SEPT GWOM: ΜΕΓΑΛΑ ΝΕΑ – BIG NEWS

This month we have BIG NEWS for you!

THE HOPE CENTER: We are so pleased to announce to you the birth of another Hope Center baby. A beautiful, healthy baby girl was born on September 3rd. We can't even express to you the exhilaration it is to celebrate the victory of each new life that is born through this ministry! The journey is often very rocky, with so many hurdles, but in the end it is an amazing joy and privilege to hold the baby in our arms and to rejoice with the new mother.

PERSONALLY:  We are on the move, taking another BIG leap of faith (as pictured above with the bungee jump). So here's the story; at the end of summer 2013, Mike and I both felt the Lord was speaking to us about leaving Greece. We were surprised and were not expecting this as the Hope Center ministry was just beginning to grow. We prayed and prayed and asked God for clarity on this. We spoke to our HM leadership and our church leadership and we came to believe that yes, His will for us is to leave Greece and to follow HIS lead to serve in another country. So, after 7 years of serving in Greece, we will be leaving in December 2014.

Our plans, God willing, are to be with our family for Christmas in CO, then head to Wheaton to visit our family, friends, and home church in early January, return to CO for a week of debrief at Missionary Training Institute in late January and then travel to investigate new ministry opportunities.

Because we believe so much in the local church, and since we have been so blessed by our small Greek church here,  we intend to pursue working alongside a national church, in Mexico and/or Central America, in mentoring and discipleship.

PRACTICALLY:  We are so thankful for you all and we invite you to continue partnering with us in future ministry. For now, Hellenic Ministries has graciously agreed to continue processing the financial gifts you send on our behalf until the time we have a new mission selected so you are able to continue giving as normal.

There is a lot of transition for us in the days ahead, both in downloading and storing the records for The Hope Center and in selling our furniture and belongings, which we have determined are too expensive to ship across the ocean again, but we are taking things one step at a time, in full confidence of His lead. 

Please pray:

•  Praising God for the gift of life for this new baby girl through THC ministry. Thank you so much too for all your prayers that were part of this delivery. We so appreciate your faithfulness and your support. 
• For us to finish well here in Greece and for wisdom and direction for future ministry. 
•  For faith and confidence for us to follow His lead into the unknown again. 

JUN/JULY GWOM: ΑΓΙΑ ΓΡΑΦΗ – HOLY SCRIPTURE‬

God says about His Word “it will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

OPERATION JOSHUA 7: The whole team of Hellenic Ministries, as well as participants from around the world, joined together to distribute 102,000 New Testaments to homes in northern Greece in early July.

This is part of HM’s greater vision to distribute a copy of the NT in modern Greek to every home in rural Greece. Since 2004, we have passed out over 700,000 New Testaments! We are trusting God to bring a revival to this country through His Word as He promised in the verse listed above.

THE HOPE CENTER: We continue to depend on God’s Word in the maternity home ministry too, as we counsel our pregnant girl. She is confused with many life choices before her and we keep turning her to The Only Truth, God’s Truth, that will lead and guide her in wisdom for the decisions ahead.

Her options are difficult and her mind continues to change from week to week but we cling to the steadfast hope that God is in charge and that He alone has the answers for her.

PERSONALLY:  We were shocked and deeply saddened to hear from our son during OJ about the sudden, unexpected death of his 62 yr. old father in law, Chris Mitchell. Chris and Julie were friends and neighbors of ours in Wheaton as well as extended family. While we rejoice in knowing that Chis is now home in heaven, our hearts are heavy for the loss for all his family and friends.

Please pray with us:

• That God will do His work though the many, many bibles that were delivered this year. Also for the finances to complete payment for them.

• For wisdom for our girl at THC in the tough decisions she has ahead as she enters her last month of pregnancy and for us as we counsel her.

• For God to give His strength and comfort to the Mitchell and Lowe families as they mourn the loss of their husband, dad, and grandpa.

APRIL/MAY GWOM: ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΙΑ - FREEDOM

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. (Gal 5:1) This is ultimately what we are all about as Christians and as missionaries. We want to share with others the freedom that we have found in Jesus Christ.

Amidst a busy couple of months, one of the things that has been special for us is in counseling those in The Hope Center (THC) ministry and watching them be set free of wounds, guilt, shame, anger, bitterness and seeing them embrace reconciliation and restoration in relationship with Christ and with others.  

One example of this is through the PARE (Post Abortion Recovery Education) course that THC offers regularly. Here is one small excerpt: before my wound was raw, it affected everything about me, my identity, my confidence, my daily thoughts. I couldn't feel joy about anything...and after the course: I feel peace and finally joy without guilt. Something has lifted...this was a necessary, painful but beautiful freeing process. I am free from shame, remorse, guilt, anger, pain, tried, sadness and depression. 

It is such a privilege to be part of God's transformational healing and we thank you so much for your partnership that allows us to help others. God is in the business of setting people free and we love being part of this!

Other notables: A visit from Pastor Gary and Kara from CO, Easter in a small Greek village, Mike's 57th bday, HM family conference, a ministry visit to church planters in Crete, hosting fellow WBC missionary Carolyn Adolf and Ruth, and having lunch with our son's co-worker and spouse, Wafa and Roger in Athens.

Additionally, THC was able to host a mother and her one week old baby for three weeks in May until we were able to move her on for further help. 

Please pray:

• for this mother and her baby who were moved out of THC May 29th. pray for God to take good care of them and that they will both get the love and the help they need.
• for our other pregnant girl, in her 2nd trimester, for a complete surrender of her heart to Jesus and that she will trust Him with all the uncertainties she is facing. 
• for God to give the houseparents wisdom, love and strength in dealing with everyday life with the girls and in relation to  THC neighborhood.

MARCH GWOM: ΜΕΤΑΚΟΜΙΣΕΙ - MOVED IN!

This month we are celebrating the installation of houseparents to The Hope Center Maternity Home. Finally, after much paperwork and medical certifications, a lovely couple and their 4-year-old daughter have moved in.

We are thrilled at God’s leading and provision for us in this area. Our houseparents come with a mature marriage, parenting skills, love for the Lord, the ability to speak English and Greek, familiarity with the Ano Liossia neighborhood and hearts to counsel young women.

They come highly recommended to us by their pastor and other members of the community who have worked with them in the past. We have been blessed already as we've walked through this process with them and believe we are of the same heart regarding the ministry involved at The Hope Center.

Additionally, we've also moved a pregnant girl and her 3-year-old daughter into THC. The houseparents were part of the interview and intake process from the beginning and we are all encouraged to welcome this new girl and her daughter. 

Please pray:

• that our new girl will grow in her relationship with Christ and that she would let Him lead her in all the decisions she will need to make in the coming months. There are many challenges ahead as you can imagine.
• for good family relationships between the houseparents and the new girl and her daughter as they transition to living together at THC.
• for the neighborhood to be accepting of these new occupants and to give them peace.

FEB GWOM: ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ - CHURCH

This month we diverge from our normal news about The Hope Center Ministries to share with you a little about the Greek Church that we attend in Athens.   

We are so proud as we have watched this church (of about 150 ppl) intentionally move into their neighborhood to share the gospel in various ways: such as providing food and clothing for the needy, bible studies, a drop in center, language lessons, community clean up and the list goes on and on. 



Mike enjoys sharing his Mondays with our friends at church and those who come to visit outside the church doors. This provides a great opportunity to talk to those who might never enter a church. 





Highlights for us this month at church were:

• Being able to help with a medical van that came offering free dental and gynecological services to anyone who signed up.
• Mike sharing a message with the youth group.
• Peggy sharing The Hope Center vision to the young girls of the church with Marina, the Hope for Life pregnancy care center director.

Please continue to pray:

• that God would draw many to Himself through the local churches in Greece.
• for finalization of the paperwork in order to move the new houseparents into THC shortly.
• for a young girl we interviewed this week who is deciding whether THC is the place for her to live out her pregnancy.
• for us to get THC and HFL websites created and published soon.