For Your Trash

γα τα σκουπιδια
"For your trash."

Sorry for the long hiatus, but we spent the last week in Volos, a city about four hours from Athens. As Meletis, the pastor there, said, "We are washing the feet of Volos." We were welcomed into his family and his church, but all we wanted to do was serve them. I know that we will spend this whole trip wanting to serve others, but being served so much greater in return.

We picked up trash around Volos for three days, and we spent one afternoon passing out bags at a busy intersection, hoping that instead of throwing their trash out the car window, they would put it into the bag and then put the bag in a garbage can. We would walk up to car windows, say "γα τα σκουπιδια" (the only phrase Meletis taught us), hand them a bag, and hope that they understood. We handed out 2500 bags in just a couple of hours. It was amazing what kind of response we received. There were people who turned the bags down, but they were greatly overshadowed by the many more who were thrilled to have something for their trash. The bags were also an advertisement for the Greek Evangelical Church in Volos. We picked up trash on beaches, in parks, and along the side of the road. We were honked at in appreciation quite often. Meletis has a uniquely congenial relationship with the Orthodox Church in town, so we were never criticized for our work. The last day, a man walked up the other side of the fence we were cleaning and invited us to see the archeological dig that was happening on his property. It was an amazing gift.

The Team. Trevin, Rachel, Camille, Elise, Joanna, me, and Tyler on top. After day one of trash pickup.

Our view while picking up trash on day one.

Throughout the week, we formed pretty close relationships with Meletis' children and the other youth in the church. Our second night in Volos, we joined the youth to watch Fiddler on the Roof. We haven't stopped singing "If I Were a Rich Man" since.

On Sunday we joined for worship at the Greek Evangelical Church in Volos. Angela, Meletis' wife, is from Massachusetts, and she graciously translated for us through headsets. It was nice to be able to understand the sermon this time. That morning was also the first time that we have taken communion since our arrival here. It's always an adjustment to learn how different churches take the sacraments, but we just observed and followed along. After lunch, we headed to a little church about two hours from Volos. It's in a village called Karditso, which means "little heart". It's right in the center of Greece. They congregation there is seven people large, and the average age is about 70. Only four years ago did the church start up again. They had been facing so much persecution in the past, that the congregation that had been around fell apart. Every time they would meet, people would throw rocks at the windows. They don't have a pastor though. Pastors from the surrounding areas take turns driving out there. There is a book store in the village that needs someone to run it. Whoever runs the book store will pastor the tiny church. Pray that God will find the right person for that job. Instead of a sermon that night, Rachel, Camille, and Trevin gave their testimonies. It's difficult to give a testimony here because we have to pause after every phrase to allow for translation. These three did an incredible job! The congregation appreciated having us there and sharing with them.

After our second day of picking up trash, we headed to the beach for some much needed relaxation. We may or may not have eaten gelato twice that day...    :)

On our final day of trash pickup, we only worked in a small park on the beach. We collected at least 50 bags of trash in that one area. We didn't even make a dent in the trash that was there. We ran out of garbage bags and had to quit. It's amazing that there can be so little concern for clean streets and beaches in such a beautiful part of the world, of God's creation. I'm becoming so much more aware of how I'm treating this earth that doesn't belong to me.

Before Wednesday night Bible study at the church, Meletis took us to Meteora, a fantastic part of Greece. It's home to many monasteries, 11 of which are still in operation today. These monasteries are suspended on rocks that jut straight up out of the ground. I have no idea how high up they are, but it's high. It's how steep the rocks are that is the most impressive. It definitely makes one wonder about how monks ever got to the top to build in the first place. Meteora was actually the first place we went when I came to Greece on vacation two years ago. Had you told me then that two years later I would be spending the summer serving the people of Greece, I would have laughed. It's always been a dream of mine to be here doing God's work, but I never really thought it would become a reality. God works in mysterious and wondrous ways, and I am thankful that He has given me this opportunity and provided me with such amazing support. On Wednesday night, Tyler, Elise, and I shared our testimonies, once again allowing for translation. I was very afraid to do it. I have never shared my testimony, and I don't particularly like it either. But I had it written down so that I wouldn't get nervous or confused. God definitely pulled me through.

After Volos, we returned not to Peireas, but to the Bible Institute in Pikermi, outside of Athens. Our mentors, Christi and Jaimeson were here to meet us. They had only made it to Greece the day before because their school is on the quarter system and had finals in June. Friday night we were blessed enough to attend the wedding of two members of First Greek Evangelical Church here in Athens. It was a packed wedding, with a wonderful sermon (again we had translator headsets) and gorgeous ceremony. We felt like a part of something powerful.

We have been given a better idea of what we will do for the remainder of our time, but everything is subject to change. We will mostly be working with youth by helping out at the festivals, basketball tournaments, and running the teens camp at Kalamos our last week here. Today was our first day of attempting to clean at Kalamos. The whole camp is open air, so a year's worth of dirt and pollen was caked onto the floor of each cabin. We spent today sweeping. We will return to continue cleaning every Saturday for the rest of the month.

Our final team member, Emily, should be joining us any day now. The plan is for her to be on a flight arriving in Athens on Monday night. Please be praying for safe travels and efficient preparations for her. We are all very excited to have a complete team finally!

God has been showing me so much of His heart, really breaking my heart for what breaks His. As Americans, we have it easy. The evangelicals in Greece are deemed heretics by everyone (because almost everyone is Greek Orthodox). Even in Greece, we interns don't face much persecution. We aren't heretics because we are Americans and they expect us to be protestants. But they think that evangelicals are going against their people and their ancestors and their culture by not being Orthodox. Pray for these people, for the evangelicals and the orthodox. Meletis asked every day we picked up trash for forgiveness for those who created the mess. What an example of hope and faith!

After church tomorrow we will be picking up trash in Mars Hill. You should all read Acts 17 in support and preparation.

σ'αγαπω
"I love you"


Feel free to follow along with Elise, Tyler, Camille, or Emily. If you'd like to see more photos from our time in Volos, click here. It is the blog of one of the youth at the church in Volos. His name is Alex, and he picked up trash with us every day.