1st day of Athens: 3am arrived at airport and a nice gentlemen helped me put all 4 huge duffle bags on a cart. I enjoyed the Athens airport for a few hours as people woke up and Athens came alive. My friend Viorcia came to get me at 6am and then we took a 45 min drive into Athens. dropped off my bags and then i took a shower slept for 2 hours and then Viorcia took me around and we walked about 3 1/2 hours and did a loop around the Parthenon. On our our walk we had 2 encounter with men who said i look more greek than her. I believe it’s my hair. we had a wonderful meal of Greek salad.: cucumbers, tomato, feta, black olives salty ones, (not my mom’s 15 cans of black olives and saw she had another same run pack in the garage). and a gyros. MMMMMM i miss them. use to eat them in Germany. Then the next day we went out to Ancient Corinth: It is about 1 1/2 hour drive from the city center were i am staying. This is who Apostle Paul wrote to in 1st and 2nd Corinthians. he had been there and he walked to Athens we again drover it’s a long the coast and beautiful but he walked. Corinth was a small beach side town that is know about 10 min drive from the beach side. it’s incredible to see how much it’s changed since then.the ocean use to be at it’s edge and know it’s really far. It sits below a castle and the castle is were people were going to the temple there and worshiping there Greek Gods. and then we saw were the shops were that Paul talks about w/ the markets and it’s neat to be were the Bible stories are, it’s like you are walking the bible out and it makes the sermons i will listen to or reading scripture more intimate. I understand know why people are so changed after coming back from Israel. its our lineage our history, just like if your irish and you go to Ireland your like that’s my family. But this is bigger.

We also stopped and a sight that they dug out a canal for ships so it would cut out days off there trip it was started in 1882-1893 length is 6343 meters,width is 25 meters and depth is 8 meters. its incredible the greeks partnered with Hungary to get it done. They also do budgie jumping and so we got to see 3 brave souls jump and enjoy the adventure of free falling. It was really high up and I thought WoW y ou would have to push me and i would have screamed screamed screamed…. this also was the day of Sarah being introduced to Frappe’s.. The real ones not those of Starbucks. I am just going to be honest. Starbuck’s has no idea what they are doing. Frappe’s are incredible here and i am so hooked. that my host Viorcia promised to teach me so i can make them in Uganda. OH YEA!!!!

I will be talking a lot about food and showing some very yummy pictures. this is a disclaimer be warned you will get hungry after my blogs. I told Viorcia yesterday if she saw eat pray love She has. I advised that right nowI am in the Italy portion of the book. actually the last couple of days have been relaxing and trying to get caught up from jet lag of 1 over night flight w/ 5 hours sleep a 9 hour lay over in London and an over night flight to Athens w/ no sleep an got in at 3am and picked up at 6am. mind you i had left my home in fort collins at 10am had a full day of the botanical gardens and lunch w/ my cousin and her children prior to leaving. I arrived on a friday so the center is not open on the center is not open on the weekends. So the ministry part will start on Monday.

So day 2 food was incredible we sat at a cafe looking out at the city of corinth and under the castle: we had a dish called Moussaka (my big fat greek wedding_ what she is eating in the scene were the girls make fun of her in elementary school- oh how those girls were missing out on an amazing dish) it is oven baked, layered eggplant, ground beef,and tomato with a thick topping of béchamel sauce. and another greek salad and tazikii can’t get enough of it.

then we drove back into Athens and walked a long the beach and I got to see olympic stadiums from the most recent games, a professional soccer pitch. (HUGE like the broncos stadium) then it was resting in the afternoon and dinner was a scoop of pistachio ice cream and a scoop of Ferrero ice cream.

It is very typical for greeks to eat at 10pm. I agree it is very hot during the day and most people don’t go out between 2-5 it’s the resting times. I am all about it and enjoying these times to blog and rest.

Today i went to church with Viorcia at a church that the building was build i think she said 143 or 148 year ago. it sits across from the original gate into Athens. I had a head set on for the translation as services are in Greek and then after our service there is a Russian service and an arabic service. We then went to a hill right under the parthenon this is were Paul came and preached please read acts 17. I was standing right were he was and it’s an incredible sight to see he would have been very very high up on the hill and to have so many people hear him they said w/ the environment back then there are no cars or as many sounds so it would have been easy for people to hear him. I would have had to be at the front of the group. then we walked to a cafe were i had more greek food this time i tried the Dakos: it is wheat bread soaked with water, olive oil and vinegar, topped with juicy tomato, feta cheese and oregano, green olives and capers. YUM and a greek salad. ( i like them)……I know i talk a lot about food the 1st couple of days and the architect and history. But as of Monday I have been able to actually start doing the ministry things i came here to take place in. Monday was my 1st time in the brothels of Athens. I am not sure what i was expecting them to be, and the only reference i had was Amsterdam and Frankfurt's red light districts which i had seen over 10 years ago. If you were a person walking along the street you would have no idea they were there. It is doors to rooms and the only thing that sets them apart are the front light bulbs lit up. There are shops and restaurants and even people’s apartments above them. We headed out into the area of town and we had 6 woman and one gentleman. 2 teams of 2 ladies who go into the brothel and then 2 of us outside w/the guy who are praying while the teams go in and speak with the girl and the madam. I was outside and praying for the teams since it was my 1st night. After the teams come out they tell us a little about what they encountered and what needs there are. Most of the girls are from Romania, Russia, This team has been doing this for a while so they have built relationships with girls and madams and while i have been with them the last 2 days 3 bibles have been given out and most of the girls are asking for more literature and tracks in there language. So we were praying while the team went in and they came out and were updating about girl who had been there only 1 month and how she is paying off her fathers hospital bill. We look up and she is peaking out the window. I think the thing that hit me the hardest was 2 things i am outside and have the freedom to walk away. I am also so blessed that i am able to sit outside each one of these brothels and on one street there were 27, that I can pray for these girls. They may have no idea that i am there on the other side of the wall. But that i can pray and bring light into the darkness. This ministry is incredibly needed and making HUGE impacts this girl has been here a month and God places us in the right spot to go in and share with her that we are here and leave her with info about Jesus and also that the ministry is there if she ever wants to get out. They are the breath of fresh air. These girls feel there is no hope and to be here 1 month out can you imagine how scared and traumatized she is and to have someone come in and speak Romanian to her and love on her, so when i look up and see her peaking out and I get to walk away yes that effects me. My heart just broke more and more as we walked and i saw one after another after another. But what is so Great about our God is, he is so big and loving and is there with all the girls. He is the one who stays through all of this. He will never leave us even if we don’t know him yet. I know God was along side of me prior to being a christian because there were dark days and poor choices and he saw me through even then. He loves us that much.

Then today we went out at 1045 am. Yes 1045 am, they are open 24 hours a day. again learning and observing what these wonderful ladies do each week. I think that what hit me today was that there are so many men were out at this time. Monday night was crowded and know wednesday morning crowded. there is a lot of activity on the men’s part and I had to remind myself that God loves them to and that it is important that we pray for our men leaders to start taking action as well and reaching out. Nea Zoe keeps reminding me we are a seed planting ministry and what a difference they are making in the lives of these ladies and madams who feel no hope or way out. or who may not accept them right now, but as the team is consistent they will see that they are really there to help out or talk or as many times rescue a girl

walking were the Apostle Paul preached to Athens. Holding up the Parthanon like i tried to hold up the world globe in North Carolina

Smilesinternational

Greece 2014