A Day in the Life of Senior Missionaries

 I am deciding that a blog is work.  I have not really wanted to write but I am anyway.  

On Kim's 70th birthday, he got up and went running.  I, on the other hand figured it was his birthday so I slept in.    He came back early and said he could barely walk.  He had pulled something on the back of his leg.  He was in pain.   Plans to celebrate his birthday were cancelled and instead he got an appointment with a physical therapist.  We were grounded for two weeks as he took care of his injury.  It was so hard.  Every day was a Let Me Out day.  It was Ground Hog Day for two weeks. 

Old Friends Sat on the Park bench Like Bookends

Can you imagine us years from today
Sharing a park bench quietly?
How terribly strange to be 70

Then our German Office people came to spend the week with us to meet our NGO's and talk about the projects.  Hurray.  Kim's leg was better and we went on a one day cruise to three islands.  It was the beginning of a heat wave here in Athens and we would sweat and walk.  We drank a lot of water.  I have never drunk so much water.  We had appointments in the middle of the day.  We would ride the metro and then walk.  I didn't die.  It wasn't so bad after all.  It was a blessing after so many days of sitting in front of the computer trying to be productive. 

Exploring Athens with our Europe Central Office Couple

Aegina Island 

Dancing on the Cruise

On Saturday, we attended our first baptism in the Athens building  since we have been here .  Hannah is the daughter of one of our American families.  It was a wonderful event.  That evening we had  Institute and then Game Night.  

Bulgaria/ Greece Mission Leaders:  Our new mission president, wife and daughter came to our apartment for dinner after church with the Assistants to the President.    It was a great opportunity to get to know them better.  Then we drove them all to the airport.  

New Mission Leaders

We had one last preparation day before transfers so we had Christmas in July for our activity. 

 We picked a name, bought gifts for them and wrapped them in very creative ways. Then we wrote notes to them and talked about our favorite Christmas traditions.  The next day,  we were busy taking people and picking up people from the airport for transfers.  It is always hard to say goodbye when you have just settled in as a group.  

Christmas in July...look at those happy faces

Today we had appointments with NGOs downtown.  It is still a heat wave but knowing that I had already done heat and walking, I bravely made my way to the metro.  We had three appointments in three different metro areas.  The bus took too long at one place so we walked and got there 10 minutes late and sweaty.  

One place we went was the center that the refugees register in Greece.   It was pretty amazing  to see people from many countries sitting patiently in the hot summer day, waiting their turn to speak with someone.  We met about 20 interpreters from places and languages I have never heard of.  I need to study my geography!  We were grateful for the opportunity to see the beginning of applying for asylum that we have heard about since arriving.   

Kid's Center while parents are filling out papers

July has been a mixed bag of events.  Slow then busy.  I like busy much more than slow.  I like Greece's winter more than summer.  I like being a missionary more days now than not.  It may seem really cool to be in such an amazing place and I know we are so blessed and that the Lord loves effort.  That doesn't mean it will be easy.  I have given up on learning Greek but Kim is working so hard to study each day.  One last thing.  The Greek women dye their hair.  You will see very few white haired ladies.  They love color on their head and on their nails.  There is no shortage of nail salons, hair salons,  bakeries with gelato, cafes, and pigeons.  Life is good.  

Nightlife in the Hood

View from our apartment balcony

I have been very surprised by the night life in our quiet neighborhood.  

It all began with the last week of school.  We didn't know it was the last week of school but it became obvious when everyone stopped coming to school at 8:15 each morning and all the announcements on the outdoor intercom were no more. 

The last week there were programs every night.  The first evening it was raining.  Everyone stood around in the late afternoon visiting under umbrellas.  It was probably cut short because of the rain. The next night, there was a live band, food and dancing until almost midnight.  The final evening of celebrations, there were balloons let off, a talent show, students playing electric guitars, dancing, singing,  presentations and fireworks. It lasted until midnight.  The most interesting feature is the sound system.  It was very good.  You could hear everything very clearly.

Fireworks in the Evenings

Last night while taking our garbage to the bins at the end of the street, I saw that there were many children and their parents at the school being entertained by a couple that were making huge bubbles and doing tricks with them.  I walked further to the glass recycle bin and went past a small outdoor café where a group of men were seated around a table with guitars and other instruments that I don't know the name of and they were singing as others sat at their tables drinking and eating.  It was lovely.  They have had movies outdoors at the school that start at 9 p.m.  Athens comes alive at night time.  Even for the little kiddies. 

Here are a few more interesting observations from our neighborhood.

Trees pruned in the Fall...how will they look in Spring

Just right for our narrow sidewalk.

Construction on the Top Floor

Our apartment building

They have been working on the floor above it.  They jack hammered the floor and sent the debris down the chutes into a garbage bin and then hauled the bin off.  It was not easy to move a big truck around on our narrow road.  It provided great entertainment.  

Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3).

I have been so impressed with the all the families I see walking, biking, and eating together.  Every night, families gather at the school.  While the parents visit, the kids are playing soccer, volleyball, basketball, roller blading, biking, and tonight I saw hover boards.  The Greeks have so many things right.  Now, if they would just get a Costco.  

Love Without Borders and Natalie

 Once upon a time, our daughter in law Natalie, called and asked if we would help her find non profits that worked with children in Athens.  Her MPA group was coming to Greece in May and she wanted to make STEM kits for the refugee children.  It was some  time in November that we began to work on her idea and then suddenly it was May and she was here and we were meeting her at the community center for Love Without Borders.  This organization is run by a stewardess that flies around the world and takes paintings that the refugees have created and sells them.  In turn, she gives the money from the sale back to the refugee.  

We have gone to the Center for similar activities when refugee children have painted.  Art is a great communicator both for the creator and the viewer.  There were several stories posted next to the paintings to introduce the artist.  Many were heartbreaking as they explain their journey to go to somewhere and live without fear or violence.  

We got to doing some touring with Natalie's group afterwards and we decided guides are very helpful and help us appreciate what we are seeing more.  

The guide explaining Aristotle's Gymnasium 

Tylixto is a great place for yummy gyros ( you don't say the g) 

The Prison of Socrates

We were able to spend a day with Natalie and took her to a few places in Athens.  We showed her our apartment and she did laundry and left a sock unfortunately.  I think we have quite a few of Ty and Nat's family one sock forgotten here, in various places.  Someone should come up with a great idea to eliminate that frustration. 

Super Salad

A salad with variations at many of the places we have eaten at is this salad with pomegranate seeds, hazel nuts, various greens and goat cheese.  It is so so good.  

A Little Taste of Home restaurant

We ate dinner with Natalie's group downtown near the Agoras.  It was delicious with lamb, curry chicken, ravioli with truffles, and barbecue ribs.  

There You Go

This is an English Certification class for those wanting to get work.  It helps to have English proficiency.  One of the students fell asleep for short time.  He fishes during the day for work.  He was very tired.  It tugs at your heart to see what they have to go through to integrate into the country. 

Between the Platform

We went to showing of the documentary "To Whom it May Concern" .  It is about the refugee situation and the challenges they are facing.  I knew it would be depressing and it was. I would like one person to be in charge and unify all the ways to help refugees so it was consistent in all the countries if I ruled the world.  So many are lost at sea trying to get to other countries.  It is heartbreaking.  To get to the showing, we rode the bus and then everyone got off at one stop and the driver called to us so we needed to get off too.  We were happy to find the metro, and then to take another bus to get to the showing.  It was a true adventure. 

In my scripture study in John 13:34 it says:  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  35: By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.  

In my notes I summarized these verses by writing: We are Christ's disciples when we show love to others.  We will be happy when we serve others.  

I am grateful that we have this opportunity to find ways to serve those in Greece that are displaced, vulnerable, and in need.  We are not at the front line like some may think.  We work with Non Profit organizations.  We do paper work and filing.  We do meet wonderful compassionate people that are focused on helping others and try to support them with projects.  It is not what I thought it would be like and I have had several people make comments that they want to do what we do when they hear we are Humanitarian missionaries.  I smile and think that hopefully they will be able to serve and do those things that they think we do.  We are all a spoke in the wheel that moves the work forward.  I am grateful to be in Greece and learning things I never envisioned when I put those missionary application papers in.  You are right Robin.  I will never be the same. 

My Favorite Thing

Changing of the Guard

 at the Unknown Soldier

 Monument 

The Evzones are

 symbols of bravery

 and courage to the Greeks. 

Every hour something cool happens across from Syntagma square in front of the Parliament building. There is a special monument to the Unknown Soldier. Evzones, a special unit of the Hellenic army, guard the monument. They also guard the Presidential Mansion. They began this ritual in 1868 where the guards change on the hour. The soldiers of the Presidential Guard are selected according to their height, excellent physical condition, and psychological state as well as character and morality, as they follow a hard training before they become part of this honorary unit. The training lasts for one month and includes exercises to keep the body and mind still. Apart from staying still, the soldiers must also not make any face or eye move and must not show any expression. They must be fit enough to raise their legs to shoulder height, completely straight, as they march back and forth each day. This is all accomplished through five weeks of top-secret training that almost half of all chosen candidates fail to complete. 

Any form of communication while standing on duty is forbidden. However, a soldier in regular military uniform always accompanies each pair of evzones. The evzone is allowed to communicate with him by hitting the butt of his gun on the ground. The soldier then moves in front of him, asks him questions, and the evzone blinks once for ‘yes,’ twice for ‘no’ and three times for ‘I don’t know. We watched as several times the tourists got close or wanted to have a picture taken with the soldier and they hit the butt of the gun on the ground. 

The uniform has 400 folds to represent the 400 years of Ottoman occupation over the Greeks.  It takes 6 months to complete the embroidered vest. Sixty nails are beat into the soles of their shoes (tsarouchis) making a distinct sound as they scrape it along the marble. The sound is symbolic: it's made so that their ancestors can hear that they are Greeks and are alive and free. The tsarouchi’s pompons would protect the toes from the snow and cold, and helped make the shoe waterproof. The pompons also served as a handy place to stash a small knife. It takes an hour for the soldier to get dressed for duty. They pull on tights, secure undergarments with belts and iron out bell bottomed shirt sleeves. During the changing, they work in pairs so they can perfectly coordinate their moves. 

The steps that the official ceremony requires at the time of changing are carried out in really slow motion to protect their blood circulation after 60 min of immobility. 

Why did I spend so much time writing about one of my favorite things? I am fascinated by their uniforms, their discipline and the reflection of Greek heritage shown in a most unique way. It is important that we realize how we reflect our belief in Jesus Christ by the way we dress, act, and learn to be disciplined in the way we interact and talk to others. It is good to listen more than be heard, to take time to pay attention to what is happening around us and then use those tools to serve others. 

God will use you to make the lives of others better. --Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Free Museum Day and Randomness

Every month in Athens, there is a free museum day that usually honors someone or something Greek.  It is a great opportunity to see places in Athens for free.  It comes with crowds but that is part of the fun.  This month we went to the Archaeological Museum of Athens.  It is the largest museum in Greece and very important because it houses antiquities from all over Greece.  It was huge and we felt rather overwhelmed but because we live here, we can go again and again. 

Before the Crowds We had a special opportunity to meet district leaders from many European countries that are in the Central Europe District.  They were in Athens to have a retreat with staff that serve in our German office.  They were learning self care techniques and enjoying Athens.  We were in charge of cleaning the church room where they would meet and fixing food for their Sunday meal before they would be heading home.  I felt so much appreciation for these District Leaders that have so much responsibility to take care of their area that is so spread out.  I hope I never forget when I am back in my neighborhood where everyone is tucked into a few blocks.  They came from Thessaloniki, Albania, Serbia, Austria, Germany.... Sister missionaries translating  Sister Reidhead is a wonderful meal planner...maybe some things will rub off District Council Each week we gather with the young missionaries to review, organize and plan.  It is not easy being a young missionary in Athens.  The Greek Orthodox church is a way of living here much like being in Utah with a church on every corner.  The churches are beautiful.  I love hearing the bells ring all over Athens wherever you are.   Eating leftovers from the Coordinating  Council--it is always good to plan for extra food! They are looking at pictures of our missionaries when they were young and guessing who is who.  They had a great time and we love being with them and learning who they are.  Prison of Socrates and Philopappus Hill Southwest of the Acropolis is Philopappus Hill where a monument and burial chamber stands on the top.  Philopappus was a Roman magistrate.  On this hill is where they think Socrates was imprisoned and died by poisoning but no one is really sure.  It is a lovely, quiet wooded area with trails and fantastic views of the sea and Athens.  I took the picture of the boy doing crazy stuff on the post while admiring his strength.  It would have been a cooler picture if I had taken it a little sooner when he had both legs upright.  Grandchild's baptism We are grateful for technology and the ability to tune in from far away to special events in our family's lives.  We were so happy to be able to watch our grand daughter being baptized and then to visit a little with those in attendance.  It is really awesome when I think back at the time our children were on missions and we had snail mail and then email, the call on Christmas and Mother's Day.  Moms just don't have that same excitement now because they can talk to their missionary every week. I am glad they can! May the 4th...our cute little Ewok grand daughter Athen's Cemetery We needed a break from the computer and got on the metro to see Athen's Cemetery.  It is the first cemetery in Athens and has many important people buried here.  It is one of the largest cemeteries in Europe.  Everything was marble and I mean everything.  Not the trees.  Plaka Above my head is the Acropolis.  Down below lies the historic Plaka and neighborhoods.  The roads are narrow and homes are clustered together.  There are no big apartment buildings. It is a lot like Santorini with white washed walls and blue doors.   This will be my first Mother's Day away from home.  I always had my mom to celebrate until 2 years ago.  I have loved being a mom.  It is better than I ever thought it would be when I was single, pregnant, or with 4 kids under 5 with cloth diapers.  It's the best deal ever beside Kim.  My mom is holding me.  She made all our clothes and they were beautiful like her!