In full swing. . .

Students fill cafeterias and cafes across campuses. They smoke and drink frapees (Greek whipped, cold coffee), spending hours chatting with their small groups of friends. Some days students can't get to class because buses and subway trains selectively strike. One day 15,000 students protested against the possibility of privatizing the universities. At three in the afternoon the campuses empty and students migrate to local coffee shops that look and sound like they're run by MTV or VH1. We have to be careful not to drink an entire frapee at one of these places or we're wired for the next twelve hours. 

As we hang out with students our conversations focus on anything form fashion trends to politics, from soccer scores to Madonna. Some of my favorite conversations have centered on pictures we pass around, asking which pictures represent their lives and their views of God. Many students want to figure out what they think about God. They know they want things that are good and true for themselves and the world. They're unsure of what's true. They're willing to have deep conversations about these things.

Please be praying that the Lord would open students' eyes to what is true and that He would lead them to trust Him for real life.

This weekend I'm traveling to the fall student conference that our national staff are pulling together.  Students will come who have grown up in evangelical churches. These students know the truth about Jesus. The conference is entitled, "Make a Difference." I'll be speaking during the first session about living in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Please be praying for the Lord to lead the Greek students and staff who go to the conference close to Himself. Particularly, I'm praying that they'll experience the Holy Spirit leading them and empowering them to live Christ's life among their peers who don't know Him.

You can pray, too, for our travel safety. Seven of us will travel from Athens to the retreat. I'll travel to Skopje, FYROM, after that to visit some friends.

Thanks so much! I'm so grateful for your prayers!!

Recent Pictures

 

My roommate, paige, and i took an overnight trip to a little town called Nafplio last weekend. We enjoyed the change of pace, the change of scenery, and the wonderful breakfast pastry!

We enjoy meeting students on campus. 
 

This is a typical on-campus cafe. Students are ordering coffees and pastries filled with cheese, spinach, sausage, or chocolate. 

Connecting With Students

Classes officially started this week. It’s been easy to find students to meet and fun to begin new friendships on campus. More students congregate on campus this week than other weeks, even though the habit of skipping class has begun. We hung out with some students at a café last night after our first Greek language class and one of them—Aphrodite-- told us that she thinks that 10% of students actually attend class on a regular basis.

The team called and text messaged the 70 contacts we received from the summer mission project that reached out to Athens students in June and July yesterday afternoon. The responses varied. Some could barely recall the Americans and others excitedly made plans to meet up with our team this week. One guy, Peter, met two of our guys for coffee and said that he’d like to get together to read the Bible.

Please pray. . .
-that the Lord would give us favor with students-- those who were friends with summer project students and those we’re meeting on campus.
-that the Lord would give students curiosity about spiritual things and that they would engage easily in conversations with us about Jesus. Pray for soft hearts that will receive Him.
-for me and my choices regarding my schedule. I have to take Greek language classes in the evenings, which is not my preference. Sometimes we have events with students after the classes. I want wisdom and discipline to choose to rest and I want creativity and good places to rest.

Pictures: Above, my roommate, Paige, and I love going to the outdoor market on Monday mornings. The flower vendor always gives us each a rose. We feel like we're living in a movie! Below, my apartment building is the white one. Ours is the second balcony from the bottom. The University of Athens is at the end of the street on the left hand side of the picture.