Everyone,
Once again this is a little late. I had a bit of a set back with my health. In their quest to get my blood thin enough so I don't have clots, my doctors managed to get my blood TOO thin. When I called my neurologist to give her the reading yesterday which was 6.2 she said I needed to go to the hospital and be admitted in order to give me IV drugs to bring that number down. I went in and none of the doctors I normally have were there. There was a pathologist who spoke ONLY Greek and was questioning everything - why was I on blood thinner in the first place - my heart rhythm was fine, why was I taking meclizine, looking at my other drugs and rolling his eyes while arguing with the nurse in Greek. Then another woman doctor came in who spoke only a LITTLE English and she started arguing with the other doctor in Greek. Finally she said in English. You do not need to stay in the hospital we will just check your blood tomorrow and keep checking it until we get it where it needs to be. I told her MY doctor said I needed to be hospitalized. She said Do you WANT to be in the hospital. I said No but my doctor said I needed to have IV drugs to bring down my blood level. She said No, you should not take these drugs. Then she argued in Greek with the other doctor for a while. I told her I wanted to know from MY doctor that I didn't need to be in the hospital. So she rolled her eyes and called my doctor and talked with her in Greek. Then she said Your doctor is a little anxious for you but I still don't think you need to be in the hospital but if you want to stay you can. I asked if they were going to do anything for me while I was in the hospital and she said No. She said You can either lay in our bed or go home and lay in your bed it is up to you. You will need to have a blood test in the morning. I said Okay I would go home. When I got home I called my Neurologist and she said she was in agreement after talking to the other doctor that I should just keep getting my blood checked and could be home but needed to be careful and rest. SO I go in this morning for another blood test and we go from there.
Ministry News: On Thursday we had a special day. We invited 11 families (about 40 refugees -mothers, fathers and children) to a sort of health fair we set up. A local pediatrician, a local pediatric dentist and a local gynecologist volunteered their time. A church in our area has a great facility that they allowed us to use free of charge, They provided a bus to take the refugees to and from the facility and also provided a lunch. One of the doctors gave a talk on nutrition which was translated into Farsi. This also gave us an opportunity to open up the Scriptures and see why God cares about how we treat our bodies. Each child was seen by the pediatrician and the dentist who each had their own translator. The gynecologist took the women three at a time and talked with them about women's issues and pregnancy care also with a translator. There were several stations around the room where you could learn about brushing and flossing correctly, how to choose healthy foods etc. Each family received a packet with some healthy foods. Of course there was also time to make use of the playground and there were even games for the adults. Here is what one of my team mates wrote in summing up the day:
“R” came up to me and gave me a really big hug. She said she hasn’t really laughed or been really happy in over a year, but today she was. She told me she laughed so hard today she cried, and it felt good to have happy tears.
This family has been regularly attending a local church with Farsi translation and seem very interested - please pray for them.
Kent has been very busy with the regular work schedule and meetings with leadership and other team mates as we move toward the transition in leadership. We also received news that our children's leader will be moving on in June so please pray for a smooth transition there and people to pick up the slack. I imagine at some point I will be involved but cannot make any commitments for the near future. We are also welcoming our first short term team for the year on Monday and will have quite a few other people coming and going over the next few months. Please pray for me as I facilitate this and find housing, deal with budgets, do orientations, makes schedules and try to keep up with all the details. Thank you all for your prayers and faithful support. We love 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
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 :)
Friday, April 27, 2012
Friday, April 20, 2012
Morley Update 2012 #14
Everyone - Once again my update was delayed by a trip to the hospital. For those of you who are tired of hearing about my illnesses feel free to skip this first paragraph to get to ministry news. Here's the health stuff: On Tuesday I had not felt very well all day and had several bouts of double vision that came and went. After dinner I had a headache and was feeling chilled but went out to the kitchen to debone some chicken for a Team Fellowship we were hosting the next night. I started feeling kind of weird - double vision and my tongue, upper lip and nose went numb. This scared both Kent and I so I called my cardiologist - not knowing which doctor to call. He said I should see an internist but that he was at the hospital and since we are only a few minutes away I should just come in. Kent got me to the car and we drove to the hospital. They took me right in a room and examined me and sent me off for another cat scan of my head. A neurologist came in and examined me and said she wanted to keep me but that she didn't think at that point it was an embolatic episode (stroke) and was more inclined to think that it was a visual migraine and would hopefully clear by morning. The next day my double vision was worse and I was seeing vertical movement as well. When the neurologist checked me this time she said it was much more pronounced and my eyes weren't tracking so she felt that I had had a small stroke located in a very small area of the brain which controls the eyes tracking together. She said the veins in that area are very small and it would only take a tiny clot to block one. She said on reviewing my MRI from the other night she saw 3-4 other "acute' spots with tiny clots. Then I also had this problem they found when I was in before at the back of my brain. She said that she felt some of this was a congenital defect. She said "Your artery is quite small and it should be large. There is also a lesion there from a past clot." She said that this is the area of the brain that controls stability and visual things. I asked her how long she thought the double vision etc would last and she said "I don't know but maybe weeks". Since I could do nothing but lay with my eyes closed this sounded a bit daunting. However I woke up at 2am Thurs. morning and my vision had cleared - it was fine all day although I felt a little unstable and tired. The doctor let me come home but I must keep getting my blood checked every few days to make sure we get it in the acceptable range and that it stays there to prevent something more from happening. Once again I liked my doctors very much and felt I had good care. My double vision has not returned but I do still feel a bit unstable when I am up and around. I am able to do household tasks (laundry, fixing dinner etc) and Kent is great to help so we are managing fine. Hopefully this will be the last of it and I can just concentrate on getting my blood levels where they need to be and building up strength.
Ministry News. Kent continues to go in to the ARC. As I mentioned in a few letters back his friend "H" a young Kurdish man has returned to his own country. Before he left he accepted the Lord and Kent was able to give him a series of 5 lessons on what it means to be a Christian in Farsi so he can study. He expressed a desire to tell others of his faith. Kent put him in contact with a friend who is a missionary in Kurdistan and we found out the the town he is going to is the same town where Kent's other friend another "H" who became a Christian while here is living. Kent is in contact with "H2" on Facebook so is able to follow up a bit that way. It is always sad for any of us when a refugee with whom we have made a connection and who speaks English moves on. However Kent said the day the "H" left he met a couple of new guys who spoke English came in and he was able to have a good conversation with them.
Last Sunday was Easter here in Greece so on Wednesday we had a special day just for refugee believers. There was a time of worship/singing in Farsi, a message translated into Farsi and then several refugees shared their testimonies. Afterward we served a meal. This went very well and is something we may try to do on a more regular basis. There is always a balance between getting refugee believers involved in local churches and also providing times for them to worship and share in their own language with other believers who are in the same situation as they are.
Kent continues to keep up with being to the team leader as well as the added things he has had to do to care for me. In a couple more weeks the former team leader will be no longer coming to the ARC on a regular basis and will no longer function on the leadership team. Their baby is due the middle of May and they will be transitioning back to the states probably at the end of June. We will really miss them but know that God will continue to raise up people to manage the different areas of ministry. Thank you all for your prayer for me and for Kent and for the encouraging notes etc. I look forward to the day when my letters will no longer be about my health but I will be back to ministry at the ARC. In the meantime I am just taking my time at home and concentrating on getting well. 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 :)
Ministry News. Kent continues to go in to the ARC. As I mentioned in a few letters back his friend "H" a young Kurdish man has returned to his own country. Before he left he accepted the Lord and Kent was able to give him a series of 5 lessons on what it means to be a Christian in Farsi so he can study. He expressed a desire to tell others of his faith. Kent put him in contact with a friend who is a missionary in Kurdistan and we found out the the town he is going to is the same town where Kent's other friend another "H" who became a Christian while here is living. Kent is in contact with "H2" on Facebook so is able to follow up a bit that way. It is always sad for any of us when a refugee with whom we have made a connection and who speaks English moves on. However Kent said the day the "H" left he met a couple of new guys who spoke English came in and he was able to have a good conversation with them.
Last Sunday was Easter here in Greece so on Wednesday we had a special day just for refugee believers. There was a time of worship/singing in Farsi, a message translated into Farsi and then several refugees shared their testimonies. Afterward we served a meal. This went very well and is something we may try to do on a more regular basis. There is always a balance between getting refugee believers involved in local churches and also providing times for them to worship and share in their own language with other believers who are in the same situation as they are.
Kent continues to keep up with being to the team leader as well as the added things he has had to do to care for me. In a couple more weeks the former team leader will be no longer coming to the ARC on a regular basis and will no longer function on the leadership team. Their baby is due the middle of May and they will be transitioning back to the states probably at the end of June. We will really miss them but know that God will continue to raise up people to manage the different areas of ministry. Thank you all for your prayer for me and for Kent and for the encouraging notes etc. I look forward to the day when my letters will no longer be about my health but I will be back to ministry at the ARC. In the meantime I am just taking my time at home and concentrating on getting well. 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 :)
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Morley Update 2012 #13
veryone - This will be your update for last week and likely this week combined. I don't know what all you have heard so will start with - as you know I have been feeling pretty poor the last few weeks. Tired, dizzy, irregular heart beat etc. I thought my meniere's was acting up but knew there were other things going on besides. I suspected my potassium was low. My good ear (one ear is deaf due to my meniere's disease) had also been feeling a bit plugged so I was a little worried that my meniere's might be crossing over to it which while not common can happen. This is very scary because Meniere's always brings hearing loss and I only have one ear left! I went in on Monday to have a bunch of blood work done for my rheumatologist and asked them to also please check my potassium. When I woke up that morning I had almost no hearing at all and so we also called our General Doctor to see if maybe I had an infection. He could not see me until Tuesday night. I lay around and slept a lot most of the day Monday and Tuesday just not feeling myself. When we got to the doctor he checked my ear and said it looked okay. I told him about the heart beat and he listened and said yes it was very irregular. He then discovered that I had no pulse or blood pressure in my left arm. At that point a pain which I had been having in my left side when I breathed grew worse and he felt I really needed to go to the hospital. The hospital is only 5 minutes away and when I got there a cardiologist took me right in and did an EKG. He said I had arterial flutter and he suspected a clot in my arm or higher in my aorta causing the no pulse and pressure. He admitted me right away and they started running tests. My arota and upper vessels looked good but an ultra sound showed that I had a clot at about my elbow but that my body had already created new places for the blood to flow which is why my hand did not seem to be having any problems. An MRI also revealed a clot in the back of my brain which they felt was perhaps causing the visual disturbances I had been having. This clot and the one in my arm are not dangerous because they are not in veins where blood flows back to the heart or lungs. That means they will just sit there until they are dissolved. They also discovered that my potassium was indeed quite low which could have accounted for the tiredness, double vision that came and went and the irregular heart beat. They started me on blood thinners (warfarin) and on IV potassium. The ear doctor came to check on my hearing problems and found I had something going on in the middle ear. He said "This is not good. We will hope this is an infection and we will put you on antibiotics. If it is not infection it could mean your meniere's is moving to that ear." Please pray that it is an infection - I think it is because it does not feel like my meiere's ear. I have no noise or pressure it just feels plugged. I continued and still continue to suffer with this pain in my side and shoulder. They have determined that is is Phrenic nerve which controls the diaphragm but they don't know why it is bothering me. They ruled out problems with my spleen or other things it could be so right now we are just treating the pain and seeing if it settles down. They believe I will need to be on the Warfarin for the foreseeable future which will mean some lifestyle changes. One I can no longer be careless about getting my blood work done on a regular basis. In fact it will be every few days for a while until they get it regulated. My doctor said "And this time when you go home you will NOT disappear!" since last time I never kept my last appointment etc. The part I really don't like is I have to limit the amount of food I eat with vitamin K in them - this includes all the healthy, dark, good for you vegetables and several fruits of which I am fond as well as chamomile tea, and green tea, I also have to limit the use of some seasonings that I use a lot of. I can do it all but it will take some time to figure out. They don't want me to skip these foods entirely but I need to eat less of them and eat the same amount of them consistently every day which with our lifestyle will be a bit of a challenge. They have also put me on a low dose of a medicine that controls the heart and they took me off the diuretic I was on and put me on a different one that is not supposed to lower my potassium. Anyway - I am doing fine and we will get this all figured out. I just am not happy to be adding a whole new set of medications to my regime. I had another violent spinning episode Friday night after coming home from the hospital. Probably the worst yet. I could barely walk with Kent holding on to me with both hands. I don't know what I would have done if he hadn't been here. I didn't have any spinning while in the hospital but I was in bed all the time. We don't know if the spinning is related to my meniere's or could be caused by the brain clot. Right now we are in a wait and see pattern with regular and frequent check ups. My heart has been pretty regular but I will wear a halter for 24 hours again in a couple of weeks. I will see the ear doctor again in a few days as well as go in for blood work. Of course all this means extra work and time for Kent - running me to the doctor and picking up the slack at home. I will not be going back to work any time very soon - we need to get all of these things figured out and settled down. Thank you for all the prayers and good wishes. If you have questions please write. I 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 :)
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 :)
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Morley Update 2012 #12
Everyone,
This last week my world has revolved (literally) around my home. I continue to have several times daily where everything begins to spin and I have to lay down for a bit. Because of this I have been at home with a few exceptions all week. We picked up our friends and supporters Tom and Linda Samek on Friday. We drove home with a small detour so they could get their first glimpse of the sea. On Saturday they went with Kent to the ARC where Tom spent most of his day in the kitchen pouring tea and doing dishes and Linda worked in the kids room.
Sunday we took our time getting up and around and since the sun is finally out and the spring flowers are beginning to bloom we took a drive down the coast. No historical sites were open due to Greek Independence Day but we stopped at a few of our favorite places and ended with a Taverna dinner by the sea. I had two pretty severe attacks of spinning - one time laying out on the ground for a while. Because of this I elected to stay at home the next day while Kent took Tom and Linda to Corinth. They had a nice day and took lots of pictures.
Tuesday was family meal day and once again I was at home while Tom and Linda joined Kent at the ARC. They both spent quite a while in the kitchen but Tom did get to spend some time visiting with a refugee friend of Kent's who speaks English. Yesterday we had a clothing give away and prayer time which Tom and Linda led. I did my prayer time at home. One of the passages we were supposed to look at is Mary's prayer. I couldn't help but notice that she starts by saying "My SOUL glorifies the Lord and my SPIRIT rejoices in God my savior" In reality Mary's BODY was going through the changes that could negatively impact her life but that didn't affect what was happening inside her. I don't understand why my health is a continual issue but I can concentrate on what God wants to do IN me at this time. A friend also wrote me a note recently that said "Instead of asking 'Why me?' we need to ask 'What next?'" I 'm not sure what God has for me right now but I appreciate your prayers both for healing and for seeing what God would have me do if healing doesn't come.
Today Tom and Linda went off sight seeing around Athens on their own. Kent went to town for meetings with several different guys. Tom and Linda will be here until Sunday. We are thankful to be able to give people who are a part of our extended team a first hand look at what God is doing here in Athens. I wish you all could come and have that experience. In the meantime thank you for your faithfulness to us and to the Lord.
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 :)
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 :)
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Morley Update 2012 #11
Everyone,
I realized last night after I went to bed that I had neglected to write my update. My days are a bit mixed up lately as I have not been able to keep my regular schedule. On Sunday night and Monday evening I had two violent attacks with my meniere's disease - horrible spinning that came on suddenly and was accompanied by throwing up and other unmentionable body functions. Because of this Kent and I decided that I would stay home for a while and try to get a handle on this. For one thing there is no way I can be at work or on public transportation when one of these hits. I am trying tweaking my medications (taking more meclizine and spacing it throughout the day). So far I haven't had any more violent attacks but had several times yesterday that I had to lay down and close my eyes to stop the room from whirling. Of course this is frustrating and discouraging at the best of times but we have good friends arriving today to work with us for the next week and a half. I don't even know if I will be able to go in and am also not sure about taking a couple of day trips we had planned. I would appreciate your prayers about this.
I want to tell you about Kent's good friend "H". "H" is a young Iraqi man. In Iraq his brother was involved in a car accident where a man was killed. Although it was determined that his brother was not at fault he spent some time in jail. Earlier this year when he was released from jail the father of the dead man killed "H's" brother. At that point his father told him that he should leave Iraq because there was no telling what this man would do. He came here hoping to find a better life but like so many others is stuck in the bureaucracy. "H" speaks good English and he and Kent have become friends. They have had many spiritual conversations and often "H" will bring other young men into the ARC with him to meet Kent and he will translate for them. In January "H" called Kent one night and told him that he had just heard the news that the father of the man killed in the accident had bombed "H's" home killing his parents and destroying their home. His only other family in Iraq is an uncle who is more concerned with trying to cheat "H" out of any property his parents had than in helping him. He is very alone in this world. On Saturday "H" stayed for the seekers class in the book of John that Kent and I have been involved with along with our team mate Aziz and Scott McCracken. Kent was out of the class spending some time with two boys who's parents were attending the class. After the class "H" told him. "At the end of the class the man had us pray. He said if we were praying to God and wanted to accept Jesus as our Savior we should tell one of you after class. I want to tell you that is me." Kent said "You are saying that you have accepted Jesus?" and "H" said "yes". Kent will now spend time with "H" going over a 5 lesson course on what it means to be a Christian. At the end of that time "H" will be baptized. He is alone no more - Praise the Lord!
Kent is also spending time with another young man that he met with yesterday. This young man is also going through some rough times in his life. Pray for Kent as he shares encouragement and hope with him and the other young men God seems to bring into his life.
Though I have been at home Kent is keeping very busy. He goes in early twice a week to teach an English class and stays late on Saturdays for the seekers class. We are still involved in the community group of refugee believers on Friday evenings. Last week it was in our home so I got to attend for the first time in a few weeks. Some weeks they meet at the ARC after men's meal day so I don't go in and it means another late evening for Kent. He also goes early on Wednesdays for leadership meetings and spends more time doing emails, preparing lessons, taking charge of team meetings, team fellowships and team prayer times. He meets with individuals on the team, encouraging them and dealing with the little issues that come up as a group of people work together and bump up against one another. He is feeling good about his new role and is working hard to stay on top of things.
Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement to us. Thanks you for your financial support. Thank you for being our extended team. Thank you for all you do to invest in God's work here in Athens. Because of you there is rejoicing in heaven over one who is saved! 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 :)
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 :)
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Morley Update 2012 #10
Everyone -
It was a busy couple of days. Tuesday we had our usual family meal day. After we cleaned up we finished our preparations for a kid's day on Wednesday. These are fun days for kids we do every so often. The basis for this day was Persian New Year which is a big holiday about new beginnings. We used that theme to share bible truths with the kids. We invited 55 kids, ages 6-12 to come for 3 hours. In order to get ready for those three hours many hours of preparation happened. There were crafts to get ready, stories to translate, puppets to gather and practice with, games to plan and prepare, veggies to cut up, tables to set and on and on. We try to plan for everything because we know that when the kids arrive the craziness begins.
We were blessed to have a team of college students to help so Kent and I arrived at the ARC at 9am to do their orientation. The rest of the team arrived by 10am and we spent the next couple of hours setting up and going over the program. At 12 we opened the doors. As the kids arrived they were assigned to a group based on gender and age. They played games in their group until everyone had arrived. After a few announcements lunch was served. They had veggies and yogurt, pizza and an orange. When that was finished we gathered the whole group for some singing and then the puppet show. As many of you know I love puppets and find them a great way to communicate a message in a fun way. Since our puppet show was about a caterpillar and a butterfly I dressed in a butterfly hunter costume. I would sneak around looking for butterflies and the kids took great joy in pointing out that several had perched on my hat. After the puppet show the kids divided into their groups to spend 15 minutes at each "station". We had a craft room where they made a name tag that said Happy New Year in Farsi. At the game station they tried to eat a cookie on a string and knocked over cereal boxes by throwing a ball. The cookie decorating station was a sticky fun mess with lots of frosting and sprinkles. In the story room they heard a story in Farsi tying some of the traditions of Persian New Year into new life in Jesus. By the time three o'clock rolled around the kids were wired (maybe it was the frosting and sprinkles) and the staff were exhausted. As their parents came to pick them up, each child received a small gift bag with a party blower and some candy. Since a picture is worth a thousand words I will close now and let the pictures speak for themselves.
Thank you for upholding us in prayer - I am still struggling with the dizziness from my meniere's and had several times during the day yesterday when the room started to spin and I had to sit down. Thank you also for your financial support - we are here because you give. 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 :)
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 :)
Thursday, March 8, 2012
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
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 :)
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
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 :)
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