Mens Prayer group; The latest lineup

 

from left to right; Gary (USA), Austin (Nigeria), Sam (Nigeria), Guenter (USA), Tosh (Nigeria) and Nik (Greece).

This group of prayer warriors are praying that God will cause to bloom flowers from the rocks...praying for "spiritual" rain to water the seeds we're planting.

Bible Study Fellowship Introduced in Athens

After years of praying and months of intense preparations,BSF will finally make it's debut in Athens on Tuesday, May 13! The evening women's class will begin with a five week pilot study of the book of Philippians. Classes will be held at the Second Greek Evangelical Church on Tuesday evenings ( May 13,20,27 and June 3,10).

Current prayer requests include,but are not limited to:
1. Lives will be changed through the study of Philippians.
2. God will provide all qualified leaders still needed.
3. Holy Spirit will continue to draw women to BSF.

Thanks for your continued prayers!
~Claudia~

Flowers Blooming from the Rocks! Only God can do this!

When Dr. Chuck and Linda came to Athens, Guenter and I took them to Mars Hill, next to the Acropolis. Mars Hill was where the Apostle Paul preached his sermon to the Athenians about the "unknown God." (Acts 17:22-31) Note the picture below.
After Dr. Chuck had prayed for Guenter and I and we were headed down for lunch, it dawned on me how significant this particular view of Mars Hill was...a few flowers growing out of the rocks. What a strange but clear picture of what we face in Athens. The ground in Athens is very hard (spiritually speaking) and yet, by God's grace and power, God can cause flowers to bloom out the rock. Only God can do such a thing as this!

We continue to pray God will plant spiritual seeds in the cracks of the rocks, water it with spiritual rain and then flowers will bloom. Please partner with us to pray for flowers to bloom from the rocks in Athens.

Gary

Encouragement from BSF HQ

Dr. Chuck Musfeldt and wife Linda on tour of Scotland, Athens and Rome, visited us in Athens on April 25-28. Dr. Chuck, a self-described Barnabus, was exactly that for us. They were both here to encourage us and Dr. Chuck also visited the men's prayer group on Monday, April 28.
Dr Chuck and Linda at one of our favorite places to eat Kababs at the Plaka.

from left to right: Claudia (isn't she beautiful in blue?), Dr. Chuck, Linda, Donna and Guenter. Donna and Guenter Wadewitz are our co-partners in Christ and are also here in Athens with us to help establish BSF.

Dr. Chuck, Sam (Nigerian), Gary and Tosh (Nigeria)

Dr. Chuck, Sam, Guenter (North Corolina; my co-partner in Greece) and Tosh

Having dinner at our apartment on Monday night. After dinner, we had a special time of prayer and words of encouragement.

More pics of our day at Oia (ee-a), Santorini

The sun setting on a really good day on Santorini.

A door to paradise

A breath taking view of beauty...and the background of the water is not bad either.

Waiting for the sun to set. Oia is one of the most popular places go to view the sunset. As the sun was setting, we needed to put on our jackets...it was getting cool. The day reminded me of California; low 70's in the day, but when the sun goes down it's really cool.

Pictures of Oia

A restaurant facing the west which provides a great sunset view while dinning. Reservations are required. Unfortunately, we didn't have reservations...too bad :(



Probably one of the most photographed churches of Santorini.

Caitlin and I just chillin...and glad we're here on Santorini.
Silk anyone? Just one of the many quaint little shops of Oia.

If you lived on this hillside of Oia, how would you give directions for someone to get to your house?

The Trek from the Sea to the Summit of Oia, the famous city of Santorini

Did I say that the trek from the ocean to Oia was up a mountain? Seems like a great place to place a city. So, where's the elevator or tram to the top? Oh, I forgot, were in Greece. The only way to the top was to do it the old fashion way...walk or see your nearest "donkey dealer" for the fastest way up!
It was fun and a bit nerve wracking as well as the donkey's begun the trek up to the top of the mountain.
I'm not sure how you say "giddie up" or "whoaaa" to a donkey in Greek. No instructions were given and I guess none were needed as the donkeys seem to know where they were going...uphill on the switch back trail to the top! The only instinct I had was just to hang on!
Claudia...wondering what she's got herself into. "Whose idea was this?" Claudia's one concern before getting on this donkey was whether the donkey was the right color to go with her outfit. Good choice...white is a great neutral and of course, it's after Easter when white is definitely fashionable.
Up we go! Notice I was more intent of hanging on than posing for the picture.
Caitlin near the summit on her trusty steed (or donkey). Caitlin's feeling pretty comfortable at this point...now that the ride was over.
Finally, to the summit...and what a view!

Trip to the Greek Island of Santorini

While Caitlin was still on spring break, we decided to take a short (3 day, 2 night) visit to the beautiful and probably most famous Greek Island. We took a fast ferry on Wednesday morning (boat left at 7 AM) and arrived 4 hours later in Santorini. Upon arriving, we were hurried away (via a van)from the port up over the steep mountain to the back side of the Island to Kamari beach. It's famous for it's black beaches. At this time of the year (late April, early May), the island is just beginning to awaken to the onslaught of summer and the busy tourist season. Actually, about half of of the small hotels and some of the shops/restaurants are still closed. Everything on Santorini should be fully going by the end of May.

In our short stay, we did some sun bathing at the hotel upon arriving on Wednesday, then later that evening we took a cab to the capital of the Island (Fira) for some shopping and dinner.

Thursday, was a busy day. We took a harbor boat tour that took us to the Volcano for a 2 hour visit, then to a brief stay at a nearby island that had hot springs, to another local island(Thirissia)for lunch and then to Oia (ee-a)for to view a beautiful sunset.
Our boat for the tour of the Caldera volcano

All aboard who's going aboard. Caitlin and Claudia aboard ship. Of course, Claudia has already taken her dramamine. But, as it turned out, the harbor was smooth and the time on the boat was very limited as we hopped from island to island.

Atop the Volcano over looking near by Santorini and the city of Oia. I don't know who the guy in the back ground is? He's just happy is survived the climb to get to the top.

Our ship awaiting our return along with Captain Jack Sparrow's ship the Black Pearl as well. "Yo Ho, mate!"
The view from the Volcano summit over looking the city of Oia. Oia was our last stop for the afternoon where we watched the sunset.