Greecian Memories

So many of my friends and family made it possible for me to go to Greece and be a part of the Romanian Student Leadership Retreat with their support and prayers.

It was an incredible mission trip and life changing for everyone that took part. It is inspiring to spend ten days with people that are trusting Christ for everything in their life and who do not take their faith, their ability to worship, or the responsibility to share the good news of Jesus for granted. It is challenging and wonderful all at once. I certainly learned more than I imparted during the time in Greece. My team was incredible. Fun, cohesive, hilarious, flexible, compassionate and hard working. I couldn't have asked for better. The picture to the left was at the ruins of one of the early churches of Christianity in Philippi, Greece. Savannah found me sitting and trying to soak up the fact of where I was and what I was experiencing and I am thankful she thought to take a picture for me. It was unreal to stand in a place that I have been reading about since childhood. I realize that I am sentimental, but to stand where authors of books of the Bible once walked is moving to me. Though I suffered from jet lag coming back, my faith was energized by the places I was able to visit, the stories of Christ and His life change occurring, and the sheer faithfulness of the Romanian students. Thank you to all my supporters for helping to make that happen!


Here are a few of my personal highlights from the trip:

- Arriving in Greece, a country I've never visited before

- Traveling north to a beach side city on the Aegean Sea

- Hearing familiar worship songs sung in Romanian
- Eating hazelnut crepes at the Ice Factory

- Seeing the sunrise over the sea

- Riding a midnight train to Athens from Thessaloniki

- Seeing the Parthenon at dawn
- Hearing Paul's words recited 2,000 years later at the very spot he spoke them to the Athenian people

- Shopping in the Athen's flea market

- Playing beach volleyball on a mission trip
- Staying up late with my Romanian roommate, Simona
- Seeing the power of prayer in front of my eyes
- Spending time with 9 other Americans and loving every minute of it
- Listening to the Romanians share their love for Jesus and why they press on in a dark country
- Watching Steven and Marcus have a "walk off"
- Having three Romanians passionately pray over me in their native tongue
- Babysitting little Anita so her parents could attend the teaching sessions
- Early morning prayer group with the Americans and Romanian leaders
- Piling ten people into a 9-person Fiat van with Steven at the helm
- Careening around steep curves in Kavala and driving in the "3rd lane"
- Stopping on the side of the road to take a picture and Andrew "stepping in it"
- Discovering Philippi, Greece and the church ruins there
- Taking a group picture with a random dog in the castle in the Kavala
- Partially rooming with Anna and Savannah
- Sitting between Marcus and Steven on the airplane ride home
- Tuning out Marcus and Steven with noise-canceling headphones and a comfy neck pillow...and maybe some Ambien...
- Mom and Dad picking me up at the airport and taking me to Slopes bbq to celebrate being home!

Click here for the multitude of pictures I took!