Crew on the Morning Star

We had an interesting time this week. Peggy and I were asked to work as crew on a trip with the Morning Star, which is the HM sail boat. At first we thought we would decline because we had just started back to school but then we figured why not. We had never been out sailing on the boat and thought it might be a nice get away. We changed days with our teachers and off we went on the boat to a town called Limni on the island of Evia.

As we got to the town, Alex told us how he has been to this town many times but had seen no response in sharing the gospel here. We got off the boat and headed into town looking for a bakery for some bread. Along the way, we stopped and talked to two men that were sitting at a table drinking coffee. As he was talking I noticed that the man had a necklace. Now since I don't yet speak Greek, I just told him in English what a nice necklace it was. He responded back to me in English and asked where I was from. It turned out he had lived in the states for 30 years and had come back to Greece 5 years ago. As we talked he asked what we were doing here and with whom. So I told him we were working with a mission organization reaching out to Greeks. He didn’t say much else and so off Alex and I went to get bread.

Latter in the day, Peggy and I went out for a walk. We had just begun our walk and ran right into this same man. We said hello and the next thing you knew this man was telling us his whole life’s story. Next he told us how here in Greece the Greeks don't want to know anything personal they just want to give their opinions. And that if you say anything out of the ordinary, they won’t listen. At this time we shared our faith with him and what we know as the truth and he thanked us and we both went our separate ways.
As we were walking I told Peggy that we should give him a Bible or at least see if he would like one. When we got back, I went to see if I could find him but no luck.

The next day was our last day and so I carried the Bible with me thinking that if I saw him I would give it to him. I went walking through the town, but it soon became apparent that he was no where to be found. As I went back to the boat I began to pray for this man and others like him. When I reached the boat, they sent me out for ice so I put the Bible away and went on my errand. And sure enough, what do I see on my way back but this man. Now he calls for me to come over to talk and sit down with him, as I realize that I needed to get the ice back to the boat. So I asked if he would wait for me because I had some things to share with him. When I got back to him, he and I started to talk like we were close friends and I shared my faith and my passion for the older people in Greece. I explained to him that I did not want him to be left out of heaven and how important it is to have Christ in his life. As I walked away from him, he told me he would read the New Testament and watch the Jesus DVD that I gave him. As I left I prayed that he would come to know the Lord in the same way I do.

Alex commented on what a God thing this encounter was as this was the first time in the 15 years of him visiting the island that we ran into American Greeks! Please pray for this man, for God to work through His Word to make an eternal difference in his life!