School's out for summer...

For me that is. I know there are many of you who still have a month or two to go before the end of the academic year (I'll keep this one short). The timings are a little different in Greece, partly due to the sudden arrival of the summer sun. Already temperatures are reaching 30°C and it's set to get hotter. Someone even commented how in Athens, it can reach 45°C by July! It is also different for me in that my contract was due to end by May 30th. From now until June, my students will be taking final tests. It has truly been an amazing eight months, and I look back with much joy on all the experiences from teaching at the language school. It feels like only yesterday that I was arriving and greeting my children for the first time. One of the greatest pleasures has been getting to know my classes, and hopefully in some small way, helping them improve their English skills. One of the sadder aspects of leaving a job, is that you can easily look back and think how things could have been better. There are so many ideas that never really materialised, and I know that I would do certain things differently a second time round. I think this is only natural, yet I know that I have learnt much which no doubt will prove useful as I move into my next place of employment. Above all, I leave with a thankful heart, and much praise to God for providing me with this opportunity to work in Greece. I thought it would be good to share some of my experiences from the past eight months. Here it goes.

First day

I remember my first day well. It was a hot day and as I made my way to the school, I really had no idea what to expect. Yes I had been to the school before, but this was completely different. It hadn't really hit me until then what I was about to begin. I was actually going to be responsible for teaching classes! Although this was a daunting task, I am so thankful for my previous job working in a primary school, and of course the training I had completed to get my 'Certificate in English Teaching to Adults'. All this was invaluable and meant that I approached my new job with a smidgen (never used that word before) of confidence.

It was definitely a 'diving into the deep end' experience, but gradually as the weeks unfolded, I began to settle into the job set before me. I wasn't the only one feeling this movement into the unknown. The eyes of my children had to contend with this strange Englishman, who no doubt had strange ways compared to their Greek teachers. I think this has ended up to be a fun experience on both parts. I have found it hilarious at times when the younger children (5-7yrs - who I don't teach), often treated me like an alien from another planet. It has been much fun indeed getting to know my classes, and although there have been trying moments, in the end, I can say that they have all been a delight to know.  

Finding my bearings

As I journeyed ahead into the first term of teaching, it took a good number of weeks to find my bearings. This of course was to be expected, and I confess that most of what I've learned over the past eight months, has come from my mistakes. It took a while to discover what worked with different classes, and how to manage the behaviour of such a varied group of children. There were successes along the way as classes started to accept me and also show changes in their approach to their learning within my classroom. Some children who had proven tricky customers in the early stages of the year, ended up being more focused and ready to learn. I don't claim to be the only source of this improvement, but I hope that some of my encouragement and input over the year has played a small part in these children's educational development. For me, learning to be more firm in the classroom has proven challenging but in the end a very rewarding experience. I have certainly seen the importance of being firm but fair, and clear and consistent when it comes to classroom discipline. Also, the importance of setting boundaries and having a system of dealing with those who cross such boundaries. I hope over the year I have proven a fair judge.

Fun and games

If you enter my classroom, then be warned you are likely to be in for much fun and games. I balance this of course with hard work but can't deny I've enjoyed trying different games over the year to help the children learn English. Some have failed disastrously, others have brought forth moments of sheer hilarity. Getting the children to make animal noises to guess the animal was a personal favourite. The picture to the left was a game I used in an attempt to get to know my classes. The only draw back was that for some reason, my children expected Haribo every week (not gonna happen). Many more stories to share, perhaps for another time!

Planning hard to think of ways
of utilising the teaching tool that is Haribo

One of a number of messages
left on my whiteboard

Christmas!

Christmas time at school is always a joyful time and in Greece it was no different. We had planned to put on a nativity play for the parents, which I was helping prepare and coordinate. I very much enjoyed the experience. All the children who took part eventually learnt their lines, and I think they had much fun being involved in the play. Amongst my favourite moments were a missing Mary and a late Angel Gabriel. Oh, and one angel forgot to come on and so missed his lines completely. Still... in the spirit of Christmas it was received well by all, and I think proved a success. Sadly, there were no takers for doing a summer performance. Instead, we decided to host some games in the local park.

Spring games

Think back to your classic primary school sports day, and you will have some picture as to the spring games our school hosted in the park. I use the word spring loosely, because to me, it felt much more like summer. All in all, it was a fantastic day, with games such as the egg and spoon, three-legged and sack race (not all at once, although that would be amazing). Not to mention a rather competitive football tournament. It was a brilliant occasion and everyone left with medals for taking part in the games!

Preparations for the 3 legged race! 

To conclude

It will be sad to say goodbye to all my children and the colleagues at the school. I repeat my earlier sentiment by saying that the time has just flown by! I know that this year in Greece and been an important year, and my time teaching at the school has played an important part in that. I know it's easy to say, but when I say I would like to stay in touch, I do mean it, and hope to be able to visit the school once in a while when possible.

I've come to realise that one of the hardest things about working in a school, is that you can only do so much. There is a time when you need to step back and hope and pray that you may have been a part of the process of nudging a child on a path toward a better life. I feel this more strongly knowing as a Christian that these children are on an eternal path, leading to either life with or without God. I'm thankful that I can trust in the good sovereign Lord who knitted these children together, and knows and has numbered all their days. I know I could have done so much more these past eight months, and so I will be praying for them and know that they will always hold a special place in my heart.

A weight lifted...

Over the past month, it has felt like an enormous boulder has been resting upon my shoulder, a weight too unbearable to carry. Yet over the past week, something has happened. I'm not talking about a dramatic event, or a lightning bolt from the sky, but rather a growing realisation that quite frankly, I'd got it wrong. That is, my approach with regards to thoughts about my future. You may or may not know, that I've been in the process of making what feels like big decisions. Questions such as - what should I be doing? Should I go back to England? Should I stay in Greece? What if I don't do what I should do? What if I miss what it is that I should be doing? have flooded my mind these past weeks.

I believe it's important to ask questions and to seek advice from close friends and family when faced with big decisions in life. However, if your anything like me, agonizing over every single decision you have to make only leads to one thing - anxiety. And so it is, that the last month has been a time filled with anxiety and thus a time dominated by tiredness and little in the way of productivity. It has affected my work, my ministry and more importantly my relationship with God (on my part that is).

Thankfully, something changed. Last night, I met up with a group of friends for dinner. As I made my way to the restaurant, I couldn't help but notice things that I'd somehow had missed on other occasions. Flowers hanging from balconies seemed to shine in the evening sun. I then realised that my fear and anxiety in decision making, had so dominated my thinking that it had come to control my thinking, and therefore rob me of many of the simple pleasures of the here and now. Let me try to explain.

What dominates your thinking will ultimately end up consuming your time, energy and resources. I allowed my questions over the future to so dominate my mind, that it was consuming all my time as I researched potential jobs and opportunities, my energy as I was unable to get needed rest at night, and my resources as I put more effort into finding out what I should be doing, rather than putting effort into what I'm currently doing. Over time, my thoughts not only consumed my mind but began to control it, turning my anxiety over decision making into the very centre of my universe.

As you can probably see this isn't healthy. More importantly, it isn't Biblical. I think in the past I have viewed God's will for my life as a series of doors. Perhaps before me are a number of options for what to do next, and so begins the agonizing. I can't see what's behind the door so I start to question, what if door number one isn't what God wants me to do? What if I go through door number three when God really wanted me to go through door number two? Help!!! But when you think about it, what is God more concerned about when it comes to our lives?

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 

                                                                                      Ephesians 5:1-3

Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.

                                                                                       Philippians 2:14-15

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct...

                                                                                                1 Peter 1:14-15

The above are only three verses that speak of what it means to be a child of God in the world today. It's very practical! The calling of the children of God is clear. God has revealed in His word what I should do with my life. What is more important to Him is that:

- I am an imitator of God.
- I walk in love.
- I do all things without grumbling or questioning.
- I am not conformed to the passions of my former ignorance.

- I am holy as he is holy.

In short, my holiness is of far greater importance to God than whether I go back to England or stay in Greece. How I am growing in holiness is of far greater importance to God than what job I do. I'm not saying we shouldn't carefully consider where we live and what we do, but these should not become so pressing that they dominate our mind and therefore lead us to a place of anxiety and unrest.

As I began to dominate my mind with the Bible. As I allowed my mind to filled with thoughts of God, what he has done for me in Christ, how much he loves me and is with me every second of every day by his Holy Spirit. I can't describe the peace that has therein quietened my restless heart. No longer were my thoughts consumed with my decisions, but they were consumed with God. And so as he gradually consumed my mind over the past seven days, so he has taken control and the weight of my anxiety has lifted.

I now know that whether I choose door number one, two or three, it really doesn't matter because what really counts is how I am living for him in this present moment. Unless God appears in a dream, or makes it very clear that it's door number two, I am free to choose. All are equally good doors, and I can step through either with confidence that the One who does know the future is with me every step of the journey ahead. I'm even inclined to say that there probably is really only one door, although this side of eternity, it will never truly feel like that.

If you are currently facing difficult decisions and perhaps like me experience moments of anxiety when it all becomes too much, I'd very much recommend a talk by Phillip Jensen - click here.

Let us keep looking to the one who came to give us rest - Jesus who said:

Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

                                                                                                  Matthew 11:28

Summer begins...

Well, for me that is anyway. The temperature in Athens is starting to increase. Today, we experienced mid to late twenties and I've been told that from now on, it will just keep getting hotter. Being a 'three weeks in a year' sun Englishman, I'm rarely ever prepared for the sun abroad (a certain trip to Jordan springs to mind). Once again I've managed to catch the sun only this time I'm hopeful that it will not end quite as badly as last time. The venue for this misjudgment of sunshine was Goudi park, a rather beautiful green space within the municipality of my school. We were hosting a sports and crafts event for the children with lots of games including classics such as the egg and spoon, sack and three legged race. There was even a five-a-side football tournament which I have to say, was rather competitive. I had the pleasure of being assistant referee for one of the games. My contribution was mostly blowing a whistle and waving my arms around due to my inability to speak Greek.  

It was a hard-fought match but the hats were deserved winners!

It was a fun day and enjoyed by all. I was also able to chat to some of my colleagues a bit more which was good. As the school year draws to a close it will be sad to say goodbyes.

One of my favourite moments of the day was during one of the football matches. A team had won a free-kick and just as the player was about to take it his mobile phone went off. I jokingly said that he should get a yellow card, and the referee went over and pulled the card on him. It was a very funny moment.

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Today at Helping Hands it was another blessed time serving alongside the team. At the moment, there is a team from America working with the ministry and it has especially been good getting to know them a little. I've been learning a lot from meeting different people from lots of different backgrounds. At the centre today, we welcomed over 130 refugees which again reminded me of the vastness of need in Greece and all over the world at present. One of the hardest things is seeing families having to survive under such desperate conditions. On my walk home from work, I often go past families who live in the back of pick-up trucks. It certainly puts things into perspective when I find myself grumbling about where I live.

Mixing the salad...

Please pray for me as I seek to reach out to people both at the refugee centre and even on a walk home from work. It's very tempting to just walk past people after a tiring day at work but something inside me says this is wrong. Pray I would have wisdom and God-given opportunities to share the Love of Christ.

I'm also aware at how easy it could be to hop in and out of ministry. Ministry hat on - ministry hat off, when actually, all of life is ministry when you come to think of it. Jesus calls all Christians to go and make disciples. We have been saved that we might know Him and make Him known.

Final term begins...

After a blessed Easter break, I began the week all set for my final term of teaching at the language school. It really is hard to believe that there are now only six weeks left until school stops for summer. The other day, I was looking back at some of my earlier photos of Athens, photos marking my arrival back in August last year. I was filled with both a thankfulness for the times I've had, and a determination to make the most of the time I have left. When you begin to think about it, there really are many things to be thankful for, something that is easy to forget in the midst of busy every day life.

During my time in the North of Greece, short though it was, I came back understanding a little more about Greek culture and why things are the way they are. This was mostly due to a museum we visited in one of the monasteries. Many of the events of Greece's recent history were explained and I was impressed at how well organised and clear the displays were.

I also began to see in even greater detail why the Greek Orthodox influence is so dominant in Greek thinking. Whilst looking around the museum there were many exhibitions and notices. I confess that I disagreed with quite a few with regards to theology and how aspects of the Christian faith were being played out.

Yet, there were a number which really hit the nail on the head. I praise God that in this monastery it is possible for people to read and hear about the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I thought I'd share a couple of the notices that were on display in the museum:

The person of Christ, divinity and humanity combined, risen to glory from the dead, is the centre of visible and invisible creation, the centre of the heaven and earth. His person is the centre of faith, of worship, of life and of the world. Christ is the all true God. He who completes and holds together all things, comprehending history, the past, present and future of the universe. Giving meaning and purpose to the life of man. And likewise Christ must be the centre of our own soul, our intelligence and heart and being, our passion and our desire, our rest and our rejoicing. 

                                       __________________________________

Christ is risen! Truly risen! The resurrection of the Lord is proof of his divinity. It demonstrates His victory over death and confirms that we too one day will rise from the dead. It signals immortality, the eternal life of the soul. It marks the dissolution of the empire of Satan. It points to the road leading to the Kingdom of the Lord. It liberates man from the bondage of Sin, restoring him to his place as a child of God, made divine by God's grace. It is our unwavering hope, our certain faith. 

From Megaro Meteora Monastery

Day trip to Nafplio

My best Greek writing yet! Slow going,
but it's going...

It's all about Him...

As I journeyed back to Athens from time away in Northern Greece, I found myself reflecting once again on the wonder of the gospel and how easily I forget the One whom life is truly all about. The following came out of that time and I hope it might be an encouragement to you, especially if you are just as forgetful as I am when it comes to remembering our great God and Saviour.

It's all about Him. It's about His Kingdom, His glory, His name, His reputation, His purposes. This is the right order of the world, yet sin turns the order of the world upside down. It's inward looking. I remove God from His rightful place on the throne of the universe, and position myself on the throne. No longer is life all about Him, it's all about me. It's about my Kingdom, my glory, my name, my reputation, my purposes. It's not difficult to see how this will not and cannot work.

Like any designer, they know best how their invention should be used. This is true when it comes to God. He made us. We were made to live with Him at the centre, with Him on the throne. Because this is how we were made to live, only as we live this way will we experience greater satisfaction and fulfillment in life. The universe is as it should be when God is where He should be, the King of my life, the ruler of my heart, the author of my destiny. Without Jesus we would be lost in a pit of self-denial, believing the lie that my life is really my possession, and that there is no higher authority than myself. Do you see how counter-cultural this is? The messages we hear day by day are messages promoting me to a position I was never intended to fulfill. A position I will never be able to fulfill - the position of God. As a self-made deity I try to command my life but if I'm honest it just doesn't work.

In search of comfort, I surround myself with possessions only to find myself falling deeper into debt. And once I've gained my desired possessions, it's not long before I crave new possessions to replace the ones that are now outdated and lacking of my affections. In search of meaning, I pull myself through experience after experience placing all my hopes and dreams on the next big high, yet once I've achieved this experience, I'm left wandering "was that really it?" In search of identity, I carefully fashion and craft my image, all the time knowing that I'm concealing the real me. In search of hope, I attach myself to an idea or a united cause, yet in time ideas fade and get replaced with new ones, and causes rarely ever deliver when they are needed most.

Thankfully, from the moment of humanity's first rebellion, God has been working a plan of salvation, a plan to save humanity from the calamity of itself. A promise was made that one day the designer Himself would come to meet with His work, to correct, train, rebuke and reveal the errors of their way. In a scandalous twist of events, the anger facing those who defiled God's Kingdom, glory, name, reputation and purposes would fall upon God Himself. Like any designer, any inventor, He loves His creation and is willing to do anything to win it back, even die upon a cross. A world once turned upside down by sin is now re-positioned with God calling sinners to repentance and faith in Christ. A call to surrender that God would once again sit in His rightful place on the throne of my life.

Such mercy and self-sacrificial love of the Creator God requires but only one response from His rebellious creatures, a life lived to the praise and glory of the One who is and always will be Lord, God and Saviour. And with God on the throne, and His Spirit dwelling within us, we are free and able to live as we were meant to live, a life for His Kingdom, His glory, His name, His reputation, His purposes. Only as we live out our true calling, our purpose to be children of the living God, only then will we know true comfort, true meaning, true identity and true hope.

Video: Easter candles...

As promised here is the video from the Saturday before Easter Sunday (Great / Holy Saturday). There are many traditions surrounding this event but hopefully this video gives you a little glimpse into what happens every year all around Greece. After viewing, why not pray that Greeks would by the grace of God come to a living relationship with the Lord Jesus, the true light who came into the world to save sinners. That many would see beyond the ritualistic practices and put their trust in the only God our Saviour Jesus Christ.

My Big Fat Greek Easter...

Easter in Greece is a big event. In fact, it is probably bigger than Christmas, something that was evident last night outside one of the Greek Orthodox churches. A group of friends and I got together and went to the square of an Orthodox church, very quickly it filled up with people holding their Easter candles (Lambades). These are the candles they use to receive the 'holy light', a flame that traditionally originates in Jerusalem before being transported to Greece. There is much tradition and ritualistic thinking behind this event which sadly means that for the majority who attend, this is most likely where the thought begins and ends.

I was amazed however at the number of people who gathered outside the church, perhaps some were there because they believe something, others maybe simply out of habit. It reminded me of the sad reality that so many people in Greece are lost in religion. Thinking that by doing these traditions, attending these events, carrying the 'holy light', they are made more acceptable before God. When you think about it, we (in England) are no different. 

I often wander how many people think that God will overlook their sin because they read the Bible, attended church and said their prayers. If this is true, then why did Jesus have to die? I'm not saying it is all bad to use tangible symbols as a way of communicating and expressing our faith, I do however think that when we begin to rely on these symbols, something has gone terribly wrong.

And so I left the church thankful for the experience but saddened at the thought of so many who are missing the true meaning of the gospel of grace. That we bring absolutely nothing to the table when it comes to our salvation and acceptance before God. Christ paid for ALL our sin, Christ said "it is finished!", Christ is ALL we need. O how we should grasp and hold tightly to the goodness and wonder of this news! 

My apologies to the vegetarians who may be reading this blog post, however I couldn't resist posting the picture of the lamb. One thought that might ease your mind is that nothing was wasted!

As well as this lamb, we were treated to a number of traditional Greek Easter dishes. Including a soup made our of the 'other parts' of the lamb, which actually tasty very nice. Not forgetting (how could I) the desserts.  

Another interesting Greek tradition involves red eggs. The game is called tsougrisma (means "clinking together" or "clashing.") In Greek: τσούγκρισμα, pronounced TSOO-grees-mah.

Each player holds a red egg, and one taps the end of his/her egg lightly against the end of the other player's egg. The goal is to crack the opponents egg. When one end is cracked, the winner uses the same end of his/her egg to try to crack the other end of  the opponent's egg. The player who successfully cracks the eggs of the other players is declared the winner and, it is said will have good luck during the year. 

My egg was victorious in battle, until 'someone' decided to crack it against my head! You can see the action below (not great quality + sadly my head cracking moment is not in the video).

I will leave you with a few more pictures from my Greek Easter experience. Another video from the candle lighting event last night will be posted soon. Hoping you all had a blessed Easter time as we remember all God has done in sending Jesus Christ.

“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

                                                                                                      1 Corinthians 15:55-57