Far Side of the World

Another week gone by.  Last weekend Myself and five other of my shipmates went to Athens to help out at a Mercy Center for Drug Rehabilitation and street ministry.  i have never done this type of ministry before and it was quite the eye-opener for me.  The center is downtown Athens in a not "nice" area of town.  We spent three days/four nights at the center.  The first night that we got there we went out with the people who volunteer at the center to a square in the city where a lot of homeless people hang out.  We served hot tea, cresants and gave out tracks and bibles to the people.  Most of them smelled strongly of liquor, drugs and filth.  It was such a hopeless place in the dark with all these people walking around like they were stuck in some bad dream...and to be able to into that and bring the LIGHT of God and hope and truth and freedom was incredible.  We also had a sound system set up so one of the guys could talk to the people about God in Greek and play worship music as well.  I wasn't able to do too much to help the guys out since I am lacking in the language, but I prayed and supported the volunteers.  It was a blessing to me to be able to watch this mission.  God is good!  Myself and Cheyrl (crewmate) roomed with a lady in the drug rehabilitation program at the center.  She spoke some Greek and really opened up to the two of us.  She was going through a hard time, as you can imagine, and we were able to listen, talk and pray for her.  The second day another lady came to the program and became our room mate.  On our last night she gave her life to Christ!  Praise God!  As well as four other people from the street!  This was during an evening service that we held.  Those four days were exhosting, but inspiring for me at the same time.  God is such a light.  This is so much clearer to me now in a more visual way.  

This week has been fairly slow since most of the crew are taking a certification course next week so they were studying.  I am not taking it, so its been a bit lonely for me.  I helped out with the cooks on board and have really enjoyed that.  As well as doing some odd jobs.  We went to the main park in Kiato and cleaned it up as well.  It was so full of rubbish!  We must have filled about 10+ bin liners with rubbish.  It's neat to bless this city in a practical way and to pray and bless the place that we clean.  So that it is not only physically cleaned, but spiritually as well.  

Yesterday was one of the crew's birthday, Erik.  He and I went to Ancient Corinth to celibrate it and get off the boat.  It was incredible!  The way that old corinth is layed out is that there is the city at the bottom of a hill (more like a mountian) and then a fort/stronghold ontop of the hill.  He and I desided to climb the hill instead of taking a taxi.  Wow, very long walk UP.  But very much worth it.  i am so proud of myself.  =)  I feel so blessed to be able to able to wander the ruins where Paul probably walked once.  The veiw is incredibly from the op as well.  Corinth is a very important city because it has a cannel that connects the med so that you don't have to sail ALL the way around Greece.  From the top you can see the ocean on both sides and snow covered mountians as well.  Very epic!  I brought up a bible so that I could read Corinthians while sitting on the ruins there--an experience I wont forget.  

I have desided to stay in Bulgaria for an out reach there.  I feel that it is God's leading, but I origianally didn't want to go because I think that it is going to be very difficult and i dont want to leave my home, my bed or my family on the boat.  But God is always pushing me farther, pushing me towards Him.  He knows what he is doing even when I dont.  Please pray that this mission trip works out (housing, funds, and church contacts).  

Also tomorrow I am going to Corinth to try to get my computer fixed.  I am praying hard that it is fixable so that I may use it as a tool for the mission work that I am doing here.  Prayer is appreciated.  

One more prayer request.  Finances for the Next Wave.  Please pray that God will raise the support nessisary to continue this mission--we are in a tight spot right now.  But we are trusting God to move, this is HIS ministry, HIS boat and I believe that he is going to keep us running.  He is faithful!  Thank you Lord!  

May God bless and Keep you.