"Not Having a Plan is Also a Plan..."

I'm coming to realize that the Greeks really don't enjoy working according to a schedule. It's been really difficult to plan our days because we never know when we are going to be needed until that day. Plans and times constantly change and it's crucial that we're flexible - which tends to be a problem for me because I thrive on order. I have a feeling the Lord is going to use this summer to force me to let go of control and relax. The people generally stay out pretty late and, therefore, sleep in later than Americans (which not being a morning person, I can totally get used to). They also take an afternoon siesta from 3 - 5pm which means our ministry work doesn't start until the evening.

We didn't begin our ministry yesterday until 6 pm! We left Pikermi at 4 pm and took two buses and two metros as means into Omonoia where we had orientation for Nea Zoi (New Life) ministry. Nea Zoi seeks to minister to women and men involved in prostitution and trafficking. They offer many services including psychological, social, and spiritual support; information about where to find legal and medical help; and advice and help for people who want to stop working in prostitution. They assist women in obtaining new jobs and offer life-skills classes. This ministry reaches out to prostitutes by consistently meeting them on the streets and in brothels where they work to develop friendships. They do this by passing out drinks, christian literature, and just engaging them in everyday conversation. It sometimes takes years to get a prostitute to even accept a drink or respond to the ministry workers. Nea Zoi has been around for 10 years and has only seen a handful of women and men come out of the industry, but they believe that they are able to show God's love by just having a consistent presence on the streets.

The way our team will be helping this ministry is primarily through prayer support. When on the streets, there must be teams of at least four people - two people praying and being aware of the surroundings while the other two people talk with the prostitute. Our job will mostly be to pray and keep watch, but we may also have the opportunity to participate in conversation with English speaking prostitutes.

There is so much more we learned about the ministry that I want to share, but I will have to do it another time because lunch is soon and I must not be late. After lunch, we are heading to the university in Athens to conduct research among students to aid in church planting.

Please be praying that everything we do (even the most seemingly insignifcant work) will be done for Christ. Sometimes it's difficult to get excited about work that doesn't particularly interest you or seems nominal in nature, but I know God will use all of our assignments to grow us in him. I pray that I will remember that I am here to serve and that I will be able to easily put aside my selfishishness that feels entitled to participate in certain types of ministry work.