Morley Update 2011 #34

Everyone,

Strike One......Strike Two....... Strike Thee.......Strike Four? In Greece there doesn't seem to be any end to the strikes. People are still upset about the austerity measures and the shaky economy of Greece. Several of you have written to ask how this is affecting us.

Garbage Strike: City workers are still digging us out after a 3 week strike by garbage collectors. I recently read that there were 120,000 tons of garbage rotting on the streets of Athens. Sidewalks were covered and it had even begun to spread into the streets. A walk to the grocery store became a smelly obstacle course and coming inside was a breath of fresh air! The strike ended this week but it will take another couple of weeks to clean up the piles. Even when the piles are gone we will be left with pieces of trash that have migrated out of the piles and now line the streets. My team mate, Donna, recently compared this to the trash we let build up in our lives. We toss our anger, unforgiveness, selfishness, impure thoughts etc. into the trash bin where it seems to be contained. But if we never hit the "empty trash" button, if we never allow God to remove this sin from our lives, we suddenly are faced with a rotten stinking pile that spills out on everyone. " Little hurts pile up into resentments if not forgiven quickly. Hurtful actions become lifelong habits if not confessed and forgiveness quickly sought." Let's keep a close eye on our trash bins and made sure to empty them regularly.

Transportation Strikes: For the last month and a half (usually once or twice a week) we have been having transportation strikes. With no buses or metro for the day, this means that anyone in the suburbs who wants to go into the city must drive. As you can imagine the streets become quickly clogged making travel almost impossible. On strike days those team mates who live close enough, walk - sometime an hour each way. Those of us who live farther out must drive. People with cars load up as many team mates as they can and leave early in the morning to avoid the rush. Kent and I are fortunate to have the motor bike which allows us to bypass the traffic jams for the most part. Refugees who come to the center on these days must walk as well and the fact that our numbers have stayed consistently high tell us that coming to the ARC is important to them.

Rioting and Protests: As you have likely seen on the news there are many demonstrations and rallies protesting the taxes, the privatization of government run businesses etc. Greeks are volatile people and there are fringe groups that take advantage of this to incite rioting. We usually know in advance when and where these demonstrations will be held and it is fairly easy for us to avoid these areas. Please don't worry about our safety but pray for the safety of our refugee friends who sometimes live closer to the center and thus have no way to escape the violence.

The Greek Economy: The shaky economic situation will continue to affect our work. Much of the day to day operating expenses for Helping Hands has been provided by our Greek brothers and sisters. As many of them struggle financially that means we may have to tighten our already snug budget. Several generous supporters have fallen on hard times. The printing company that printed our newsletters for free has gone out of business, others have lost businesses or even gone bankrupt. We recently found out that the government will not be giving us the surplus food we have received in the last few years (huge shipments of pasta and feta cheese). All this may sound a little bleak but God is not bound by the constraints of a tight budget or a shaky economy. Where He leads, He will provide.

The World Economy: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19 Our financial portfolio may be a little thin but we are investing in ways that have a much bigger dividend. Last Friday, my living room was filled with women as I hosted a lunch for 5 refugee women and their kids as well as 7 of my team mates. We sat around the table eating, laughing and sharing our lives. Later Donna gave her testimony in Dari. The women listened attentively nodding their heads. When Donna was finished the women shared some of their stories and asked questions. God was at work and all the women asked to take a copy of the Psalm that Donna had read home with them. These are the investments that have eternal value. Kent and I are always aware that we would not be here if it wasn't for the investment of finances and prayers that you, our larger team, are making. We know it isn't always easy but the treasures you are storing up can be measured in the lives and on the faces of the people we serve. On Friday, at one point in the afternoon, I looked over at one of my refugee friends who is a single mom with a difficult life. She was sitting on the couch with her head leaned back, holding the hand of my team mate Christy. She was listening to the Scripture being read in Farsi and had such a look of peace and contentment on her face that tears came to my eyes and I thought THIS is worth everything. Thank you making moments like this possible. We love you all.
Serving Him Together,
Kent and Myrna Morley
Tripoleos 76
Elliniko 16777
Athens Greece
011 30 210 96 38 625
backhoeboy1@juno.com
http://kent-uniquelymorley.blogspot.com
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