Morley Update 2012 #1

Everyone,

Happy New Year to everyone - whether the last year brought you joy or pain or a combination of both we trust you are looking ahead with anticipation of what God has in store for the year 2012. My health has continued to improve and I take joy every day in little things. Yesterday afternoon Kent and I went to the Grocery Store. When we came out to the car I began helping him load the bags in the back and it occurred to me that for at least the last 6 months or more, if we went shopping I was in so much pain by the time we got back to the car that I just wanted to get sat down and go home. After work on Tuesday Kent went to get a hair cut and I walked up the street to wander around while I waited for him. My usual routine had been to sit at the ARC with my feet up praying he would be done soon. I walked to the laiki last week and realized that for the first time in ages I was enjoying looking at things and not just limping along. Thank you again for all the prayers on my behalf. I worked a full day on Tuesday and as I said went for a walk afterward. Wednesday my knees were a little sore so I am trying to find the balance between overdoing and pushing myself a bit in order to get stronger after months of relative inactivity.

Because I am feeling better we have been having more people into our home again. Friday night we had two young Iranian men. One of them speaks quite good English and of course Farsi. The other speaks quite good Greek and Farsi. Kent and I of course speak English and a bit of Greek with only a few words of Farsi. This made for an interesting evening. We could speak English and one guy would translate into Farsi or we could speak Greek and the other guy would translate into Farsi or they could speak Farsi to each other and then translate into English. We had some good discussion though. One of the guys is very interested in hearing more about Jesus and wants to get together with Kent to look at some scripture together. Before dinner Kent prayed and then after dinner we played a game for a while. When they got ready to leave the one young man asked Kent if he would pray again which of course he did gladly.

It was great to be back at work again on Tuesday and get some very big hugs from my refugee friends. Despite being closed for the week before we had a full house - feeding about 140 refugees. Afterward quite a few stayed to hear the message although many of the women had to go because there was a meeting at the school where their children attend. Tasha shared about a refugee woman "S" who she has been talking to. "S" had told Tasha that her sister in law had a dream that she was falling into a dark hole and that someone reached down to help her and it was Jesus and then she saw a light. Tasha talked to her about how the Bible talks about Jesus being the Light and she asked "S" if she had a Bible. "S" said that she used to have one but her brother took it away and forbid her to read it any more. On Tuesday "S" came in and said to Tasha "I think I can take a Bible now" Tasha asked her "Why?" and she said "Now my brother had a dream about Jesus and the Light". Tasha got her a Bible and again showed her the passages about Jesus being the Light. "S" marked them in her Bible and took it home. Pray for "S" and for others who are in such darkness that they too can begin to move into the Light.

We are so thankful for the team here and for the many gifts and talents they bring to the work. Recently since Themis is no longer our head chef, Susie's husband Youssef has stepped forward to do the cooking for meal days. We are also very thankful for our Greek team mates Michalis and Ritsa and I would ask you to be in prayer for them. They are struggling financially because Greeks do not have the concept of monthly support and with the added stress of the financial crisis their support is below what they need to live on. We would hate to lose them because they bring much to the team. They both are great in the kitchen and with kids as well as the men and women. Because they are Greek they head up our local volunteers which is invaluable in getting Greeks involved and comfortable in coming. Michalis is especially good at networking with other Greek organizations and recently because of this, a group called Doctors of the World gave us quite a quantity of dry food stuff to hand out. Ritsa and Michalis are also both good at helping the team and refugees navigate the system here for paperwork, medical help, housing or whatever. Please pray that their support would come in so that they can continue to work without the constant stress of worrying about how they will pay their bills.

We are also very thankful for you our wonderful team of supporters. Your financial gifts have allowed us to continue to be a part of what God is doing here in Athens. Your prayers and encouragement have lifted our spirits, brought healing to our bodies and kept us sane. We could not do it without you and appreciate you more than you will ever know. We look forward together to what God will do in us and through us in 2012.

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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