What does Athens have to do with Dublin? Well, Greece is the primary entry point for “irregular migrants” (refugees and illegal immigrants); the Dublin II Regulation is the common European asylum law. The European asylum system is a mess. Period. From my perspective (I’m not a politician, but on-the-ground working with refugees in Greece), the… [Read more…]
July 23, 2010
Happy Friday! It’s been a hot week here in Athens… but we’re alive and well! Here are some photos from our week. Enjoy! Sofia and Eric at the chalkboard The new Cami: Welcome Ana! Emma looking expressive Carousel Time!
July 21, 2010
God measures our greatness not based on how many people serve us, but on how we serve others. I’ve been chewing on this quote all week. Powerful stuff. This is the upside down way of Jesus! The quote comes from a sermon that my good friend, Andy Fitzgibbon, preached earlier this month (check it out… [Read more…]
July 19, 2010
Hi All! Hope you’re having a spectacular summer! Please download our latest ministry update HERE. Otherwise, you can find a text-only version below. Thanks for your love, support and prayers! By God’s Grace - Brett, Kristin, Sofia, & Emma Loving the Overlooked – July 2010 Happy Summer! We’ve been enjoying the rituals of Greek summer:… [Read more…]
July 16, 2010
Happy Friday! Hope you’re well. We’re staying busy here! Since our building is closed, one of the activities that we’ve been doing is taking refugee families to the beach. It’s a simple thing… but for many of these families, this is one of their only opportunities to ever get out of the hot, loud, dirty… [Read more…]
July 14, 2010
I stole this chart from Tony Morgan. I find it challenging; it pushes me to be a better leader. But I still struggle to put this “right people” leadership into practice. My sinful heart is naturally attracted to the control of the task-focused leadership. My default assumption is that people need my instruction and oversight… [Read more…]
July 12, 2010
Preaching is indispensable to Christianity. Without preaching a necessary part of its authenticity has been lost. For Christianity is, in its very essence, a religion of the Word of God. - John Stott, Between Two Worlds, pg. 15 As you may remember, I love to preach! And I’m thankful that since we’ve returned from furlough… [Read more…]
July 9, 2010
Happy Friday! Hope that you’re well. Thanks for your prayers and support. Here are a few pictures from our week. Enjoy! Emma Irini – 7 months Terribly Two Beach Time!
July 7, 2010
I didn’t grow up in an area with many strikes. I can recall unions going on strike in a few factories and a couple of schools… but not regularly and usually not basic public services (e.g. mass transit, hospitals, government offices). So, even after three years in Athens, I’m still not accustomed to all the… [Read more…]
July 5, 2010
Hope you had a great 4th! We had a great time celebrating here with friends. We had it all: the beach, bbq chicken, and sparklers! Here are a few America-related notes to commemorate July 4th. 1 – As I think about my childhood in America, I think about Mario, Megaman, Link, and the entire cast… [Read more…]
July 2, 2010
Happy Friday! Between Canada Day (1 July) and Independence Day (4 July), it’s a very celebratory weekend. Not too much planned here, except maybe a weekend trip to the beach. However you’ll be celebrating (whether because your country declared independence or you finally got rid of that nuisance of a colony), enjoy your weekend! Here… [Read more…]
June 30, 2010
Technology is a blessing and a curse. Obviously, I’m something of a technology-lover. I love being connected to friend – despite thousands of miles. I love having resources (news, blogs, articles, ideas) available at my fingertips. Even as missionaries, I couldn’t imagine our time here in Athens without Skype, our blog or Facebook. However,… [Read more…]
June 28, 2010
A friend directed me to this UNHCR (the UN’s refugee agency) video on refugees in Greece. Caution: while the video certainly isn’t gory, it does contain footage of corpses – the result of failed attempts to cross into Greece from Turkey over the Evros (or Maritsa) River. Very real… but not pretty, if you’re easily… [Read more…]
June 25, 2010
Happy Friday! It’s a weekend of celebrations here in Athens. Today, Kristin and I are celebrating our fifth wedding anniversary! My wife is absolutely amazing. Tomorrow, two dear friends – Ebi & Carolyn – will be getting married. Can’t wait! Hope your weekend is equally exhilarating. Here are some photos from the past week. Enjoy!… [Read more…]
June 23, 2010
This week (Wednesday-Friday) we have a guest from the US teaching on working with Muslims – understanding the worldview, tracing the influence of history/culture/folk practice, and learning to communicate the gospel in ways that make sense to the Muslim mind. This friend works to mobilize, resource, and oversee our teams in the Muslim world –… [Read more…]
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July 26, 2010
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