One of the most difficult parts of refugee ministry is that we’re constantly saying goodbye to people we’ve come to love dearly. That’s the case again this week, as another good friend moves on from Athens. “A” is a strong woman. She came to Athens from Afghanistan with five children and a drug addicted husband… [Read more…]
December 27, 2011
Hi all - We hope everyone had a great Christmas: full of joy, laughter, and – most of all – Jesus! Hot off the press – you can download our latest newsletter here! A text-only version is available below. Thanks so much for your love, support, and prayers! By God’s Grace - Brett, Kristin, Sofia… [Read more…]
December 14, 2011
Hate crime is an ugly, ugly thing. And while it is certainly not the norm in Greece, hate crimes against foreigners (including asylum seekers) have escalated in 2011. Human Rights Watch is documenting some of the difficulties here in Greece. In a report released on Monday, Human Rights Watch found… Victims of racist violence… [Read more…]
December 12, 2011
We had a great week of Christmas outreach parties (see Christmas update part 1 and part 2 for more pictures). We shared a great meal – salad, chicken, huge piles of rice, and dessert. A huge thank you to the local church groups that sponsored meals: the Evangelical Youth Movement, Nea Zoi Church, Egaleo Evangelical,… [Read more…]
December 9, 2011
Happy Friday! On Tuesday I shared some pictures from our first two Christmas parties. Here are some photos from Wednesday’s Christmas outreach. Enjoy!
December 6, 2011
It may not be December 25… but it’s Christmas week here in Athens! Over the week we’re hosting five Christmas outreach parties for refugees. We’ve invited 130 refugees for each party – which includes a Christmas song, a Christmas puppet show, and a Christmas message (in Farsi or Arabic depending on the party)… plus a… [Read more…]
November 30, 2011
How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News! (Romans 10.15) (HT: Justin Taylor)
November 28, 2011
Hi Friends, We hope that your Thanksgiving was full of joy, laughter, and gratitude! We had a fun time here in Athens, gathering with teammates and remembering God’s grace in our lives. We are incredibly thankful for each of you – our support team around the world! Your partnership in this ministry is vital. So… [Read more…]
November 21, 2011
Since Thursday is a regular workday here in Greece, this afternoon (Monday) we’ll join together with a group of our teammates to celebrate Thanksgiving – expatriate style. Yes, we’ll have turkey and cranberries (both imported from the US), stuffing and even pumpkin pie! Of course, I’m thankful for a lot: God’s grace and faithfulness, an… [Read more…]
November 11, 2011
Happy Friday! Wow – what a week here! It’s been a very busy work week. Tomorrow our friends Susie and Yousef get married (I’m the best man; Sofia is a flower girl). Sunday I’ll run the Athens Classic Marathon. I think that I’ll be ready for an IV drip and 24 hours of sleep by… [Read more…]
November 8, 2011
As I shared last week, a book full of stories and testimonies from the ministry here was recently published. You can order the book directly Amazon here. If you need reminded that God is still in the business of changing lives, this is an encouraging read. I’ve nearly finished reading through my copy. It’s been… [Read more…]
November 7, 2011
I don’t mean to stress you out… but Christmas is just around the corner! Christmas is a strategic time of ministry here, as many, many refugees are asking questions about the holiday: Why do you celebrate Christmas? Who is Jesus? How can you believe that God would become a man, even a baby? Why would… [Read more…]
November 2, 2011
A project long in the making has finally come to be: Kingdom Beyond Borders: Finding Hope Along the Refugee Highway. Kingdom Beyond Borders is a collection of refugee stories and testimonies from 15 years of ministry at Helping Hands! What more could you ask for! While most of these stories pre-date our family’s arrival in… [Read more…]
October 31, 2011
Hi Friends - Happy _________ (choose your own event: Halloween, Harvest Festival, Reformation Day)! Our latest newsletter can be downloaded HERE. Enjoy! If you don’t like pictures or .pdf files, you can find a text-only version of our update below. We’re so thankful that you all are a part of our ministry! We couldn’t be… [Read more…]
October 17, 2011
Scott Thomas offers some simple insights into leadership over at the Acts29 blog. It was a good reminder. Many leaders fail to passionately celebrate the accomplished goals of their team or business or church. It seems that they are never satisfied and are focused on the minor flaws rather than exuberantly enjoying the positive advances… [Read more…]
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January 12, 2012
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