Hello from (sometimes) sunny California!

It’s been such a joy to be back on the San Diego Summer Project! 170 staff and students have gathered to grow in our relationships with the Lord and to reach out to the community in San Diego. We’re off to a good start—taking steps of faith, studying the Word, talking with people on campus and on the beach about the Lord. Some of them have even placed their trust in Him already!

I’m really enjoying our group this year! If you’d like to keep tabs on us, go to http://www.thesdsp.com/?page_id=85 . That link has a picture of me and you can navigate from there to see what God’s doing here.

Our summer project in Athens is going well too. 45 students and staff are making friends, distributing flyers, and holding Bible discussion groups. It’s exciting to have so much help on the ground in Athens!

Thank you for praying for my travel, for our staff situation, and for people to mow my yard. I had a great trip with my sister. We gained four staff women and we only needed three! And I’ve gotten the help I need with my lawn. Thank you!

Things you can pray for …

-Spiritual growth. I’m asking that the Lord will draw us all close to Him and make us more like Himself (2 Corinthians 3:18).

-Jobs for project students. These are ministry locations for us where students learn to minister to those around them in the work place. They also help students to make money to go to school in the fall.

-Rest for our leadership team. We’ve had extra loads this year with the job situation and some issues that have arisen on the project.
Many of us are sick. Please pray for the Lord to give us refreshment and rest.

Thank you! I’m so grateful for you!
Marta

En Route

Hello!
It’s good to be in America! I landed in Denver on Tuesday night, grateful for some time in my home country. In the last couple of days I’ve enjoyed seeing my family, a few friends, my house, and my mountains.
Today my sister and I are driving to San Diego for my summer project. I’m grateful for the help because I’m feeling some jet lag. I’m waking up early both because of the time change and because I have lot on my mind. There are so many details that are pushing me to tangibly trust the Lord. Would you pray for some of them with me?
• Ask the Lord for safety and fun as my sister and I travel… and as our summer project staff travel to San Diego over the next few days.
• Pray for the Lord to provide people to mow and weed my yard this summer.
• Ask Him to provide staff for our project in San Diego—we’ve recently lost some critical players.
• Pray that the Lord will work out the details for us to partner well with churches and groups that serve the community in the San Diego area. I want us to be a blessing that shows Jesus’ love all over the city!
• Pray that the Lord will prepare our staff in Greece and the team of 40 that He’s sending from Texas for the summer project there. Ask the Lord to prepare Greek students too—to soften their hearts toward Him.
Thank you so much! I love that we can rest, knowing that He hears us and is taking care of every care we have!
Love,
Marta
“Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what Thou art. I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart!”

Χριστος Ανεστη!

I wrote an update for you last week, but it became a printed letter because it became so detailed. In it I told about a very encouraging conversation with an influential student leader at the University of Athens named Sakis.

Here are some highlights from the conversation:
Me: “Greek students tell me that they want change in Greek society; what do you think will bring the change that’s needed in Greece?”
Sakis: “ I don’t know. I can’t bring change. I just want to help people. My first year no one helped me and I was lost.”
Me: “Why can’t you bring change? You seem to have influence. You have character. You care about people. Why can’t you be part of bringing change?”
Sakis: ”I have seen people who are a lot better than me try and they failed. They couldn’t do it.”

About Jesus,
Sakis: “We need Jesus. We need Jesus to come here. He would change things.”
Me:”How do you think Jesus would change things?”
Sakis: “He would make things better. We would be better. I would be better. I am a very bad person.”

About the Easter holiday coming up,
Sakis said that he thought that Easter was a good time for personal reflection, even if someone didn’t believe. He said he wasn’t sure if he believed.
Me: “I believe. I believe because Jesus has changed me. He’s given me the change we talked about.”
Sakis: “I want to believe. Resurrection is what we need.”

More details on the conversation in the link to my letter on the right.

I'm so grateful for you!

Staff women's overnight

Staff Field Training... Spring

Hi!

It’s only Monday and I’m already tired! We’re in the middle of a very full two-weeks.

Last week we enjoyed our group from the University of Texas. They said they were amazed at the ways the Lord orchestrated their conversations with students on campus. They also said they’ve grown in their desire and ability to talk with their fellow students at UT about Him. I pray that the Lord uses them to lead many to Him even this week!

We’ve gathered our campus staff from Thessaloniki and Athens this week for field training. Our topics include: helping students take the next step in their spiritual journeys, training students to lead, communicating compelling vision, following the Holy Spirit, and trusting God to move in mighty ways. We’re also planning for next school year.

Please ask the Lord to lead our hearts and minds very clearly this week and ask Him to make us receptive to His voice and responsive to His direction.

Thanks so much! I know your prayers are powerful and effective!

Texans in Athens

Hello!

A group of students and staff from the University of Texas arrived on Sunday. They’re here to see the campus, meet students, see the sights, learn about the Lord, talk about the Lord, and pray for Greece. They’ll go back to UT as our representatives, letting others know about what God’s doing here and how they can pray, support, and join us.
You can pray for us this week. . .

-that the Lord would give us safety and health. (I’ve been flu-ish for the last three days as has one of the guys I work with.)
-that the Lord would give us great conversations and relationships with Greek students. That we’d have lots of opportunities to talk about abundant life in Him.
-that students here would be drawn close to the Lord during the lent season—that they’d seek Him and find Him.

Spring in Athens!

When I was running on the trail around the poly-technical campus last week, I delighted in the trees that are beginning to bud and flower. I love the newness of spring!

I remember, in the fall, watching the workers strip the trees around the trail. They bound up branches and waste and piled them up at a couple of central spots. I was adjusting to the stress of living overseas and I felt like one of those trees that was being stripped bare of my perspectives, doubt, selfishness, and sin in my heart. At that point, I prayed that the Lord would also work in Greek students’ hearts to take away things that hinder them from enjoying close relationships with Him.

Now, as I enjoy the blossoming trees and blooming wild flowers, I’m noticing that my faith, hope and love have grown and I’m praying that the Lord will bring new spiritual life to our students here in Greece. I just wrote in my latest mailing that we’re seeing some progress in the lives of our friends. . .
Playing a game about world views in the theology school, girls debated whether their purposes in life were to serve others or to serve themselves. When we were leaving, they argued over who would get to keep the “Knowing God Personally” booklets I had in my bag (I need to carry more of them!).
My Greek tutor saw a diagram I shared with students about salvation. After I explained it, she said, “Well, we agree!” Please pray that the Lord will give us more good conversations about this and that she’ll join me for Bible study.
I often make friends with students in the theology school (it’s a typical degree here-- a little bit like social work in the States). During finals, I talked with two students about their studies of the Old Testament. They’re surprised at the violent, evil things that happened. They see the same kinds of evil in people today. They’re considering that God is good and that He wants good for us instead of the evil that people do.
One of their good friends hangs out with my roommate, Paige, regularly. She asked what it looks like to know God personally. Paige shared with her how to trust Christ’s payment on the cross to give life. She wants a relationship with God like that.
A few of our friends have said they’d like to join us for Bible study. I love this! I want them to read His Word because it’s powerful and effective and it changes lives. Paige and I are starting a weekly Bible study today. Please pray that the Lord would bring students to study His Word with us.