. As I was marking the term tests I almost jumped for joy when I started to read his essay and found some real improvements. I'm now looking forward to the Christmas break and hoping to return fresh and ready for the new term in January.



5. Friends

Over the last few months I have met many people from all different walks of life which has been a real blessing. There have been many Americans, numerous Brits, lovely Albanians and of course an abundance of Greeks. I could add many more nationalities to this list! One thing I think God is teaching me, is that part of the way he is going to change me is through his people. This is why belonging to a church is so important and valuable. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian, but I'm finding that being with other believers has been an essential part in the exposing and the repairing of my sinful heart. The writer to the Hebrews (10:24-25) says:

And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
   
I trust that when (God-willing) I return on the 4th January, there will be many more experiences to be had, and many more lessons to be learnt. I keep saying to friends and colleagues, that most of what I have learnt has come from making mistakes! I'm trying to tell my students this too! I'd like to end this blog entry by sharing with you three things that I can honestly say leave me extremely puzzled.

1. Greek traffic lights - the green man is flashing yet cars (turning left/right) are still allowed to approach with caution (but there's a green man?). All my childhood training thrown out of the window with this one.

2. Motorbikes on the pavement - ok so this kind of makes sense because parking is not the most easiest of motoring tasks. It is however a little unnerving when you're walking on a footpath being approached by a motorbike (or is that just me?).

3. Stamps 

See you all soon!

Cro