Loving Greece

Hello all!

A common theme that has been coming up again and again in the last few days is the importance of loving Greece and its people. This seems like a fairly obvious thing that should be on our hearts daily, and it is, but it is hard. What I have been learning lately is just how tricky it is working in a culture much different than my own. It can be classified as culture shock but for me it is much more. I love the United States of America and anyone who knows me knows that (and would claim that my patriotism is often over the top...like my rendition of Yankee Doodle at the top of my lungs Fourth of July morning). I had been frustrated that because of the severe economic crisis here, strikes had become violent and out of control. Protesters were initially peaceful but began to attack the police line surrounding Parliament which prompted the police to begin to use tear gas against its people. Admittedly it was exciting to me but also scary. The people were hurting and the childrens' festivals were postponed. It was a sad few days in Greece and this broke my heart. Again, just yesterday, we were scheduled to have our last festival where we distributed the trophies and awards and we received word that there was Communist rally happening in Neos Kosmos square which was the square that we gathered at for the festvals; it would have been too big of a risk to bring families and children there so the festivals were postponed. Again my frustration flared and my nationalist thought that "this would never have happened in the U.S" came to mind. How is it just that a festival that everyone in the community knew about, and happened every night, could just be disregarded so callously? Oh man did God want to humble me...

When Alex, the man in charge of the festivals, came in and informed us that the festivals had to be postponed, he was calm and rational. He explained to the group that he had a conversation with the leader of the Communist rally and had decided it was safer to postpone the festivals. Alex excitedly proclaimed that he was glad to be able to tell the man that it was not a big deal at all and that, since they were so local anyway, they would just try again another day. What!? Alex's joy was a breath of fresh air in a room of frustrated Americans and Canadians. He represented Christ and Greek culture in that moment. He was not at all miffed by the change in plans, but rather excited that this created an opportunity to love the Communist party as well as feel confident that one heated rally cannot ruin all of the progress and positive change that the community center had brought to that community. Alex saw the bigger picture and was optimistic about the fruit that would come out of this seemingly negative event. I was immediately encouraged and humbled by his great love and wisdom. His love mirrored what Pastor Giotis (of First Greek Evangelical Church) had described to us a few days prior.

Pastor Giotis came to speak to all of us at the Bible Institute two days ago and his comments can be summarized as: love and be patient with the Greeks; it takes time to see great change but if you are patient, you will see amazing things.  He jokingly remarked that the problem with American is that they need a schedule. They want to know what they are doing, when they are doing it and if the results are worth the effort. Admittedly, I have fallen into that stereotype. He described to us the needs of the Greeks. They need to be loved, cared for and have time invested in them. Because essentially everyone is a Greek Orthodox Christian, it is insulting to see people trying to convert them or tell them the errors of their ways. They are Christians and they are dedicated to the Greek Church. What they need is love. Love is what makes the difference and what exemplifies what it means to be a "Christian." That is what the Greek Evangelical Church is trying so hard to do here. They are picking up trash, something that is shameful and rare; they are establishing community centers to provide free tutoring, computers and games for a population of people though to be a lower social class; they are establishing church plants in communities that desperately need love and need to hear the gospel of grace; and they are going into brothels to show love and respect to women who feel as if they are unworthy of both love and respect. Giotis encouraged us in the work that we are doing here in Greece. He said that it often takes generations to see any real change because the culture is very nationalistic and has an inward looking church. It is difficult to change the mindset of the people and to convince them of the equality of all men. No one is deserving of Christ's love so who are we do look down our noses at the "lower people" of society? It is refreshing for me to remind myself of this as well as the fact that Americans are equally as guilty of this sin. Love is not something that flows very freely anywhere. Giotis work in Greece is not something to overlook or underestimate. He has sacrificed his time, money, comfort and more to ensure that Greece, Athens in particular, understands Christ's love. It is a priviledge to be part of a very large mission that is underway in Greece. I have been encouraged by the servants like Alex, Giotis and Courtney who serve the church and love Greece in the Greek way. As an American, I am striving to put aside my American schedule and list of goals and instead love Greece through patient devotion and service...the Greek way.

Please be praying for the Church:

-that they will begin to look outward for ways to love their own community
-for people to begin to embrace leadership
-for the Greek Evangelicals to begin to do ordinary things with "gospel intentionality"

"Dear children, let us not love with words or tounge but with actions and in truth. This thenis how we know we belong in the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presense...Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us" (1 John 3:18-19; 4:11-12).