I already miss Greece, and it has only been one week.

Time flies.

The way I can adjust and find a routine so quickly amazes me. It's a blessing and curse.

My trip felt long and permanent. And now I am back in the states and moving on with life. I have been telling family and friends all about what I learned and what I saw, but talking about it isn't enough. I wish people could see for themselves and truly understand everything that I try to express through words.


At least I have hundreds and hundreds of photos!

The view from the top of The Temple of Athena.








We spent some of our free time visiting the Acropolis. We were right next to the Parthenon and the Theater of Dionysus. I never imagined it being so huge!

It really was magnificent.






The bond between our team was strong and powerful. We spent two weeks seeing each others personalities in a whole new setting. I realize now that a team like ours is one of a kind. Living together and going through the emotional roller coasters of a mission trip brought us on a whole new level or friendship. These are the people who were with me during one of the most influential and important experiences of my life.

One person who I would have been lost without is Haley Pearson. She was my other half during those two weeks. It was such a blessing to have her with me the whole way through.









And finally,

This is one of my favorite streets in Greece....




And this is the cute little Greek coffee shop we visited

We ate some delicious food in Greece:
Treats from the bakery







Fresh fruit from the market









An Iranian meal







Greek Salad







Cheesy Pasta







Gelato







Greek chicken casserole







Baba Ganoush, cherries, and Greek dip











Chocolate filled pretzels











...More fruit from the stand













We had a variety of meals. We ate dinners at the full-time team members houses. We went out to Greek restaurants. We ordered pizza, grabbed gyros for a quick bite, and we even did some of our own cooking. I enjoyed trying all the new things.

I do have to say that I am thankful for our coffee in America. Every time I tried to order a latte, it never turned out right. It's also impossible to get peanut butter in Greece, and they don't use ice in beverages. That was very hard to get used to. One of the first things I had when I came home was Dr. Pepper with ice, and toast with peanut butter!

I discovered some interesting things in Greece.
We had a lot of free time outside of our ministry, and we took advantage of it. Since the ARC was only open on the weekdays from 11:00-4:30, we had all of our evenings and weekends open to sight see, eat out, and spend time with the full-time Helping Hands team.

A little girl playing her music on our way to the Acropolis


This turtle was taking a stroll around the Roman Agora


Greeks use sidewalks for parking, not for walking


birds giving their love to the man and his grandson


people practicing their religion


The Olympic Stadium



The magnificent view of our neighborhood

My time in Greece has ended. The trip was the best experience of my life, and I already miss everything about it.

After serving the refugees and meeting some amazing people, I realized how big God was and how powerful His love is. All of us talked about how much God changed our hearts and made us realize that our plans for the trip were shut down because God had something else in mind. I learned to trust Him and to see beauty where I never thought it could be.

We were learning everything about the culture of people from Afghanistan and Iran. We got to see who these people were through this ministry. Putting faces to our information made it completely eye opening. I can say that I have such a new respect and appreciation for Afghan women after working at the ARC.

I made a strong bond with an Afghan girl named Tahereh. Her story of how she came from Afghanistan to Iran and then to Greece taught me so much about the life of a refugee, and how much they go through just to have freedom. They fight everyday for their life. They aren't treated like humans by the world, and they can feel like they don't have an identity. I was able to give Tahereh love and show her that she was a beautiful person who deserved so much more than she had been given.



I also spent a lot of time with a little girl named Nikita. She is adorable, and I loved being able to see her interact with everyone. Her Mother is a perfect example of how much God can transform a life. She was an Afghan woman who was fully covered all the time. She was shy and quiet. She never smiled, and she lived in fear. Then she met Jesus, and she turned into a new woman. Now she is lively, happy, and glowing. I never have seen her without a smile. Her hair is cut, and she never wears a head scarf. She lives a life for Christ and she is not afraid of who she is. She is finally free.

I MADE IT TO GREECE!
After many long hours in the Boston and Paris airport, we have finally arrived to our final destination. We have been here two full days and it has been amazing all the way. The full time team here has been helping us and showing us what we will be doing for the next few weeks. Their ministry is called Helping Hands, and it is all about working with refugees who are in transition in Greece. Helping Hands is located in downtown Athens in a building called the ARC. They use one floor of the building for the ministry, which has a large open room, a kitchen, baby room, children room, clothes room, showers, and eating area. The refugees are mainly Arabic and Farsi speaking people who have been rejected by society. They are searching for acceptance and a place where they can live and be free. They come to Helping Hands for the fellowship, community, and love. They are offered food, clothes, showers, tea, English classes, children's ministry, and programs and services about Christ.

We have been working with the full time team here in Athens, and we are so thankful to be here and be a part of something that is bigger than ourselves. So far we have met some wonderful people. We can see how God is using this ministry to bring these refugees to Him. We have even learned some Farsi already!



Our beautiful team



Some of the ladies



A street in Athens



A few youngsters we met while doing the kids carnival at the ARC.

This weekend I have been sick with a fever and cold. Of course this happened three days before I leave on my mission trip to Greece. Praise God that I am now back to my normal healthy self other than a minor sore throat.

Since I was parked on the couch and in bed all weekend, I was unable to be productive and do the things I wanted to do before I leave. But I did get to spend some time at home and away from my typical fast paced life.

I do have to say that my wonderful boyfriend drove from Marion to Battle Creek yesterday just to take care of me while I was sick. He did this even though we were all going back to Marion today.

Now I am all packed and ready to leave at 5:00am tomorrow. With a twelve hour flight I will have plenty of time to rest. I am also very thrilled that we will have a layover in Paris! It will only be a few hours, but I am hoping I can catch a glimpse of the city.

I wish I knew what to expect in Greece. I know the basics of our mission, but really I have no idea what our schedule will be like. I don't know what we will be doing from day to day, and the uncertainty is going to be such a good lesson for me. I need to learn how not to plan. I need to be content with following someone and letting things happen. I know it will be dangerous and foreign, but I also know that we will be protected. Our purpose is God's purpose, so why should we be afraid? There isn't a worry in my mind, and there shouldn't be.

This trip is going to change my life. I will return with new and opened eyes.



Our team is going to have some internet access, and I am told we will be able to update our team blog:

http://toathensgreece2010.blogspot.com/


We will be working with a missions organization, International Teams, and these are some websites that give information about what we will be doing in Athens:

http://refmin.iteams.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=35%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20www.helpinghands.gr/en/default.htm

http://iteams.org/wws/europe/athens.shtml

http://neazoi.org/


Each year, an estimated 600,000
to 800,000 people are trafficked
across international borders (some
international organizations place
the number far higher), and the
trade is growing.

Of the people trafficked across
international borders, 70% are
female and 50% are children.
The majority of these victims are
forced into the commercial sex
trade.

Today was the familiar road trip from Marion to Battle Creek. Jordan was behind the wheel, and Michael Pattengale joined us on our adventure.

We spent two hours listening to music and enjoying the beautiful weather. It really was a perfect day for a drive.











I have done this trip so many times now, and it is so comforting to watch the scenery change. Starting out with cornfields and farms in Indiana and ending up with never ending green trees in Michigan. Every landmark is familiar. We pass the same places, each one bringing back memories from the past year.






The Dowell family living room is the place for endless conversation. It is hard to get away from that couch sometimes. We can sit in there for hours talking and drinking several pots of coffee.

Tonight was the standard update about jobs, school, and summer plans.
My Dad is always asking detailed questions. They are the type of questions no one would ever think to ask.





I will be home until Sunday, and then I will be on the road back to Marion again.
From there I will leave for Greece Monday morning!!


I am used to coming home and going back to work at Applebees. I honestly don't know what life is like without that place. I have worked there since I was sixteen. I have made some true friends and met some amazing people. I learned so much from working there, and I can see how much I have changed and grown since I was hired as a High School teenager. It's funny to think about all the employees that have come and gone. I remember each year and how different the environment was depending on the staff. Things were always changing. And now I will never be a part of it. But I am happy to say that as great as it was, I am moving on. This summer will be a start of something new and exciting.



This week I am dedicated to relaxation. I can catch up on sleep, research Greece and spend time with friends and family.

I am happy to finally have my own blog.
I want to share my life with the people I love and the people I never get to see. Lately my life has been hectic, but summer is near and I will have the chance to write more.

Currently I am getting ready to head into finals week at IWU. Thankfully I only have three actual tests because of my two take home finals. I am proud to say that this year I have gotten rid of my procrastination study habits. Because of this, I was able to spend the Sunday afternoon lounging and watching television. Tonight was LOST and Celebrity Apprentice.

Soon I will be packing up all of my belongings and storing them in the Shepherd household for the week. Once Saturday arrives I will be moving into my new house for the summer! I can't wait to live with two other girls in a cute little house in Marion, and only $100 each for 4 months. We are slowly gathering supplies for the house, but we will be needing some decorations to give it some life. I am most excited to have the opportunity to learn to cook!

As exciting as it all is, there is a part of me that is sad to leave the people I have grown so close to. College is half way done already, and it has really gone by fast. This year alone has been filled with so many memories.







I will be needing these next few weeks to get ready for the even bigger event ahead. My mission trip to Greece is two weeks away. I still need to do a ton of research about the country and the cultures we will be around. I want to devote my time to prayer and preparation. It still hasn't hit me that I will be working with war refugees and sex trafficking victims in Greece. I can't even start to imagine what that will be like. All I know is that God has big plans. My team is amazing and we are all so united in this mission. We are overwhelmingly thankful for the people who have supported this trip. It has already been a journey and we haven't even left yet.