Reflecting Back on Greece

As I look back over the past few months, I stand amazed at all God has allowed me to do and all God has done. Last time we spoke I was preparing to leave the country to travel to the distant lands of Greece! I had no idea what I was getting into but looking back I see how God has faithfully directed my paths to where he needed me to be.
I left for Greece on the 16th of June and stayed through the 5th of August. I learned that it is good to be flexible. When I entered Greece I thought I would be leading volleyball camps, but God had other plans. I played some volleyball, but I also played basketball, ping pong, soccer, football, Frisbee, and many other sports! Basically, God had a wild summer planned for me and I absolutely loved it.
During the first week and the last week, I did sports outreach by going to a park and a beach and starting up ad hoc games of basketball and volleyball. On breaks between games my team members and I would try to start conversations about God. Sometimes we used skits and testimonies to get peoples attention. It was wonderful! I learned a lot about sports evangelism during my time there as I had expected, but what I didn’t see was what was coming up next.
For the next five weeks I was transported to three different Christian camps within Greece. Upon my arrival at each camp, I knew almost nothing: who would be there, if there were any Americans, what I was supposed to do, where I was even going to sleep or what God would have me do there. There were times I was scared about what was next but God always showed himself faithful. As my Greek mom was driving me to the first camp, I prayed, “God please just give me one friend, someone I can talk to.” When I arrived at this camp it was filled with Americans, many sharing my heart for missions. I met one girl about my age who quickly became a kindred spirit even though we were raised in completely different sides of the world, she being from Iceland of all places! One night we stayed up talking until 3 a.m. as we watched red-orange lightning hit the Aegean Sea in the distance. God had answered my prayer for a friend and abundantly provided everything else I needed along the way.
At every new camp I realized I had to ask God what he wanted me to do. He opened up opportunities for me to play with the kids, serve in the kitchen and even share my faith with some of the other workers. I saw that it doesn’t matter what you do as long as it is done in love. As I worked in the kitchen scrubbing off the caked-on grease, as I sang silly songs in front of over a hundred people, as I taught young girls how to play volleyball I realized that only when something is done in love does it carry the touch of Jesus. In was in these activities that God allowed me to minister to others.
Along with sightseeing I was able to see much of the country too. God blessed me with the chance to go to a Greek island, see the Acropolis and the Parthenon, walk the ancient streets of Corinth and Philipi where Paul walked, and climb part of Mount Olympus. He opened doors of communication and allowed me to learn bits of the Greek language. He also allowed me to build strong relationships with the Greek people. I ate mountains of Greek food, which by the way is so delicious! I learned a lot about myself through this experience and I know that, by the grace of God, he used me to touch lives in Greece as well.
Thank you so much for all your support, prayers and encouragement. It really means a lot to know that I have people lifting me up and supporting me in all the crazy places that God seems to take me. I hope you enjoy the pictures! I hope you are enjoying the lovely fall weather and that God continues to richly bless you along your life’s journey!