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…]
September 30, 2011
Our team spent last weekend together for a few days of strategic planning. As the busy fall/winter ministry season comes full on, we focused our hearts once again on Jesus and discussed how we can better follow Him on mission in the coming ministry year. We talked through yearly priorities, brainstormed specific goals and metrics,… [Read more…]
February 25, 2011
Happy Friday! Last week a group of teammates travel to Patras, about three hours west of Athens, to serve refugees with the local Greek Evangelical Free Church. You may remember some of our past visits to Patras – here and here, for example. The conditions there are simply unacceptable – men picking through the trash… [Read more…]
January 14, 2011
Happy Friday! Hope you’re having a great week. I’ve been battling the flu… and so Kristin has been working doubly hard around the house (thanks, Love!). However, I think that I’m on the mend and am very thankful that no one else in the house got sick. Anyhow, have a great weekend! Here are a… [Read more…]
December 22, 2010
The UNHCR (the UN’s refugee agency) recently posted the video below. It follows “Moujad,” a Sudanese refugee, through the Greek port city of Patras. Perhaps the city rings a bell. We visited to see the refugee situation there firsthand last year (see here and here). Please pray for the churches of Patras – pray that… [Read more…]
February 5, 2010
We haven’t been snapping too many new photos this week… so how about a walk down memory lane? Flash back to February of 2009: a small group from our team visits the makeshift refugee camp in Patra, Greece (click here for a bit of context). Here are a few photos from that trip: Meeting refugees… [Read more…]
November 11, 2009
In July the makeshift refugee camps in and around Patra were dismantled by the Greek authorities. Despite the governments most ardent desires, these refugees (hundreds, maybe thousands in Patra alone) have not just disappeared. Enter, Igoumenitsa (photo above). Igoumenitsa, the new Patras Thousands of migrants moved from Patras (northern Peloponnesus) to Igoumenitsa (western Greece), after… [Read more…]
July 18, 2009
Hi everyone! Thanks for your continued prayers and encouragement. We have good news from the internet front: we should be connected during the first week of August (which is fast for Greece)! We’re excited to have regular internet access again… and catch up on emails! Until then, here’s some news from Patras (via the United… [Read more…]
May 6, 2009
Tomorrow morning we’ll load up a rented van and head west for a 3-night retreat near Patras, Greece. As a team, we will study the Word, praise God together in song, pour out of hearts to God in prayer, and – of course – have some fun along the way. Typically, our team schedules two… [Read more…]
April 29, 2009
The refugee situation in Patras is quite bad. Perhaps you remember my visit last month (story and pics). The government has promised action, but so far the bureaucracy and bickering has stalled any actual movement. Now the government has a new plan that will have the illegal camps bulldozed by the end of May. Would… [Read more…]
March 23, 2009
A few people have asked for an update concerning the situation in Patras. So, here’s the latest: Last Saturday, I trekked back to Patras along with three teammates in order to talk with the local Greek Free Evangelical Church about the refugee situation there (we also picked up a two carloads of supplies that they… [Read more…]
March 18, 2009
Perhaps the most common destination for refugees coming to Europe is England. The appeal is obvious: the economy, the diversity, the language, the history. As is the case in Greece, the most difficult obstacle is often water. As there are illegal camps outside of the westward ports in Greece (i.e. Patras), so there are illegal… [Read more…]
February 27, 2009
Here are some more shots from last week’s trip to Patras. Thanks for your continued prayers. My teammate Kent chatting with an Afghan refugee An abandoned contruction site overtaken by refugees My teammate Brian gets smiles from a group of refugees An Afghan refugee in Patras
February 20, 2009
As you may remember from Monday’s post, last week was a very difficult week for our team. Our Tea House ministry was literally overrun with people. Because of this, we spent this week exploring refugee ministry “out of the box” – new ideas, new methods, new dreams. One thing that I have been wanting to… [Read more…]
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November 21, 2011
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