Everyone,
Here are a few recent "snapshots" from Greece.
1) Kent found his friend "G". As you may remember "G" was one of the first group of Kurdish guys that Kent had in his English class. Of the three regulars "G" was the one he connected with the most and the one who made the most progress in English. "G" was bright and funny and Kent really enjoyed their times together. Suddenly "G" dropped out of sight. We assumed he was in Jail because we felt sure he would have called us if he was leaving. Kent tried to find him but failed. Finally we found out that he had indeed been in jail for three months and while there he was very badly beaten by some other men in the jail. The police put people who don't have the right papers in with hardened criminals. These men kicked him in the face until they did major damage to his mouth and jaw. He spent some time in the hospital and when Kent finally found him he was out of the hospital but in a lot of pain. We found a retired doctor friend from church to go back to the doctor with him but they said that his jaw was as good as it was going to get and that he just needed to exercises it more. "G" doesn't have a phone so Kent had no way to contact him and once again could not find him for a time. Then one day this summer we saw "G" on the street. He was not doing well. He looked very unkept and seemed to have trouble putting words together. He said he needed to go because he had to be somewhere so we told him to call us when he could. Once again he dropped out of sight. Recently another of the original three Kurdish guys "H" arrived back in town. He had been living at one of the camps in Lavrio about and hour from here. He managed to find "G" but told Kent he was in a bad way. He wouldn't talk to "H" and told him just to go away and leave him alone. "H" agreed to take Kent to where "G" was staying so they went together. Kent said they went back up in the hills on the bike and then walked down through the brush to a small square cement building that had been abandoned. "G" was there and was not happy with "H" that he had brought Kent. He let them in however and Kent said he has a bed, a small fireplace and he thought maybe a small bathroom but there is no electricity or running water. "G's" jaw is still not right and he can't eat very well. Kent said he seemed more himself as far as being alert but he basically just stays in this building all the time and won't go out. "H" has tried to get him to come with him to different places and he says no. It is heartbreaking to see him so depressed and beaten down. Kent and "H" will go again and try to get him to come out. Kent asked him about food but he said he was fine - "H" thinks otherwise. I will make some things that are soft and easy to chew to send with Kent the next time he goes but he doesn't have a way to refrigerate anything so it has to be things that won't spoil. I don't think he would accept groceries but I think if Kent told him I made them for him he would take them. Please pray for "G" and for Kent and "H" to know how to help him. "H" has become a Christian and Kent has been spending more time with him recently. It is hard for young men to keep any sense of self worth when they can't find work and live in fear of the police.
2) It is Saturday and tea house day at the ARC. There aren't many refugees there this particular day. Maybe it is because it is Ramadan and they are not eating or drinking or maybe it is because we changed the day from Monday to Saturday. Time will tell. In the afternoon three of the refugee women who have become good friends are there and there is a new woman who is there for the first time. She has only been in Greece two weeks and is living in the park with her husband and 8 year old son. She was asking questions about where to get food and how she could maybe wash clothes etc. We talked with her a while, told her what we could offer and then introduced her to the other women and told them her situation. They quickly began telling her which days there were different places to get food or clothes or medical help etc. I think one of the things we do well is to help refugees connect with one another and begin to have that sense of community which is so important in their culture.
3) Our friend "Z1" and her husband and three children found an abandoned house some time ago and have worked hard cleaning it up, painting some of the rooms and making a home for themselves. They even have water and electricity. We went to visit one day and "Z1" cooked us a meal and proudly served us in her dining room (the house even had old furniture). Recently however "Z1's" husband told some men they could stay for the night because they had no where to go. Now 6 men have moved into their home and are using it as a base for illegal activity. "Z1's" husband told them to leave and they said "No, why should we leave, you leave". "Z1" and her husband can't call the police because if the police came they might all end up in jail or they would likely all end up in the street. "Z1" is frightened at what the men would do if they tried to force them to leave. Such is the precarious life of a refugee in Greece. Please pray for this family - "Z1" is on of the regulars at two of the women's bible studies and a dear friend.
4) At tea house on Saturday someone had brought in a giant teddy bear and it was sitting in a chair. Later in the day I looked up and instead of one of the children playing with it, a young man in his early 20s had his arms wrapped around it and was using it for a pillow on the table. He wasn't sleeping, just resting and watching the Jesus film. Everyone needs someone to hug!
We have a busy schedule for the next few months. I am overseeing short term teams and individuals. On Saturday (9/11)we have a young woman coming on a vision trip to look at joining the ministry here. She will stay with us and will be here until 9/22. We have three young women coming 9/15-16 to stay for 3 months so I have been working on their schedule and Kent and I will spend a day preparing the apartment where they are going to stay (rearranging some furniture and bringing in an extra bed). We will also pick them up at the airport and spend a day helping get them settled and I will do their orientation. We have a working retreat with marathon meetings from 9/23-27. On 9/30 another couple is coming for a vision trip and will also stay with us. They will leave 10/11. 10/1 we have a short term team coming in from the Chicago area so I will help get them settled etc. They leave 10/10. The next week some friends from Oregon will be around and will likely stay with us at least a couple of nights. 10/19-23 I will be gone to a conference for Greek women in Northern Greece. I will get a chance to speak for a few minutes about our ministry and be around to answer questions. Pray for my Greek language skills - it will be good practice for me! Once I get back we will have a couple of weeks and then my brother and sister-in law are coming for a visit - which I am very excited about! Once they leave we have a team coming in from Nebraska and then we move into Christmas parties. I think I will schedule collapsing sometime after Christmas! Actually Kent and I both enjoy having people around and being busy so I am looking forward to it.
We think of you all often and miss being able to spend time in person with you. We appreciate all the notes of encouragement and the prayers that go up on our behalf, as well as the financial support. Thank you for being part of our team. 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 Support:
Online go to: www.iteams.org/give
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 ;}
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Ministry Update 2010 #36
Everyone,
I have several meetings today so wanted to get this out before I forgot. I just want to give you a few "snapshots" from the week.
Thursday we had our last beach day of the year. We have been doing them weekly since the beginning of summer. It is quite an undertaking to bring everything you need for a day at the beach for yourselves and 15-20 extra people. We take bags of swimwear, towels, beach toys, blankets and beach mats, umbrellas, water and lunch. Some of the team meets our refugee guests at the metro, provides tickets and then rides out with them. Those of us with cars bring the beach gear, set up the umbrellas, lay out the mats etc. We meet at the beach and spend about 4-5 hours swimming, playing and eating. I think everyone on the team was glad this was our last time for the year. But here is the snapshot: 5 mothers out in the waves - all wearing their clothes and head coverings. "G" is married to a man who is ill and can't work. They and their children are living in the park again because they were kicked out of the abandoned building they were living in. "Z2" is a single mom who's teenage son got into some trouble and is in jail. She also has a little girl and recently became a Christian. "Z1" has three children. She and her husband recently found a place to live that is nicer than what most refugees can find. Her husband works hard but there is little paid employment to be found and they struggle just to keep food on the table. "F" has two little girls and has been in Greece for several years. Up until recently her husband had been able to find enough work to support them but lately things have become so tight that he is sending her and the two little girls back to Algeria without him. She is very sad about this. "A" has five children two of them quite small. Her husband is a drug addict and abusive. Every one of these women are people we have come to love. To watch them playing with their children, laughing and splashing as they attempt to swim, and forgetting at least for the moment their hard lives is PRICELESS.
Another snapshot from beach day is of Mustava who is three. He has on a little swim ring and is laying back in the water near the shore waiting for the waves. Every time one comes it washes over him and every time he comes up laughing.
I have told you about our friend Dr. Joseph and how he has been waiting almost two years for asylum while his wife and two small children live in hiding for fear of their lives in Pakistan. As you can well imagine there are times when he is almost overwhelmed with sadness. Last Sunday we were in the car with him on our way to church. The back door of our car opens from the outside but will not open from the inside so you have to roll down the window and reach the handle outside to get out. We were making a stop and he said "This car will let you in but not let you out." Kent said "That is because it is a Greek car and you are a refugee. You can get in but you can't get out." Dr. J thought this was hysterical and laughed and laughed. The rest of the day he would say things like - "Oh this is a Greek road everywhere you want to turn you are blocked" and then he would laugh again. He came home with us for lunch and later that afternoon Kent went down to take him back to his place on the motorbike. The motorbike has a cover on it and Kent said when he saw it he started to laugh again and said "I see you have a Muslim bike - it wears a burka".
A week ago Sunday, Dr. J told us that Sahar had phoned to let him know they were going to be baptizing an Iranian new believer after church and invited him to come. He asked if we would take him and of course we were happy to. We met at the beach and stood in a small circle singing a few songs in Farsi. Then after a prayer Sahar and her pastor waded out into the sea with the woman being baptized. People swimming and sunbathing stopped to watch as she was buried with Christ and raised to walk in a new life! This was especially meaningful to Dr. J as he is going to be baptized soon. He decided he wanted to wait until Scott McCracken was back and could attend.
Yesterday was our day off and we decided about noon to run down to the sea and go snorkeling for a while. We called Dr. J and asked if he would like to go. He said yes so we picked him up and headed off. I asked if he had ever snorkeled before and he said no and asked rather nervously if there would be any sharks. I assured him there weren't any and that we would be in shallow water anyway. When we got there he put and his snorkel and mask but at first was thrashing about and swallowed quite a bit of water. I went over to him and said "Just lay out in the water, don't even try to move." After he mastered that I taught him how to stroke along with his hands and he was soon doing much better. I stayed by his side for a while and at one point he wanted to stand up. We were in water about up to our chest and there were quite a few waves so it was hard to stand. We were holding on to each other and laughing when Kent said "Hey there is a pretty interesting fish over here." Dr. J said "Hold on to him and we'll be over in a minute!" I love to see him laugh.
Well it is time for my meeting so I will close. I hope these glimpses into life here will bless you as they bless us and the refugees we serve. 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 Support:
Online go to: www.iteams.org/give
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 ;}
I have several meetings today so wanted to get this out before I forgot. I just want to give you a few "snapshots" from the week.
Thursday we had our last beach day of the year. We have been doing them weekly since the beginning of summer. It is quite an undertaking to bring everything you need for a day at the beach for yourselves and 15-20 extra people. We take bags of swimwear, towels, beach toys, blankets and beach mats, umbrellas, water and lunch. Some of the team meets our refugee guests at the metro, provides tickets and then rides out with them. Those of us with cars bring the beach gear, set up the umbrellas, lay out the mats etc. We meet at the beach and spend about 4-5 hours swimming, playing and eating. I think everyone on the team was glad this was our last time for the year. But here is the snapshot: 5 mothers out in the waves - all wearing their clothes and head coverings. "G" is married to a man who is ill and can't work. They and their children are living in the park again because they were kicked out of the abandoned building they were living in. "Z2" is a single mom who's teenage son got into some trouble and is in jail. She also has a little girl and recently became a Christian. "Z1" has three children. She and her husband recently found a place to live that is nicer than what most refugees can find. Her husband works hard but there is little paid employment to be found and they struggle just to keep food on the table. "F" has two little girls and has been in Greece for several years. Up until recently her husband had been able to find enough work to support them but lately things have become so tight that he is sending her and the two little girls back to Algeria without him. She is very sad about this. "A" has five children two of them quite small. Her husband is a drug addict and abusive. Every one of these women are people we have come to love. To watch them playing with their children, laughing and splashing as they attempt to swim, and forgetting at least for the moment their hard lives is PRICELESS.
Another snapshot from beach day is of Mustava who is three. He has on a little swim ring and is laying back in the water near the shore waiting for the waves. Every time one comes it washes over him and every time he comes up laughing.
I have told you about our friend Dr. Joseph and how he has been waiting almost two years for asylum while his wife and two small children live in hiding for fear of their lives in Pakistan. As you can well imagine there are times when he is almost overwhelmed with sadness. Last Sunday we were in the car with him on our way to church. The back door of our car opens from the outside but will not open from the inside so you have to roll down the window and reach the handle outside to get out. We were making a stop and he said "This car will let you in but not let you out." Kent said "That is because it is a Greek car and you are a refugee. You can get in but you can't get out." Dr. J thought this was hysterical and laughed and laughed. The rest of the day he would say things like - "Oh this is a Greek road everywhere you want to turn you are blocked" and then he would laugh again. He came home with us for lunch and later that afternoon Kent went down to take him back to his place on the motorbike. The motorbike has a cover on it and Kent said when he saw it he started to laugh again and said "I see you have a Muslim bike - it wears a burka".
A week ago Sunday, Dr. J told us that Sahar had phoned to let him know they were going to be baptizing an Iranian new believer after church and invited him to come. He asked if we would take him and of course we were happy to. We met at the beach and stood in a small circle singing a few songs in Farsi. Then after a prayer Sahar and her pastor waded out into the sea with the woman being baptized. People swimming and sunbathing stopped to watch as she was buried with Christ and raised to walk in a new life! This was especially meaningful to Dr. J as he is going to be baptized soon. He decided he wanted to wait until Scott McCracken was back and could attend.
Yesterday was our day off and we decided about noon to run down to the sea and go snorkeling for a while. We called Dr. J and asked if he would like to go. He said yes so we picked him up and headed off. I asked if he had ever snorkeled before and he said no and asked rather nervously if there would be any sharks. I assured him there weren't any and that we would be in shallow water anyway. When we got there he put and his snorkel and mask but at first was thrashing about and swallowed quite a bit of water. I went over to him and said "Just lay out in the water, don't even try to move." After he mastered that I taught him how to stroke along with his hands and he was soon doing much better. I stayed by his side for a while and at one point he wanted to stand up. We were in water about up to our chest and there were quite a few waves so it was hard to stand. We were holding on to each other and laughing when Kent said "Hey there is a pretty interesting fish over here." Dr. J said "Hold on to him and we'll be over in a minute!" I love to see him laugh.
Well it is time for my meeting so I will close. I hope these glimpses into life here will bless you as they bless us and the refugees we serve. 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 Support:
Online go to: www.iteams.org/give
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 ;}
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Morley Update 2010 #35
Everyone,
It was a big day Saturday. We reopened the ARC for the first time in two months. We saw many familiar faces - some of whom we hadn't seen during this time some of whom we have seen at other events or the park. We also had new faces. Several new families were there and quite a few new single men. Already the changes in the ARC are making a difference. I told you about the new turkish toilet (hole in floor with places for your feet on both sides - we also call it a "sqatty potty") in the ladies rest room. We still have a western toilet but are keeping that stall locked and it is for staff use only. The women on the team were very excited to know we had a place to go to the toilet that was clean and no one had been standing on the seat. I was feeling a bit guilty though because it seemed like we were keeping the best toilet for ourselves and making the refugees use the other. I was showing my friend "Z" around and when she saw the turkish toilet she clapped her hands and said "Finally". I realized that to them this was the "nice" toilet and the other was just something they had been putting up with. No more guilt.
We only served tea on Saturday but already the kitchen made a big difference. Instead of standing bending over a sink for hours washing cups we just threw them in the dishwasher. This will mean we need less people in the kitchen freeing up more people to be spending time with refugees. I know it will be such a help when we serve food. I used to stand for a couple of hours by the door of the kitchen rinsing greasy spaghetti plates in a dishpan before they went into the kitchen to be washed. This meant going out on the back balcony to empty my pan and then running back and forth into the kitchen to refill it when it got too greasy. It meant carrying stacks of dripping plates through the kitchen where people were working to the sink. All those plates (about 120) then had to be hand washed, double rinsed - once in bleach water, and hand dried. Now they will be stacked on our rolling cart and wheeled into the kitchen. They will be scraped into the under the counter garbage can and rinsed in the sink. After that they will run through the dishwasher and come out ready to be put away in the cupboard.
I asked for prayer for our friend Doctor "S" who has taken the name "Joseph". His wife and children have been in hiding in Pakistan under threats of death from the Taliban. They were caught in the floods and he had not been in contact with them. He was able to talk with his wife this week and they are safe. Joseph said he knows it is because God protected them and he wanted to thank everyone who prayed for them. Please continue to pray that his family will be able to leave Pakistan and join him.
Please also pray for "G" Kent's kurdish friend who was beaten so severely while he was in jail. Kent had not been able to find him but recently heard that he is living near the hills of Athens. He is hoping to go to see him this week. He is very concerned because when a mutual friend found him he refused to let him in and seemed in a very bad way. "G" has always been such a great guy that it is very hard to hear of him being in such a state. Please pray that he will see Kent and that we can know how to help him.
Please also pray for the many refugees who are once again living in the parks. Many of them had been living in abandoned buildings but recently the police have been making sweeps through these areas and arresting people or just sending them out. They have no where to go so they end up with their families in the parks. New families continue to arrive and they squeeze into already overcrowded apartments just to be off the streets.
Along with all the new families, we are also missing many faces - some of them people whom we have come to love. During the months of July and August many refugees leave during the rush of tourists. Often we don't even get a chance to say goodbye. This is the nature of refugee ministry and we rejoice in those who have gone on and taken a faith in Jesus Christ with them. "C" and her husband "A" along with their two small children became Christians here and we watched "C" blossom from a shy, sad and fearful woman into a confident, laughing woman who openly shared her faith with others. They moved on to Italy and hope to move on from there. For others it may be only seeds of faith that we hope will be watered and tended by someone else along the Refugee Highway. "T" and her mother and sisters had become a good friends but were just beginning to open their hearts to ask questions about Jesus. They have moved on to Germany.
We will miss these people and carry them in our hearts but we turn our attention to the new families as well. Our goal is that when people come through our doors they will find not only food for their bellies but food for their souls. Jesus said "I am the bread of life". When they get a drink of cold water or hot tea we hope they will also find what their hearts are thirsting for. Jesus said "I am the living water". When we give them clean clothes or laundry soap or a shower, we hope they will look to the one who can truly make them clean. "The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin". And as we help them on their way down the Refugee Highway we point them to the one who said "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life".
Thank you for being a part of this. 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 Support:
Online go to: www.iteams.org/give
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 ;}
It was a big day Saturday. We reopened the ARC for the first time in two months. We saw many familiar faces - some of whom we hadn't seen during this time some of whom we have seen at other events or the park. We also had new faces. Several new families were there and quite a few new single men. Already the changes in the ARC are making a difference. I told you about the new turkish toilet (hole in floor with places for your feet on both sides - we also call it a "sqatty potty") in the ladies rest room. We still have a western toilet but are keeping that stall locked and it is for staff use only. The women on the team were very excited to know we had a place to go to the toilet that was clean and no one had been standing on the seat. I was feeling a bit guilty though because it seemed like we were keeping the best toilet for ourselves and making the refugees use the other. I was showing my friend "Z" around and when she saw the turkish toilet she clapped her hands and said "Finally". I realized that to them this was the "nice" toilet and the other was just something they had been putting up with. No more guilt.
We only served tea on Saturday but already the kitchen made a big difference. Instead of standing bending over a sink for hours washing cups we just threw them in the dishwasher. This will mean we need less people in the kitchen freeing up more people to be spending time with refugees. I know it will be such a help when we serve food. I used to stand for a couple of hours by the door of the kitchen rinsing greasy spaghetti plates in a dishpan before they went into the kitchen to be washed. This meant going out on the back balcony to empty my pan and then running back and forth into the kitchen to refill it when it got too greasy. It meant carrying stacks of dripping plates through the kitchen where people were working to the sink. All those plates (about 120) then had to be hand washed, double rinsed - once in bleach water, and hand dried. Now they will be stacked on our rolling cart and wheeled into the kitchen. They will be scraped into the under the counter garbage can and rinsed in the sink. After that they will run through the dishwasher and come out ready to be put away in the cupboard.
I asked for prayer for our friend Doctor "S" who has taken the name "Joseph". His wife and children have been in hiding in Pakistan under threats of death from the Taliban. They were caught in the floods and he had not been in contact with them. He was able to talk with his wife this week and they are safe. Joseph said he knows it is because God protected them and he wanted to thank everyone who prayed for them. Please continue to pray that his family will be able to leave Pakistan and join him.
Please also pray for "G" Kent's kurdish friend who was beaten so severely while he was in jail. Kent had not been able to find him but recently heard that he is living near the hills of Athens. He is hoping to go to see him this week. He is very concerned because when a mutual friend found him he refused to let him in and seemed in a very bad way. "G" has always been such a great guy that it is very hard to hear of him being in such a state. Please pray that he will see Kent and that we can know how to help him.
Please also pray for the many refugees who are once again living in the parks. Many of them had been living in abandoned buildings but recently the police have been making sweeps through these areas and arresting people or just sending them out. They have no where to go so they end up with their families in the parks. New families continue to arrive and they squeeze into already overcrowded apartments just to be off the streets.
Along with all the new families, we are also missing many faces - some of them people whom we have come to love. During the months of July and August many refugees leave during the rush of tourists. Often we don't even get a chance to say goodbye. This is the nature of refugee ministry and we rejoice in those who have gone on and taken a faith in Jesus Christ with them. "C" and her husband "A" along with their two small children became Christians here and we watched "C" blossom from a shy, sad and fearful woman into a confident, laughing woman who openly shared her faith with others. They moved on to Italy and hope to move on from there. For others it may be only seeds of faith that we hope will be watered and tended by someone else along the Refugee Highway. "T" and her mother and sisters had become a good friends but were just beginning to open their hearts to ask questions about Jesus. They have moved on to Germany.
We will miss these people and carry them in our hearts but we turn our attention to the new families as well. Our goal is that when people come through our doors they will find not only food for their bellies but food for their souls. Jesus said "I am the bread of life". When they get a drink of cold water or hot tea we hope they will also find what their hearts are thirsting for. Jesus said "I am the living water". When we give them clean clothes or laundry soap or a shower, we hope they will look to the one who can truly make them clean. "The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin". And as we help them on their way down the Refugee Highway we point them to the one who said "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life".
Thank you for being a part of this. 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 Support:
Online go to: www.iteams.org/give
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 ;}
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Morley Update 2010 #34
Everyone,
We spent the rest of the week doing clean up after the construction. It was a HOT, DUSTY, EXHAUSTING job. We hope to be open for our first tea house this Saturday. At the left of this entry under Archives you will see a heading "ARC Remodel" if you click on that it will take you to an albumn of pictures of some of the newly redone areas. Click where it says "view in a larger size" then click "view albumn". If you look to the left of each picture as it comes up there is a heading telling you what you are looking at. Pictures can't do it justice - it is AWESOME!
Myrna and Kent
We spent the rest of the week doing clean up after the construction. It was a HOT, DUSTY, EXHAUSTING job. We hope to be open for our first tea house this Saturday. At the left of this entry under Archives you will see a heading "ARC Remodel" if you click on that it will take you to an albumn of pictures of some of the newly redone areas. Click where it says "view in a larger size" then click "view albumn". If you look to the left of each picture as it comes up there is a heading telling you what you are looking at. Pictures can't do it justice - it is AWESOME!
Myrna and Kent
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Morley Update 2010 #33
Everyone,
It has been an interesting summer. As you know because the ARC has been closed for renovations we have been doing ministry "outside the box" for the last two months. It has been good and has allowed us to try new things and be more creative. On the other hand it has been hard because the schedule changes from week to week and sometimes from day to day making it hard to plan ahead. I know I am looking forward to have a more "normal" schedule soon.
Today the team had our team meeting at the ARC for the first time since mid June. The contractors are finished except for a few little things and now the clean up begins. If I had one word to describe today it would be DUST. There is a thick layer of dust covering almost every inch of the ARC. Walls must be washed. Hundreds of chairs must be washed. Cupboards must be washed. Appliances and counter tops have to be washed. Every piece of clothing in the clothing room needs to be shaken out and rehung. When I walked in the door at home today I went to the shower before even sitting down. My hair and clothes were covered with dust and I had dirty trails down my face where the sweat ran down through the dust. We will spend the rest of the week cleaning and putting things away and hope to be open for tea house by the end of next week.
Once everything is cleaned I know we will all be basking in the new things that will make our lives easier. We have a completely new kitchen with everything you could want. It has a dishwasher and a big sink for washing pots. No more standing endlessly washing hundreds of plastic cups or greasy plates. No more back breaking work of washing the pots with a hose out on the balcony. Not only do we have a new stove top but we have an oven and two deep fryers. We have under the counter refrigerators and stainless steel work areas. It is AMAZING.
Our women's bathroom has all the women on the team rejoicing. It was hard to use the bathroom during the day because someone was always in it and when you did get in you had to clean the toilet before you could sit down. This was because since refugees are used to Turkish Toilets (which are a hole in the floor you stand over) they stood and balanced themselves on the seat of the toilet which of course made for quite a mess. Our new bathroom has two stalls with doors. One with a Turkish Toilet for refugees and one with a Western Toilet and a lock on the door for staff. Since both stalls have doors people can go in and out to use the sink even if someone is using the toilet.
The men's bathroom was also renovated with new tile and a new configuration for the showers as well as a second sink. This should make shower days go a little more smoothly.
We have a new office with cubby holes for our things and a cupboard for hanging coats and storing purses and backpacks. It has two work stations plus a table in the middle for meetings.
The walls throughout the ARC have been patched and repainted and some leakage and other structural issues have been taken care of. I know our refugee friends will be as excited as we are to see their home away from home looking so clean and nice. We have been storing everything in the kid's activity room which didn't need repainting thanks to the Central Christian team that came two years ago!
We had a little scare today but thank goodness nothing serious. I was working in the bathroom when I heard a crash in the kitchen. I didn't hear anything afterward so thought someone had dropped something. In a minute or two a team mate stuck her head in and said "Did you know Morley (Kent) just fell in the kitchen?" I said, "Is he hurt?" and she said "I don't know he's still laying on the floor." I rushed in and found him laying on his back on the floor with Kenn (our resident EMT) beside him. As soon as I walked in they said "He didn't hit his head, his back is okay - he landed on his tailbone." Kent lay there for a minute or two more and then they helped him to his feet. He said he thought he was okay and we all went back to work. We finished the tasks we were on and then Kent said he thought we should go home as his tailbone was pretty sore. Of course we had to make a stop at a friend's house and load up a a carload of things to take to another friends new house since we had said we would help him move that day. Fortunately he had some other people to help too so we just had to drop off one carload. After some Ibuprofen Kent said his tailbone is feeling some better and he is asleep in the recliner but we will see how he does tomorrow.
It seems like this letter is too long already but I wanted to tell you about two other blessings in our personal lives. We have not had air conditioning for the two years we have lived here but a local store was having a great sale where if you bought one on sale you could get a second one for half price. We bought two and we now have air conditioning in our living room and bedroom. The temperatures have often been in the high 90s low 100s and staying in the 90s around the clock so neither of us were getting good sleep. The last few nights have been wonderful! Another big blessing is a new (to us) motor scooter. Last fall we began to think that a motor scooter would make a big difference in our lives as Kent does a lot of running back and forth down town to meet with guys etc. Kent's cousin Linda and her husband Jim generously donated enough money for us to get a bike. Since then we have been praying about it and asking the Lord to bring just the right bike for just the right price. Recently we found out that a lady we had a connection with through Helping Hands was wanting to sell her bike. It was just what we wanted and only had 2000 kilometers on it. It was also in our price range. We made the deal and already it has been great to have. Kent will start having more meetings with team mates as well as refugee friends with his new pastoral duties so I know it will make a big difference. It will also be a big help when there are strikes because I can ride with him downtown rather than having to stay home on days we can't drive the car downtown. We feel so blessed to have such a wonderful support system of family and friends who care about us and make it possible for us not only to be here but who help make our lives easier by their generosity. Thank you so much for all you do for 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 Support:
Online go to: www.iteams.org/give
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 ;}
It has been an interesting summer. As you know because the ARC has been closed for renovations we have been doing ministry "outside the box" for the last two months. It has been good and has allowed us to try new things and be more creative. On the other hand it has been hard because the schedule changes from week to week and sometimes from day to day making it hard to plan ahead. I know I am looking forward to have a more "normal" schedule soon.
Today the team had our team meeting at the ARC for the first time since mid June. The contractors are finished except for a few little things and now the clean up begins. If I had one word to describe today it would be DUST. There is a thick layer of dust covering almost every inch of the ARC. Walls must be washed. Hundreds of chairs must be washed. Cupboards must be washed. Appliances and counter tops have to be washed. Every piece of clothing in the clothing room needs to be shaken out and rehung. When I walked in the door at home today I went to the shower before even sitting down. My hair and clothes were covered with dust and I had dirty trails down my face where the sweat ran down through the dust. We will spend the rest of the week cleaning and putting things away and hope to be open for tea house by the end of next week.
Once everything is cleaned I know we will all be basking in the new things that will make our lives easier. We have a completely new kitchen with everything you could want. It has a dishwasher and a big sink for washing pots. No more standing endlessly washing hundreds of plastic cups or greasy plates. No more back breaking work of washing the pots with a hose out on the balcony. Not only do we have a new stove top but we have an oven and two deep fryers. We have under the counter refrigerators and stainless steel work areas. It is AMAZING.
Our women's bathroom has all the women on the team rejoicing. It was hard to use the bathroom during the day because someone was always in it and when you did get in you had to clean the toilet before you could sit down. This was because since refugees are used to Turkish Toilets (which are a hole in the floor you stand over) they stood and balanced themselves on the seat of the toilet which of course made for quite a mess. Our new bathroom has two stalls with doors. One with a Turkish Toilet for refugees and one with a Western Toilet and a lock on the door for staff. Since both stalls have doors people can go in and out to use the sink even if someone is using the toilet.
The men's bathroom was also renovated with new tile and a new configuration for the showers as well as a second sink. This should make shower days go a little more smoothly.
We have a new office with cubby holes for our things and a cupboard for hanging coats and storing purses and backpacks. It has two work stations plus a table in the middle for meetings.
The walls throughout the ARC have been patched and repainted and some leakage and other structural issues have been taken care of. I know our refugee friends will be as excited as we are to see their home away from home looking so clean and nice. We have been storing everything in the kid's activity room which didn't need repainting thanks to the Central Christian team that came two years ago!
We had a little scare today but thank goodness nothing serious. I was working in the bathroom when I heard a crash in the kitchen. I didn't hear anything afterward so thought someone had dropped something. In a minute or two a team mate stuck her head in and said "Did you know Morley (Kent) just fell in the kitchen?" I said, "Is he hurt?" and she said "I don't know he's still laying on the floor." I rushed in and found him laying on his back on the floor with Kenn (our resident EMT) beside him. As soon as I walked in they said "He didn't hit his head, his back is okay - he landed on his tailbone." Kent lay there for a minute or two more and then they helped him to his feet. He said he thought he was okay and we all went back to work. We finished the tasks we were on and then Kent said he thought we should go home as his tailbone was pretty sore. Of course we had to make a stop at a friend's house and load up a a carload of things to take to another friends new house since we had said we would help him move that day. Fortunately he had some other people to help too so we just had to drop off one carload. After some Ibuprofen Kent said his tailbone is feeling some better and he is asleep in the recliner but we will see how he does tomorrow.
It seems like this letter is too long already but I wanted to tell you about two other blessings in our personal lives. We have not had air conditioning for the two years we have lived here but a local store was having a great sale where if you bought one on sale you could get a second one for half price. We bought two and we now have air conditioning in our living room and bedroom. The temperatures have often been in the high 90s low 100s and staying in the 90s around the clock so neither of us were getting good sleep. The last few nights have been wonderful! Another big blessing is a new (to us) motor scooter. Last fall we began to think that a motor scooter would make a big difference in our lives as Kent does a lot of running back and forth down town to meet with guys etc. Kent's cousin Linda and her husband Jim generously donated enough money for us to get a bike. Since then we have been praying about it and asking the Lord to bring just the right bike for just the right price. Recently we found out that a lady we had a connection with through Helping Hands was wanting to sell her bike. It was just what we wanted and only had 2000 kilometers on it. It was also in our price range. We made the deal and already it has been great to have. Kent will start having more meetings with team mates as well as refugee friends with his new pastoral duties so I know it will make a big difference. It will also be a big help when there are strikes because I can ride with him downtown rather than having to stay home on days we can't drive the car downtown. We feel so blessed to have such a wonderful support system of family and friends who care about us and make it possible for us not only to be here but who help make our lives easier by their generosity. Thank you so much for all you do for 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 Support:
Online go to: www.iteams.org/give
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 ;}
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
morley update 2010 #32
Everyone,
We had a great mini vacation away. As you know we took Tuesday and Wednesday off last week giving us a 4 day weekend - we work on Saturday so our weekend is Sunday, Monday. We went to the island of Kythnos with two women on the team who have become our adopted "daughters" here. Kythnos is very dry and rocky - not the paradise with white sands and long beaches of some of the islands. We chose it because it is close (about 2 hours by ferry), off the beaten path and because of the rocky coastline which we thought would be good for snorkeling. We were right. We rented an two bedroom with kitchen and deck overlooking the sea. With four of us sharing the cost and because we could do our own cooking it was pretty reasonable. The view was beautiful, the sea was clear and the snorkeling was great. We saw a lot of new interesting sea creatures and dove down for some nice shells. One day Kent and I spent 8 hours in the water with only a couple of short breaks. It was a restful and renewing time but by the end of Wednesday we were all water logged and ready to head home.
Our first day home - we had a family beach day. Somehow that sea didn't hold the allure that it does sometimes but we had a fun day swimming with our refugee friends. We invited a couple of newer families and this time two of the husbands came. Kent knew one of them from English class so was able to make conversation. The women were all eager to learn to swim so I did a lot of holding their heads out of the water while they tried to paddle.
Friday and Saturday I spent most of the day on the computer organizing some short term team material and getting a calendar made up. Stacie, the woman who was doing this before me has been a big help and spent some time showing me how to set up a calendar online as well as some other "techie" stuff. For the next week or two I will be spending quite a bit of my time learning different aspects of this job and updating some information we have etc.
Kent spent Friday having Bible Study with our friend Dr. "S" who has taken the name "Joseph". Since publicly expressing his faith in Jesus at church he felt it was best to take a new name for the protection of his family back in Pakistan. Please pray for "Joseph" and his family. He has been out of contact with them for about a week now as they are in the area of Pakistan affected by the major flooding. Please pray that his family is safe and that he will hear from them soon. Also continue to pray for his wife and two small children to be able to leave Pakistan and join him here or wherever God may take him.
Saturday while I was home doing computer work, Kent went to the park for an outreach there. The team just shows up at one of the parks where refugees gather. We put down blankets to sit on and have crafts for the children and a chance to visit with some of the women and men. Often families will invite team members to their homes afterward so this is a chance to deepen relationships.
The renovations on the ARC are coming along and we anticipate being able to begin cleanup maybe even next week. Everything (even things in the cupboards) has a layer of dust on it so it will all need to be wiped down and put away again. We hope to get this done in three days and be back to having ministry in the ARC the following week.
We will continue to do a modified schedule until September because August is a very slow month here. The city of Athens is almost empty as Greeks all go for a holiday to the islands. Many refugees attempt to leave amid the flood of vacationers so our number dwindle considerably. This year it is also the month of Ramadan which is a time when Muslim seek through prayer and fasting to purify themselves and attain a higher spiritual level. From the middle of August to the middle of September most Muslims will fast from Sunrise to Sunset each day. We try to take in to account that many of the refugees will not be eating or drinking during the day for this month and to plan our events accordingly. If we serve food we provide containers so it can be taken home and eaten after sunset. By being respectful of this time we open the door for conversations about spiritual things.
Thank you once again for your faithful prayers and support. I am attaching a couple of picture from our trip to Kythnos, one with Tasha and Christy with us on the balcony and one looking down from the balcony at one of the place we snorkeled. 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 Support:
Online go to: www.iteams.org/give
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 ;}
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