Back to work

After a six week hiatus in the States, in which we met three new granddaughters, we arrived back in Greece just one week before Christmas. While the rest of the world was busy shopping for gifts and baking Christmas cookies, we were busy getting settled back into life in Greece.

The transition has gone smoothly. We had money to collect downtown, bills to pay, government offices to visit and finances to be done at the HM office. Mike has a construction project to finish out at the property for an Albanian family who will be living out there beginning mid January. Peggy continues to work at the HM office handling the overseas finances. We will both begin language school again mid January so we are trying to get caught up with all the other things to get done before the school work sets in again. It feels great to be back to work.

Another blessing: on Monday we finally got our official residence visa after waiting almost one year! We are so thankful since this saves us having to leave Greece every three months for a visa exit,which is both costly, nerve-wracking and exhausting. Thank you Lord.

We have not been disturbed by any of the rioting here except for one day that they had the downtown area roped off due to a demonstration. Some of the results of the violence are still obvious; broken windows, burned up ATM machines, bank lobbies that have been destroyed. It is very sad. There appears to be a spirit of anarchy amongst some of the youth in this country that is alarming. Although as our pastor mentioned at church today, without a thought for God or Jesus, it is as if God does not exist or that He is not interested in our problems. Thus the young people are filling this gap with other things. In fact, in one nativity scene, baby Jesus was replaced with a TV. Please pray for God to use this unrest to bring many to the saving knowledge of Jesus, who gave His life for them.

Praying you all have know the peace of Christ this season.