Morley Update 2013 #6

Everyone,
I am amazed each week at how time seems to be whizzing by. I can't believe we are into February already. The weather here has turned sunny and warm and we are enjoying being outside. I shared this on Facebook but for those of you who didn't see that I thought I would share it again. After all my health issues in 2012 I decided to make getting healthier one of my goals for 2013. One of the things I decided to do was to add a brisk walk to my daily routine. I'm not very fast and I only go about a mile but it's a start. As I started out today wearing a bright blue tank top I definitely stood out from the Greeks bundled in their heavy coats and sweaters. My route includes a hill and about 1/2 way up it I met an older lady. Greeks do not usually greet people they don't know so I didn't really pay much attention as I approached. As she drew even with me she raised her hand and made a circling gesture that is very common. It usually means something like "I don't believe it but what can you do?" I looked at her expecting to be scolded for not having a coat but instead she nodded and said "Bravo sou" (Good for you). Just the boost up the hill I needed!

Our week was much the usual routine. I spent much of my time working on short term team and interns emails. We have 11 teams scheduled for the rest of this year as well as local volunteers and interns. It takes quite a bit of correspondence for each team, as well as planning schedules etc. I was at the ARC for family meal day on Tuesday and it was a good day. The kids had the story of Cain and Abel. Their culture is very much about retaliation and keeping the upper hand, so it was a good chance to talk with them about taking responsibility for our own mistakes and not striking out at others when we are unhappy. The craft they made was very cute but included a lot of cutting and gluing - I made the comment at one point that I wished I had been able to go to kindergarten so my cutting skills would have been better but that they didn't have kindergarten when I was small. One of our Greek volunteers said "Did they have scissors?" This is the kind of abuse I have to put up with daily!

Yesterday at our team meeting we began the discussion of how we will do ministry in the near future. D and A will be transitioning to work most of the time in Patra which means our two main Farsi speakers will be away most of the time. One of our team mates who has been going back and forth to Canada in an attempt to satisfy visa requirements was stopped at the border and informed she could not return for at least 3 months. She is married to an Iranian and they are trying to get papers for him to immigrate to Canada and how this will affect her being able to return at all we are not sure. Kent and I will be leaving mid April for our six month Home Assignment which is two more people gone and will unfortunately leave the team a bit short handed. We have teams and volunteers coming in to help as well as several people in the process of joining the team so please be praying for their support, visas and God's timing. We take comfort in the fact that God is not upset by all of this but is busy working out His plans. We have committed as a team to pray about any changes to schedule etc that God might have for us before jumping into anything. Please join us in asking the Lord to lead.

As Kent and I prepare to be in the US for 6 months starting in mid April, we are looking for chances to share about our work with refugees and to connect with our supporting churches and new churches as well. If you are part of a church or small group that would like to schedule a time to have us share please let us know. We will be spending the first month being a part of our daughter's wedding and also Kent's father's wedding but will be in the Oregon/Washington area June through August and maybe into September. We will be in the Hemet/Moreno Valley area for most of May. Let us know if you would like us to speak or serve in some way.

As always we thank the Lord for you and for you continual support. We love you all.

Serving Him Together,
Kent and Myrna Morley
Tripoleos 76
Elliniko 16777
Athens Greece
011 30 210 96 38 625
backhoeboy1@gmail.com
http://kent-uniquelymorley.blogspot.com
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Elgin IL 60123
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