January GWOM: Βίζα - Visa

If you have followed us for long, you can tell that this month's word is not an original Greek word, especially since it is so easy to pronounce and it is so short! Nonetheless it was super important to us this month.

A week ago, we had an appointment with our local municipality regarding our visa. We are here with an annual residence permit and we need to submit a lot of translated paperwork every January to reapply for the next years' visa.

It is with much prayer, fear and trepidation that we approach these meetings, as we are never really sure what the outcome will be.

This year particularly, we were a little more guarded as we know many missionaries, including three co-workers, who have been denied visas, even with all the proper paperwork and qualifications.

We were ecstatic and so thankful to walk out of the office, with visa stickers in our passports! A minor detail is that the stickers were only good for two days, but we were able to file our papers for 2013 and received a certificate that allows us to live here legally while they process our papers again. Thank you Lord!

Please pray for this visa situation between the US and Greece. We know more full supported missionaries ready to come serve who are being denied visas. Please ask God to change this so we can grow our team and live legally here.

Please pray with us:
-Αs we continue to work on promotional materials and policy manuals for The Hope Center.
-For patience for us as we wait on the Lord for the funding necessary to get heat in the building so we can move in.
-For wisdom for our team in making decisions regarding the girls who will live there.

Dec GWOM: Γιορτές - Celebrations

December was a month of celebrations, the most important one being: Rejoicing in the remembrance of the birth of Christ our Savior! Unto us a child is born… Immanuel-God with us!

Other noteworthy celebrations for us in December:

The Greens. We said goodbye to Josiah and Jamie-Lee who served as THC interns from July-December. They are an amazing couple that impacted so many in their short time here.  They showed Christ’s love in amazingly practical ways all over Greece but most especially throughout the gypsy neighborhood of THC. We wish them well as they begin seminary in St. Louis.

Christmas Love Meals.  Three different opportunities to serve refugees and the homeless of Athens. The following is a link to a short video of the festivities. http://youtu.be/seL0Z7LKgdU

Christmas and New Years. The quiet of the season away from home and family allowed us more time to marvel anew at God's amazing gift to us in Jesus.  And also to remind us what a special privilege it is to be here serving in His name. Thank you so much each and every one of you who equip and enable us to be here. Looking forward to the journey ahead in 2013!

Please pray with us:

-For wisdom as we prepare policy and procedure manuals for THC.

-For Mike and I as we contemplate moving to THC as the first houseparents.

-For the completion of the construction, furnishing & funding of THC.

-For sensitive promotion of this maternity home and for God to bring us just the pregnant girls who need help.

-Praise for our connection with a Greek midwife who is spreading the word for us.