Change your place, Change your pace, Change your perspective.

Greece. Change your place, change your pace, change your perspective. 

Fresh off the plane from a 10-day trip to Thessaloniki, Greece and Cyprus. The jetlag is kicking in and I have been awake since 3;30am am. I decided to stop fighting it and get up and make good use of my time. I will be drinking ALL the coffee today. There are so many things I want to share with you from this trip…so many stories. My prayer is always God uses my blog for his glory, and I pray it stirs something in my readers. 

“Change your place, change your pace, change your perspective” was heard many times from our missionary leader in Greece. It was one of the first things he spoke to us and as the days went on, the truth of those words rang in my ears. 

We began in Thessaloniki with the “Walk for Freedom” with the A21 Campaign. A21 fights human trafficking. This was one of the reason this trip tugged at my heart. I will never forget the day 9 years ago when I first learned about human trafficking, I will never forget that there are more in slavery today than ever before. That there are over 27 million in slavery and 2 million of those are children. The average victim is 12 years old. Of those numbers, only 1-2% are ever rescued. 

These statistics are not ok. They break my heart. But as Christine Caine has said, compassion is action. I can’t just feel bad about it and do nothing. I support groups like A21 and IJM, using my time, talent, and money as I am able. I have gone to Washington DC to lobby for change. It’s easy to think that this is some other country’s problem. But it’s happening in your own backyard, in your city.  

As we walked the streets to bring awareness to human trafficking, I prayed for Thessaloniki; that more are found, more are rescued, and more operations are shut down. After the walk was over, we were approached by a small girl, maybe 6 or 7, asking for money. She had a big scar on her face that almost looked like it was from a burn. There was something in her eyes that seemed so far off to me, almost dead…like she wasn’t there. We were informed that there are many children there that they are basically trafficked to beg for money. They injure or hurt them to gain more sympathy. Even though I know these things occur, seeing it, seeing her, broke me. The enemy is so pathetic that he goes after the innocent and the vulnerable. 

We spent one day in Greece, then headed to Cyprus. If you’re like me, you don’t really know anything about Cyprus. I assumed it was part of Greece. But I was mistaken. I quickly learned that the people of Cyprus feel like they live in a forgotten country. The island is divided with a North and South side created by a painful history of invasion and memories of violence and war. 

We spoke to many who were there, or remembered what happened to their grandparents. There is so much hurt and division. I can't help but think that satan is not too creative. It's the same lie of hate and division he has spread throughout time. It's the same spirit of hate that lives along with fear and creates division with war, racism, and politics. The North side is Muslim and the south is Greek Orthodox. It feels like two different countries. We walked the north side and heard stories of the past, feeling the oppression and the loss. The history seems complex and everyone we spoke to seemed to have a different version of the troubling story. 

Flag of the North side on the mountain

Walking the North side

A sign we saw in Greece. 

A sign that sits near the borders. 

At one point, the missionary leaders told us some of the history. He spoke a little of the refugees and I will never forget his words. As Christians we have often prayed to reach the unreachable in the places that will never have a chance to hear about Jesus. I remember as a kid growing up in church, hearing from missionaries and having our church pray for the unreachable. In a way, our prayers are being answered. They are showing up on our shores in the thousands. I wonder how many people who prayed those prayers are now saying “No Vacancy Here.” People are broken, weary, and looking for something more. This is our moment to embrace them, to be Jesus to them, and be the kind of Christians that will be impactful in reaching out to them. Let’s not build walls, and shut our doors. Let’s show them the love of Jesus. 

While we were on Cyprus some of us helped out with some construction projects. Some of us went onto the College campus to get to know the culture and really just build relationships. That is how our missionaries work. They “do life” with the people they are trying to reach. At first I was a little nervous to just walk up to complete strangers and start a conversation. The Lord knows I can talk and have more words than necessary. But getting the ball rolling seemed awkward to me at first. 

I decided to embrace the awkward. And it went better than I expected. 

It was fascinating to talk with others - to hear how they viewed us, what their family dynamic and views of religion are like. My favorites to talk with were the freshman girls. My mama heart just went out to them. The first year in school, away from home, trying to figure out what you want to do for school. I remember those years, and the excitement and yet the feeling of being lost. 

My favorite question to ask them was “what would be your dream job, if you could do anything in the world?” I loved to see their faces light up as they talked about what they wanted to do and where they wanted to live. See, they may be halfway across the world and seem so different, but really they aren’t that different from us. They have hopes, dreams, and ideas. And they have a longing for something more. One of the things our missionary said was that it may not seem like a big thing talking with people, but he challenged us to ask their names and pray for them…you may be the only person who ever says a prayer for them. That made an impact on me. I know the power of prayer, how it has shaped me, and I am here and who I am because of the prayers that were said for me.

Some of the new friends we made! 

On this trip there was a verse that really stuck out to me found in Psalms 51;12 “Restore the Joy of my salvation to me, and give me a willing spirit.” 

This is what God did for me on this trip, I have always been glad I know Jesus and thankful for what he did for me. But I have forgotten what a privilege I have that I live in a place where I have always known his name and that I will not be persecuted for my faith; or disowned by my family and friends if I choose to follow Jesus. I know that life is better with Jesus and that there is healing with him. That he can heal and restore when we do not see a way. What is impossible for us is possible for him. 

I’ve seen this firsthand in my life and especially in my marriage. 

It’s hard to see a way for reconciliation between the two sides of Cyprus. But I know with Jesus all things are possible. I have a new joy of my salvation. I pray for a willing spirit. A willing spirit not just in what we view to be the big things, but in the small things as well. A willing spirt amongst the mundane days of my life; in stopping to talk with people, in building relationships, in listening to that small voice to stop and pray or helping others. 

See, I always thought my heart was global. My prayer has always been to let my heart break for what breaks God’s. But I came home with my heart being more missional. I need to live in a way that brings light to others and remember that every moment can matter. We can do that right here, every day. 

Coincidentally, on my first day home I was back at my Target (my second home). The cashier commented on how she hasn’t seen me for a while. This is when you realize you are here too much. In my defense, I often come with as a party of 5 and we seem to be a memorable group. But today I learned that she was from Syria and she still has a sister and most of her family there. We talked briefly about church and about war. My kids asked me in front of her, “Is this your friend, mom?” “She is now,” I said. 

I see her there all the time. She works a lot. I will be choosing her line more and keep that conversation going. My heart breaks for her - being torn from your world, leaving family behind. The verse Psalms 51:12-13 goes on to say that “Restore the joy of my salvation, and give me a willing spirit. Then I will teach the rebellious your ways and the sinners will return to you.”

We have divine appointments all around us. Our interactions each day affect those around us. I pray I keep that boldness, exude the joy of my Jesus, and that my eyes and ears are open each day to those around me. 

I had one other cool thing I have to share as well…

On our last day, we were back in Thessaloniki. We drove out to Philippi, the ancient city you can read about in Acts 16. It’s one of my favorite stories in the Bible - when Paul and Silas are thrown into jail. There was an earthquake and they could have walked right out. But instead, they bring the guard to faith. Again our missionary with gave us some great perspective in this story.

In later chapters, Paul goes on and when stopped again he uses his Roman citizenship to help him. What’s interesting is that he could have done that in  the Philippi situation as well. But he did not. He chose to be beaten, broken, and jailed for the glory of God. He said that sometimes we have to lay down our rights or privilege for others to see God or for others to come to faith. I love when you can read the Bible your whole life and never see it like that. 

As we walked through what was once the marketplace in Philippi, I had the strongest feeling of Déjà vu; like nothing I have ever had. Then I remembered the dream I had many months ago, when going to Greece was just a small thought in my head. I had a dream that I was walking through ruins with people I did not know. In my dream, I was worried about snakes. I wasn’t afraid, though. I remember thinking it was an odd dream. I wrote it in my journal and thought maybe I was supposed to go to Greece. That moment walking through, I had been there before. The worry of snakes came from the children we were with who kept saying they had seen snakes there. 

Indiana Jones and I have the same phobia. I hate snakes. 

I have no idea why I dreamed of that moment, or what it all means. But for me, it was just a confirmation that I was supposed to be on this trip. 

The River Valley global team at Philippi

The place where Paul was taken captive, go re read Acts 16! Pretty amazing. 

Walking the ruins of Phillipi

One of the guys on our trip said that “Cyprus and Greece were now tattooed on his heart.” I think that is true for all of us. I will never forget the forgotten country, the faces I met, or the stories I heard. I will not forget the modern day apostles I met and the love of Jesus I saw on their faces. I will never forget their willing spirits and the obedience they have in following Jesus. To me they are heroes and I was honored to spend a few days with them. I will never forget the power of prayer or how it felt when praying and worshiping God in a dark place. I will never forget the people on my trip and how God wove together everyone to be there. This trip changed lives within our group. 

So if you’ve been on the fence about going on a trip, I encourage you to just go - change your place, change your pace, change your perspective. 

Such an amazing group of people, loved our team!

Had to share this pic too, the beautiful shores of Cyprus. I have a story to share about this too but that will have to be for another blog.