Thoughts from Liz

Hello all! 
I know this is late in coming and I'm sorry I haven't done too much to update lately. Wifi is existent but semi-spotty and it's been such a good, strange, tiring, different, yet wonderful trip. It's hard to sum up everything that has happened!! 

First off I want to say thank you for your prayers. I honestly know that we couldn't have gotten through without your faithfulness and your kindness in lifting all of us up in prayer...man what a week this has been....I think I'm going to try a bit of a journaling exercise that you will all be privy to as I process this out called "what I thought vs reality vs how I saw God" - long, cumbersome title. I know.  

Here we go!

What I thought: 
Refugees by the multitudes banging down our doors with inexplicable hurts and needs 
Reality: 
Slow days, organizing, prayer time, team unity time, encouragement of others time, some refugees
How I saw God:
God answered our prayers for team unity in INCREDIBLE ways. He brought two teams together comprised of so many different people and personalities. Not only was there seriously NO DRAMA there was a love and connection that could only come by the Holy Spirit's work. 

What I thought: 
We would be the hands and feet for the refugees
Reality: 
We were...but also, 
How I saw God: 
The ministry God called us to was MUCH more far reaching than we could have possibly imagined. Not only did we get to serve some refugees but it was a distinct privilege to bolster and encourage the longer term missionaries and leaders and workers and Greek people who have been at this work for MONTHS ON END WITH NO BREAK. Who are we to come in and think it's all about us and how many "refugees" we can effect when there are so so many who have been steadfastly serving all around the island. Our team leader said to think of this as a three-legged stool...the refugees, the volunteers, and the Greek people. If it weren't for one of these groups the whole thing would collapse and so our efforts really were toward serving and encouraging these three sectors of people. It's crazy how God did this. I even had an amazing talk on the plane with a woman who had been serving for a month and was just now heading home to Switzerland!  Servant leadership is at the heart of all of this. It's not the glamorous jobs where cameras follow you around documenting your every move, but the behind the scenes, dirty work that needed to be done. The entering in and listening to the stories of everyone on the island not just the refugees who came for a better life. 

What I thought: 
I would meet a tooooon of Syrian, Iraqi, and Pakistani families. 
Reality: 
I met some Syrian, Iraqi, and Pakistani families, but also people from around the world. England, Ireland, Australia, Switzerland, Greece, Italy, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Hungary, Sweden, Netherlands, New Zealand. Everyone from everywhere!!! 
How I saw God: 
He is literally bringing together the nations in one place. Seriously. How incredible is that??! All on this tiny island off the coast of Greece/Turkey. Everyone needs Jesus and may we always remember that. 

All in all this trip has exceeded all my expectations and broadened my view of God. He is shaking the world up with this crisis and working in big ways! God's plans are always bigger than our own and we are happy partners with anything He would allow us to do in His name for His people. 

Thank you so so much again for praying. I know there will be more processing as we reflect and settle back into our regular schedules! I will attempt to get a word from everyone up on here in the coming days. 

Thank you thank you thank you! 


Liz 

Beautiful Lesvos.