Morley Update 2011 #41

Everyone,

I can't believe this is my last update for the year 2011. It hardly seems possible that we have been living in Greece for 3 1/2 years now. As I look back over this year there have been highs and lows, good times and bad, joys and sorrows but through it all God is in control and we are privileged to be a part the His work here in Athens.

Throughout the year we welcomed 5 individuals and 5 teams who came to help anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months. We also has several visits from people with International Teams who came throughout the year. As usual we had the privilege of hosting several of these people in our home. I continue to be thankful for the home God has given us with ample room to host guests, hold team events and have refugees in for dinner or small gatherings.

2011 brought some changes to our long term team. We added Michalis and Ritsa a Greek couple who have been a real blessing as Greek speakers both in welcoming Greek volunteers and helping staff and refugees to navigate the Greek system. Donna and Aziz joined us in September - Aziz is orignally from Afghanistan and Donna is American. The fact that they both speak Dari has been a HUGE help to us, even though it sometimes puts a big load on them. We also had Heather and Chris Shepherd here for the summer and eagerly await their return to join the team full time next year. There were some losses as well, Susan Phearson is back in the states enjoying life and waiting to see what the Lord has in store for her next. Themis Sirinidis has moved out of the mainstream work at the ARC and is working full time with 2nd Evangelical Church as they minister to refugees, immigrants and homeless Greeks in their area. Scott McCracken is spending less time working directly at the ARC and is focusing more on teaching/training both at the ARC and in other contexts. Nader left Athens is in Canada pursuing asylum papers there. Change is never easy but it seems to be a part of this ministry and we are learning that with change comes opportunity.

There have been changes in the refugee population also. People we built relationships with and were close to have moved on. Kent's friend "H" is back living in Kurdistan. He became a Christian here and is now a part of a church back in his home country. Two women we were close to "N" and "Z#1" have moved on to other countries taking their daughters with them and leaving their sons and husbands behind to follow if and when the women get asylum papers. We constantly see new faces and often miss seeing friends who have moved on without even the chance to say goodbye. Our dear friend Dr. Joseph received his asylum papers and is awaiting the paperwork for his wife and children to join him. He has taken several trips to other European countries to check out the possibilities for immigration.

We baptized 11 new believers this year and there are several others who have expressed their faith in Jesus. Four of these men now meet with Kent, I and Scott McCracken weekly for a community group time of sharing and bible study. We also started the Saturday seekers class with Scott, Kent and I. Aziz is doing the translating for this class since Nader is no longer with us. Some of the believers are beginning to step out in ministry as well. "G" is translating for the kids story on Farsi Family Outreach days and "A" was our MC for the Christmas parties.

I continue to enjoy working with kids and was blessed to do several puppet shows this year. We did two different ones at Easter, and another for Christmas. At Easter I continued the tradition of dressing up for the kids parties in a new costume. For this one I was a Spring Chicken and helped lead the singing and must admit I was "Poultry in Motion". I was in the hospital or confined to home during the Christmas parties this year but Christy told me that one of the boys said "It's not Christmas without Myrna dressed up as an ELF."

Kent continues to find young men to connect with. Often they speak English and he can have good conversations with them. He really enjoys this but it is hard because younger men without families often are able to move on more quickly to another country so just as he feels he is really making a connection they often disappear. Sometimes he is able to still have contact with them but often they just don't come around any more. Kent also accepted a bigger role in team leadership this year. He and Brett became co-leaders with Kent in charge of pastoral care and team life and Brett heading up the day to day operations and vision casting. The plan was for the Greek Board of Helping Hands to hire a new day to day director in September/October and have him in place at the beginning of the year at which time Brett was planning to step down. However, due to concern for funding with the economic situation in Greece and a lack of a clear direction from the Lord, the Board has decided to postpone this step for at least a year. Brett has agreed to stay on at this point and we are grateful for his leadership and the enthusiasm and direction he brings to the team.

My health was a bit of a struggle for much of the year culminating in my week long hospital stay at the first of December and the weeks of pain following my return home. I am thrilled to report however that I am finally feeling better than I have in MANY months. I am able to up and around with little pain and have been going out for walks in order to get my strength back after a time of not being able to do much. I am SO thankful for the little things like being able to put my socks on or get up from a chair without pain. Thank you all so much for your prayers in this area.

Because I am feeling so much better this has been a busy week - we have had someone in to dinner almost every day, either team mates or refugee friends. Yesterday we went with a couple of team mates on a hike around the Old Palace grounds outside of Athens. It was great to get out of the city and into the fresh air. We will reopen the ARC on January 3rd and I plan to go back to work that day. I hope you all had a blessed Christmas and we look forward with you to see what God will do in the year 2012. 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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