Day Three
Wednesday, 1:15am
Well here I am, wee hours of the morning, having a drink of coke and testing the rumour that Greece’s chocolate is to die for; well the chocolate covered cherry is good but this rumour needs further investigating.
With this quiet time I am able to reflect on the last two days and prepare for the next nine days with prayer and to also brush up on my sign language. We are going to the square for 10:30am which I believe is the hub of this city.
There are so many dogs and cats hanging/laying around and roaming the streets. We’ve been told to be aware of the dogs as they may bark and/or bite us. If out walking then we are to carry a big stick and when out delivering the gospel, then use what ever you can grab. As you can imagine at one point I will encounter one of these brutes and I do, the same day. I was coming out from an apt. building when from behind the vehicle a big black dog starts to bark at me and coming towards me. My first reaction is I scream and then think “I don’t want to use my new Canadian Navy back pack to beat the dog” but as God would have it, my scream stopped the dog’s barking and from coming any nearer so we both go merrily on our way although I do keep the dog in my peripheral vision and walk around every laying dog I come across.
11:11pm
What a day. After going back to bed at 4am I was up by 9am and ready for street preaching, sign holding and passing out the gospel of John by 10:30am. The morning was nice and fresh but by the time we hit the “Plataya” at 11:30am it was warming up. I found this morning to be quiet and that although many refused the gospel, they were respectful enough. Just had their noses in the air and ignored us. The older men were more friendly and few would stop and talk. While the singing, preaching and verses being said, I would sign hoping maybe someone would come forward but not today; maybe another day. Seista begins at 2:00pm so with a hand full of tracts left from approx. 1200, we were wiped.
Exhausted but not that exhausted we went through the markets, tried the Bagosta, had the gypsies try to charm us out of our money 🙂 and waked, shopped and ate for 6 hours!! My legs were rebelling everytime I had to exit the vehicle. Angelo was every inch the host; taking care of our site seeing needs, hunger needs, and souvenir needs. We toured the wall/fortress which is the highest point in Thessaloniki, the White Tower by the Aegean Sea and saw Alexander the Great in mid-restoration; restoration ceased about five years ago due to no money. Yet, the streets were full of people eating and drinking with the streets also full of vehicles driving to places to go eat and drink!? Which by the way, we did stop at Star Bucks for a coffee break and while resting everyone tooks turns giving their testimony of salvation. What a wonderful time. Angelo said that anyone could put their testimony on eternity.org.au and read other testimonies as well. Angelo’s is on there and I recommend for anyone to read his. What a blessing.
While walking along the Aegean Sea, I had made eye contact with two ladies and said Yasas (hello). They began to speak so I called Angelo and he began to witness to them. They were J.W.’s who were not interested in the gospel. They kept the tract tho and it was no coincidence that of all the people we passed, it was those two ladies that wanted to speak.
By the time 8pm rolled around it was time to go; the weather had become a cool +20C so with that we headed back to the house for food, some fellowship and bed 🙂
Tomorrow is the square for more preaching, street signing and passing out the gospel.
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4:04pm
Wed. April 10
At 7:15am the click of the breaker, to heat the water tank for showers, began our day, somewhat. Knowing we weren’t leaving until 10:30am to letter box made getting out of bed s l o w. 🙂
Had a great sleep with few snoring interruptions.
The house we are staying in is wonderful; a balcony out of every room to enjoy the beautiful weather, marble staircase, awesome water pressure and an excellent bed to sleep in.
No bars on the windows like Zambia but metal blinds that are opened and closed from the inside.
While having my time with the Lord and Tim Horton; I began to think on Br. Angelo’s testimony that he shared with us last night. WOW! Has God ever been good to him in taking him from what he lived. You can feel Br. Angelo’s love and gratefulness to the Lord for what He has done for him.
After a quick breakfast we were off to Br. Logan’s for boxes of John. We were all excited to see what the day would bring.
By 10:50am, Elisabeth and I were off with Br. Logan to letter box in the lower income apartments while Br. Angelo, Laura M. & her son David went of to a different area of the city.
By 1:40pm Elisabeth and I delivered approx. 900 books of John; total combined appox. 1800-2000
I was able to converse a little with three school girls; after my complimenting their English, they were more accepting of taking the gospel of John.
The steps here are a little different than Canada. The bottom step will be narrowerer and look the same as the sidewalk so when I stepped off of one, I went right over on my ankle. I was so thankful that no damage was done and found out later that someone from a different team had broken their ankle. God is good!
By 3pm we were back home having lunch and resting up for church tonight. Elisabeth and I both bought “things” from the grocery store and we ate her “pastry with feta cheese in the middle” thing. Not much flavour but filled the void none the less and of course the coke went down good.
We left for church at 6:20pm. and drove into the city. Service began a half an hour later due to Corinna not being able to get to service until 7:30pm. Br. Logan preached on God’s Will-Submission; part of a series on knowing God’s will for your life. Telemachus, Corinna, Kayode and his friend from Afghan. were in attendence.
All in all it was a great day. Tired and happy.
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Day One
Tuesday, 8:55pm
Greetings from Thessaloniki,
Made it!! All flights went really well.We all prayed in Frankfurt before going to our final destination.
How exciting it was to finally make it, to have Brothers Logan and Angelo greet us at the airport.
We stopped at the house to drop off luggage, freshen up and then off to Carrefour, kindof a Walmart, to do some shopping. Passed on the octopus but yes to the coke, so I wouldn’t get Canada sick.
Back home to rest before going to the Logan’s for supper and what a supper! Mostly Greek dishes, the Lemon and Molasses cookies were good too. Mrs Logan is an awesome cook. We were having a lovely visit on the couch as they did not want us going to bed too early, but then I began to nod off and when Angelo said “when you ladies are ready we can go,” I thought it a good idea.
We walked back to the house from the Logan’s as it was a beautiful night out.
I am very much ready to sleep as our day on the streets will begin at 10:30am.
