Morley Update 2012 #20

Everyone,
Last Thursday morning our team drove to the Peloponnese for a team retreat. We all contribute each month to a team fund and that pays for us to have two team retreats a year. Our spring retreat is about relaxing and rejuvenating while our fall retreat is a working/planning retreat filled with meetings. We went to a small hotel that we have stayed at many times. This year we invited the pastor from the church Kent and I attend, Fotis Romeros to come and speak to us about compassion fatigue and burn out. We have been going through a lot of changes on the team lately and this is a stressful ministry so we want to be sure that we stay healthy and strong. We also spent times playing games and just enjoying each other's company.

Kent and I got home about Noon on Monday and just dropped all our stuff off at the house. We then drove to the airport to pick up Katie Friend, a young woman who is here on a vision trip - to see if she would be a good fit to join our team. We spent time doing her orientation, getting to know her and getting her settled.

Tuesday was Farsi Speaking Family Meal Day. For once we had quite a bit of help as we had several volunteers as well as our regular team. We had people there from US, Greece, Iran, Afghanistan, the Philippines, Denmark, and Canada. The day went smoothly but I realize that I am pretty tired after a full day at the ARC. Some of it is because I am still having trouble with my good ear - I can hear my pulse making a very loud whooshing sound in it all the time. That coupled with the noise at the ARC tends to put me on edge a bit. I will go back to the ear doctor this week and see what he says.

Yesterday we had a going away dinner for our team leader Brett and his family and for our children's leader Wendy. They will both be leaving Greece in the next couple of weeks. Brett and Kristen are moving back to the states and Wendy is moving to London to be a part of a ministry there. We are going to really miss these guys and it will leave some gaps in ministry but the Lord knows what is needed and if we have to make some adjustments we will. We wanted the going away party to be special but decided we didn't want to go to a restaurant so had it here. Kent and I rearranged our furniture on Tuesday night so we could have three large tables to seat everyone - there were 27 of us. I spent the day Wednesday decorating and setting the tables, setting up buffet stations and making salads and desserts. We hired our Iranian friends the Kamranis to cook kabob, chicken, saffron rice and grilled tomatoes for the main course. It was a fun evening with good food and sharing of memories.

Please be praying for our new team mates Heather and Chris Shepherd. They had planned to be on a plane Saturday to make the move to Greece and begin their work here. However they applied for a new type of visa which is for volunteers and though Nikos our Greece director talked with the embassy and things seemed to be positive they found out yesterday that their visa had been denied. They are going to appeal and also try for a different type of visa for financial independents which is the type of visa we have. This process will delay their coming - please pray that they are successful in getting a visa and can join us soon.

We have a full schedule ahead as we will have interns and teams coming and going. We will participate in the camps while keeping our regular programs running. We will start having special beach days as the weather gets warmer. Please continue to pray for Greece as a country. They will be holding elections again on June 16th and what the outcome will be or how this will affect us we don't really know. Luckily our faith does not rest on the wisdom or foolishness of men but on God and He will provide for the work He wants to accomplish. On my wall are the words "Be still and know that I am God: for I will be exalted among the nations" Psalm 46:10 We are seeing this come to pass every day as refugees ask questions, read their bibles and seek to know the truth. Thank you once again for your participation with us and with God in Greece and toward the nations.

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
To join our Support Team:
Online go to: https://www.iteams.org/us
Or Send to:
International Teams
411 W. River Rd.
Elgin IL 60123
Please designate for the ministry of Kent and Myrna Morley and indicate whether this is a one time gift or monthly support. Thanks :)

Morley Update 2012 #18

Everyone,

It has been a good week. On Friday night we hosted our community group at our house. We used to have this group in our home once or twice a month but it has been several months since I felt well enough to attend, let alone cook and host. We had 8 refugee guys plus Scott, Kent and I. One of the men's wife and daughter usually come but were unable to make it on Friday. Before dinner we sat around and shared our "highs" and "lows" for the last week. One of the guys shared that his high and low was the same thing - The men he lives with are strong Muslims and often give him a hard time about being a Christian - even threatening to make him leave and live on the streets again. He said that is a "low" but it is also a "high" because when they do that it gives him a chance to share with these men about what he believes. He has been beaten up for being a Christian but he still says with a smile on his face, " I love to tell others about Jesus". Several of the lows concerned having no papers and no job, an increasingly desperate situation for many refugees here in Greece. As the economy worsens even guys that could find work before are without jobs. Pray those who are seeking a "Red Card" (the paper that lets them stay here legally while they are being processed) and also for those who are without work.

On Saturday some friends from America arrived. Ryan and Callie McFadden are here for a week or so using us for a base and spending some time seeing Greece. When they leave here they will unpack their tandem bike, which takes up two suitcases and they will be biking across Europe for a few months.

Tuesday I went in to work for the first time since I have been sick. It was good to be back although I realized I am maybe not ready for full time yet. I was amazed at all the new faces and missing some of the ones who are gone. As usual I greeted people as they came in the door and then worked in the kids room. I had two funny conversations with two different little girls. One was at the door - a little girl wanted to hang out with me and she kept saying things to me in Farsi. After she had tried saying several things and I had answered each time in English she looked up at me and said "FARSI!". Later in the day I was coloring with a little girl. Every so often she would tap me on the arm and say "Excuse me" in English and then say something in Farsi. I would tell her in English that I didn't know what she was saying but of course she couldn't understand. Finally after this happened several times, I said "Na fahmee dam" which mean in Farsi "I don't understand". She sighed and then began speaking Farsi again - this time very loudly and very slowly!

Kent has been having three people in his English class but on Tuesday he only had one guy so they started chatting. The young man speaks English pretty well and had come to the Saturday seekers class that Kent taught last Saturday. Kent asked him what he thought about that and about Jesus. He said "I love Jesus and I like to know more about the Bible". He told Kent a bit of his story. He was born in Afghanistan but has been on his own since 8 years old when the Taliban slit his father, mother and little sister's throats in front of him. He was in Iran for a time and worked sewing pockets on shirts - however most of his money was extorted from him by a taxi driver and others who threatened to send him back to Afghanistan if he didn't give them his money. He finally made his way here but of course has no papers and no legal status. He thinks is 20 years old but is not sure. After he and Kent talked for a while longer and he said "I like to study English but it would be all right with me if we just studied the Bible". Kent plans to get together with him on a regular basis and do just that. Please pray for this young man and for Kent as he tries to carve out time to get together with him.

Recently a couple of our teammates started a study with a few of the women. One of them reads her Bible at night by the light of her husband's cell phone because the people they live with are strong Muslims and don't want her to study the Bible. One of them took a Bible for her husband as well because he told her "You go and learn and then come home and teach me". Pray for these women. Our friend "Z" is doing the translating for this study - continue to pray for her as she is still on a journey toward faith herself.

Our Afghan team mate "A" is in the states this month but God has blessed us with several translators. "J" who I mentioned last week and another man from our community group who translated for Kent when he preached on Tuesday. It is great to see more and more refugee believers stepping up to be open about their faith and helping in the ministry. Pray for these guys. They risk persecution and ostracism for their faith.

Thank you for your continued prayers and partnership with us in this ministry. Please continue to pray for Greece as a country. As you may have heard there is essentially no government in Greece at this time - the acting prime minister is a judge who will serve until elections in mid June. It is looking more likely that Greece will not be able or willing to meet the austerity measures put up by the EU and may be forced to withdraw from the European Union altogether. Many Greeks are suffering financially and are feeling more hopeless as time goes on. In the midst of this Greek churches are beginning to reach out to their neighbors in need. Pray for the country of Greece and pray for the Christians here in Greece. How all of this will affect us personally and the ministry is not clear at this time but likely the main affect will be financial and what that will look like we won't know until it happens. However, this is God's work and we are confident He will provide. Know that we are safe and well and glad to be about the Lord's business. We do miss you, our family and friends, but are glad we are joined together in this work. 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
To join our Support Team:
Online go to: https://www.iteams.org/us
Or Send to:
International Teams
411 W. River Rd.
Elgin IL 60123
Please designate for the ministry of Kent and Myrna Morley and indicate whether this is a one time gift or monthly support. Thanks :)

Morley Update 2012 #17

Everyone,
My health continues to improve and I will likely try to go in to work at least one day next week. My goal is to be back to work after our team retreat at the end of the month and barring any setbacks I think this will happen.

Saturday Sherrie and Mike went to work with Kent. Mike poured lots of tea and talked with different guys. Sherrie worked in the kids room, the baby room and just spent time talking to the women. They were both excited by what they saw and we are always happy when members of our larger team get to have a hands on experience with what we do.

Saturday was a special day because we closed a little early so the team could witness the baptism of another new refugee believer. "J" is originally from Afghanistan but was living in Iran. He left behind his wife and baby with his parents and came ahead to Greece seeking a better life. He speaks very good English and has done quite a bit of translating for us. He was in the seekers class on John that Scott taught and Kent and I participated in. He spent time talking with Scott, Brett and "A" our Afghan Teammate and came to faith. He is also part of the community group of believers that Kent and I are a part of. Please pray for "J" as he grows in the Lord and especially as he shares his decision with his family.

We had another addition to our team early Wednesday morning. Joy Elise Sanner was born at 4:10 am. Brett and Kristin came here as a young couple eager to serve the Lord among the refugees. Now they are heading home 5 years later with three beautiful little girls. We wish them all the best as they transition back to life in the states next month.

Our weather here has warmed up - it has been in the 80s most days. My flowers are blooming and Kent and I ventured into the sea over the weekend for the first snorkeling of the year. It was pretty cold as first but it was good to be back in the water. Though we work in a dark and dirty place in the city God has been good to give us the beauty of the sea nearby to refresh our bodies and souls and we are very thankful for that. We are also very thankful for you our extended team. We could not do what we do if it weren't for you. 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
To join our Support Team:
Online go to: https://www.iteams.org/us
Or Send to:
International Teams
411 W. River Rd.
Elgin IL 60123
Please designate for the ministry of Kent and Myrna Morley and indicate whether this is a one time gift or monthly support. Thanks :)

Morley Update 2012 #16

Everyone,
I feel myself getting stronger each day and the dizziness is getting less and less. They have not been able to get my blood INR readings under control - they fluctuate wildly, they think because of all the other medications I take. Because of this they have put me on a new drug which you take twice a day and which works in a different way than the Warfarin to keep you blood levels where they need to be. Two big upsides to this medication is that there are no dietary restrictions or drug interactions. Also you do not have to have your INR checked all the time because PRADAXA is a direct thrombin inhibitor that helps to stop clots from forming by working directly on thrombin (clot) rather than interfering with Vitamin K, a vitamin your body needs to form clots. Really the main downside to the medication is that it is much more expensive but my insurance should cover it since they cannot control my INR with warfarin. I am happy to be able to eat all the salad etc that I want again plus not have to go in for blood tests so often.

The last few days have been busy. On Monday we welcomed a couple, Paul and Bonnie Todd, who have been here several times to help with short term teams. This time they came alone. Because they are veteran workers they can jump right into ministry as they know the routines. We spent time with them Monday catching up and getting them settled downtown where they are staying. We are really looking forward to their two weeks with us. Tuesday was a holiday so we were closed at the ARC. In the morning Kent went downtown and picked up some other friends of ours, Sherrie and Mike Buckridge, who will be based with us for the next week. I went to school with them so they are "old" or maybe I should say "long time" friends. We took them for a drive along the coast and then went back into town to meet another couple, Rob and Janene Edgerton who were just in town for a few days. Kent went to School with Rob so again these are long time friends. The six of us had dinner together. I was pretty tired by the time dinner was over but it actually felt like we had a little bit of normal life.

Things have been busy at the ARC and as always when summer approaches we get many new faces and we lose some old faces as people move with the flux of tourists. With the nicer weather more families will sleep outside again and we are stocking up on some anti-itch creams to try and soothe the bug bites that the kids all seem to get this time of year.

Kent remains busy with a full schedule of regular ministry times at the ARC, his English class and meetings related to his leadership responsibilities. It seemed like last week he went early and stayed late almost every day. He sometimes gets tired but is enjoying his new role and is continuing to work toward making this transition as smooth as possible for the team. We have a team retreat coming up at the end of the month and I have tentatively set as a goal for myself to be back to work after that. I am not rushing it so will take it a day at a time.

We are excited to be welcoming a new couple to the team at the end of the month. Heather and Chris Shepherd have finally raised their full support and will be joining us as soon as their visas are in order. Please pray for them as they turn in the necessary papers and finish up all the little things they need to do before they come.

Thank you so much for all your prayers on our behalf. We see God at work every day and know it is because we have a faithful team behind us. 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
To join our Support Team:
Online go to: https://www.iteams.org/us
Or Send to:
International Teams
411 W. River Rd.
Elgin IL 60123
Please designate for the ministry of Kent and Myrna Morley and indicate whether this is a one time gift or monthly support. Thanks :)