Friday, March 30, 2012

March GWOM: ΦΕΥΓΟΝΤΑΣ - LEAVING


Spring has sprung, warmer temperatures have arrived, flowers and trees are beginning to bud, and people are leaving Greece.

We know you've seen the stories on the news but here's just a short list of how the crisis in Greece is affecting those we know:

-Our neighbor has had his salary cut twice and now he is responsible for real estate taxes. He says he might have to move from his house (which was a gift from his in-laws) because he can't afford the taxes.
-Several of our younger friends have left to find jobs in other countries because they can't find work here at all.
-Many legal immigrants have cleared out already, returning to their own countries where they can at least live off the land.
-My landlord's friend who is married to an American is moving to the US because he says he would rather be poor in America than in Greece.
-Our neighborhood supermarket was robbed for the fourth time last week by men with machine guns.
-Our weekly meals served to the poor and homeless are overflowing with people needing help.

There is a deep sense of despair and hopelessness here. What a time for the message of the ONLY TRUE HOPE-Jesus. What a gift we have to share. Please pray for Greece, as you hear it reported day after day on the news. Pray for a revival. Pray for God to draw many to Himself during these times of crisis.

Other leavings:

-Our son and his family, Mike and Nisha, Jackson 7, Griffin 3 and Ruby 2, are moving to Colorado. Mike has a great new job opportunity and they will be leaving Wheaton as soon as we get there to help them drive the U-haul to Colorado!

-We leave for furlough April 21st. We plan to be in Colorado from Apr-Jul and then in Illinois from Aug-Oct.

If you would like us to speak at your church, Sunday school class, home group, missions committee, etc. please let us know so we can schedule that. Also, if you know of someone else (individual or group) who may be interested to have us come share how God is at work in Greece, please pass this on to them for us.

Please pray with us:

- Praise, we have found houseparents to stay at The Hope Center from April-Oct while we are gone! - Praise, we are coming along with THC and hopefully will have it ready to live in when we leave April 21st. We moved in some furniture last Saturday and are having fun getting the place set up.
- We have ordered the kitchen cabinets, interior doors & plumbing fixtures and are trusting God for the money necessary to pay for them SOON! We still need a hot water solution before we go.
- For everything we need to get done before we go and for preparations for our furlough.