Morley Update 2012 #9

Everyone -
How many of you played sports in school. I played basketball but I am not very athletic - to say the least - so I was never one of the starters. In fact I wasn't even second string. I was the girl who sat at the end of the bench. My uniform rarely got sweaty and my shoes never wore out. In spite of the fact that I knew I wouldn't be going in unless we were 100 points ahead or behind, my coach always insisted on one thing. Even if you're on the bench, keep your head in the game. Pay attention, cheer your team mates on, do what you can. So I cheered, I handed out water bottles and towels to teammates coming off the floor for a breather, and I watched. Lately it seems like God has kept me "benched" quite a bit. Our weather here has been crazy and my meniere's disease (an inner ear disorder that causes extreme dizziness) has really flared up. It is hard to get on the bus or metro when you're not sure if your world could begin to spin at any moment. Because of this I have stayed pretty close to home for most of the last couple of weeks. It is easy when that happens to get discouraged or to look back to my old life. In my personal study I have been reading the Old Testament about the nation of Israel in the desert. Every time things got bad they complained and looked back. They didn't keep their "head in the game". I don't want to be like them. So I am doing what I can. I keep up with correspondence for Short Term Teams and Interns. I work on crafts or plan puppets for the kids from home. I try to encourage team mates and I pray.

Maybe you feel like God has you "benched' for some reason. Maybe it's your health, or your family, or your job but something is making you feel like God has you sitting on the sidelines while others are in the heat of the battle. Keep your head in the game, do what you can. Encourage, look for small ways to help and most importantly Pray. Who knows you might just be voted "most inspirational" as your team moves on to victory.

In spite of the fact that I have only been to the ARC a couple of days in the last weeks God continues to be at work. At women's showers last week a group of the refugee women initiated a conversation about the Bible and were asking good questions. Kent has had some good conversations with seekers as well. The kids continue to be engaged in the stories and are also asking questions. One little girl who has accepted Jesus in 11 years old. She is in a wheelchair and her body doesn't cooperate too well but her mind is active. She had a serious conversation with Donna about her faith during a quiet moment in the kids room on Tuesday. We continue to see growth as the refugee believers help out in ministry and the seekers class is always full.

Many of those we had become close to have moved on. One of those is "Z1". While she was here she was in Bible study and had MANY spiritual conversations with different members of the team. Tasha in particular spend hours answering questions and going over scripture with her. When she left she had still not accepted the Lord. Since she has been gone, Tasha has been able to talk with her on the phone fairly regularly and amazingly though she still has not come to complete faith God is using her as an evangelist. Tasha sent her a bible and she recently asked for another and maybe a few extras because she gave hers away. She is answering questions that people have about the bible and says she thinks two people have become Christians because of this. Pray for "Z1". Her husband and small son are still in Greece - pray that she will get papers and that they can be reunited as a family. Pray that she will make the final step of faith herself and that she will continue to be a witness to those around her.

Pray for the refugee believers that they will be bold but that God will protect them. Being persecuted for their faith is a very real possibility for them both in being ostracized by their friends and in physical harm. Because of this many refugees struggle with fear. Recently a man who had asked a lot of questions and taken quite a bit of literature brought it back to our Afghan team mate and told him sadly - "I cannot keep these. Others have seen them and have threatened me and I am afraid" Pray for Satan to be bound, pray against the spirit of fear and pray for protection for those who continue to believe and to seek.

Pray for the team here as we go through a period of transition. Pray for Kent as the new team leader. Pray for the country of Greece and our brothers and sisters here who are hurting. Pray that God will continue to provide for the work here. Thank you for being part of our team. Thank you for being faithful and for all that you do for us. We love you and could not do it without you.

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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