ON SATURDAY, WE HAD A GREAT MEETING WITH SERGEY AND HIS WIFE DANYELLA. WE NOW KNOW WHAT STRUGGLES THEY HAVE HERE AS THEY TRY AND PLANT A CHURCH AMONG THOUSANDS OF RUSSIAN IMMIGRANTS. THE REAL PROBLEM IS THEY HAVE TO WORK SO MUCH THEY DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THE MINISTRY. WE FIGURED OUT THAT IF WE CAN RAISE $800 OR MORE PER MONTH FOR SERGEY, THEN HE CAN CONCENTRATE ON OUTREACH AMONG MORE YOUTH. THE GROUP HE HAS NOW IS MAINLY OLDER FEMALE ADULTS. HIS WIFE ALSO WORKS AND IS MINISTERING AMONG SEX TRAFFICKING YOUNG WOMEN. IT IS SICKENING WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE IN ATHENS WITH 13-18 YRS OLDS WHO USUALLY DIE AFTER 3 YEARS WORKING IN THE BROTHELS WITH 50 CLIENTS DURING AN 8 HR SPAN. THIS IS A DARK, DARK WORLD!!!! WE SAW IT TONIGHT.
TODAY, WE WENT TO THE FIRST GREECE EVANGELICAL PRES. CHURCH. WE HAD THE SERVICE TRANSLATED VIA EARPHONES.VERY TRADITIONAL MUSIC AND THEIR LARGE YOUTH CHOIR SANG. THE CHURCH IS 150 YEARS OLD IN THE HEART OF ATHENS.
NEXT, WE PARTICIPATED IN SERGEY’S RUSSIAN GROUP SERVICE. IT WENT FROM 1PM TO 4:30PM INCLUDING A LUNCH…IT WAS HARVEST SUNDAY.
THEN, WE DROVE TO ANOTHER PART OF TOWN BECAUSE I WANTED HAL HAYS (PRES OF ENCOURAGEMENT INTL.) TO MEET THE DIRECTOR OF THE GREECE BIBLE INSTITUTE. GREAT MEETING WITH THIS DIRECTOR. HAY MAY TEACH THERE SOME DAY.
WHILE WE WENT SHOPPING YESTERDAY I BEFRIENDED A 23 YEAR OLD WAITER WHO SPOKE GOOD ENGLISH. GAVE A SHORT TESTIMONY AND TODAY BROUGHT SERGEY OVER TO MEET HIM. PRAY FOR THIS YOUNG MAN…MARIOS IS HIS NAME. HE SPEAKS GREEK AS DOES SERGEY.
THESE HAVE BEEN GREAT DAYS. DUSTIN’S EYES HAVE BEEN OPENED TO WHAT THESE TRIPS ARE ALL ABOUT. I AM VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
ON MONDAY, OUR LAST DAY, WE WILL GO WITH SERGEY TO CORINTH ABOUT 1 HR AWAY. WE ARE DREAMING ABOUT A SPORTS TEAM TO HELP WITH OUTREACH AMONG RUSSIAN YOUTH LIKE WE DO IN PETRO (RUSSIA). BUT, IT ALL DEPENDS ON RAISING FUNDS FOR SERGEY. PLEASE PRAY ABOUT THIS WITH US.
THANKS FOR YOUR CONTINUING PRAYERS. I FEEL BETTER BUT SLEEP IS STILL HARD FOR ME BECAUSE I GET SO EXCITED ABOUT WHAT GOD IS DOING THAT I CAN’T TURN IT OFF. PRAY FOR SLEEP FOR ME. THE OTHERS ARE WELL AND LOVING WHAT WE ARE DOING.
LOVE TO ALL,
JIM
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