Living in Greece

A Week in Greece #25: I HAVE A CAT

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On Monday, I had the world’s longest layover in Istanbul (five hours!) on my way back from Cappadocia (check out a video of my weekend here).  Of course, if you’ve been paying attention to the news, you’ll know that on Tuesday, there was a bombing in the Ataturk airport where 40+ people were killed and 200+ people were injured.

I feel…weird about this?  I was one day off and one airport away, but it still feels really close.  I don’t know what the appropriate emotional response to this is, probably because there isn’t one.  I do want to take the time to say, however, that in light of this terrorist attack, PLEASE don’t hate on Muslims as a whole.  Just like there are terrible Christians who use violent Bible passages to murder African Americans or trans-people, there are terrible Muslims who use violent Kuran passages to instill terror in people’s lives. But they are SO not the norm!  The entire weekend in Cappadocia, Muslim men and women who were fasting for Ramadan were so hospitable and kind to us.  Just…don’t let the fear win, yeah?

But back to that title:  I HAVE A CAT!

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A Week in Greece #24: Got My Passion Back

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I’m writing this blog on my phone, so it will be short!

Basically, I’m feeling rejuvenated! This was our second Celebration Week at HD, and we had a team from North Caroline come to teach our program participants how to make leather bracelets. It was so great to talk with Americans (so fast, without worrying if they could understand my vocabulary), and it was lovely to get a break from teaching and catch up on office work. 

In particular, Dina shared a dream with me that made me GIDDY. I don’t know if I can share it yet, but it epitomizes my love of providing extravagantly good gifts to women who have grown used to abuse. I want to do everything possible to make this a reality, and it reminded me of why I love working with HD so much. 

I also got to hang out with “A2” a little more, although we can only communicate through broken Greek (for both of us). We all had a big lunch after the program, and she snuggled into my side, tired of our guests, I think. But it meant so much to me that she’s starting to feel comfortable. And a couple days later just the two of us went out for a hamburger, and it was so fun (and exhausting) to communicate as best we could. 

Yesterday was the graduation ceremony, and once again I was blown away by how much they’ve learned, and how deeply they are internalizing their lessons. “A” made a leather plaque that says “Lack of Trust >> Anger >> Fear >> Lack of Trust.”  These are three different classes, and she personalized them and put them all together on her own. 

“D” told us what she’s learned in our Self-Esteem class, and she confidently told a room full of people that she is kind, giving, and spontaneous, good qualities that took forever for her to identify two weeks ago, because she’s so unused to thinking she has good qualities. 

“A2” made a beautiful painting, but even more touching was how she ushered Luciana and I into her room after the ceremony to show how she’d hung her certificate and medal on her wall, and also she had painstakingly arranged some knickknacks on her desk. She’s making the room her own, and it’s so lovely to see. 

I’ve still got culture shock running through my veins, but I feel SO grateful to work for HD. I honestly love it, and I am NOT ready to leave anytime soon!

Now… A weekend in Turkey with Roy and Idil! But you can read more about that later!

A Week in Greece #23: Still Barely Holding On, but A New Girl in HD!

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I met our newest participant in HD on Sunday.  As (I think) I mentioned before, she is literally right off the streets, and agggghhhh I want to tell her story so badly, but I won’t.  Because it’s her story to tell or not tell, and I won’t violate her privacy so publicly.  Even though I am a selfish person who wants to very badly.

Anyway, she only speaks Romanian, but she painted my nails on Sunday and it was nice.

Then I met up with Natasha, and we hung out downtown for a few hours, eating souvlaki, having coffee with Irini, and buying Greek sandals.  I actually took some pictures, which is why the header is actually unique again this week!

Aaaaand, that was the last time I was social!

I’m dying.   Continue reading →

A Brazilian/Cypriote Wedding in Greece

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The story of my first wedding in Greece starts with me getting hit by a car.

I was dressed in my prettiest dress, feeling unstoppable and confident that the car at the intersection would stop for the pedestrian so obviously striding across the street.  That confidence was misplaced, however, and the car darted in front of me, rolling over my left foot and coming so close that my elbow slammed into the windshield as it passed me by.  I stood in the middle of the road for a moment, gaping at the taillights shrinking in the distance, then continued on.  I had partying to attend to!  Continue reading →

God’s Perfect Timing

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A new woman joined us at HD, and although change always makes us freak out a little, I am overwhelmed by just how good God has been at bringing us new participants at just the right time (for them and for us).

“A” joined us first, and she was the perfect first participant for a bunch of women who desperately wanted to help sexually exploited women but weren’t sure if they were cut out to do so.  “A” escaped from her trafficker years ago, and she joined us out of a hope that she will someday help other women like her.  This means she’s already grown a lot and developed a really healthy sense of self-awareness, so classes went smoothly and our confidence grew in our abilities.

“D” joined us next Continue reading →

A Week in Greece #22: SA Visit Leaves Me Proud But Overwhelmed

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I need a vacation!  I’m running on a tank that is constantly on the edge of empty…not that work is so hard, necessarily, but I’m realizing that it’s very difficult to start a new organization while simultaneously adjusting to living in a new city in a new country with new friends.  I’m tiiiiiired of living abroad, is what I’m complaining.

(Also, it’s summer, and every summer I am not in Peoria makes me extremely homesick, because all the trips! and events! and random parties! ugh)

Not in the sort of way where I’m going to change any of my plans, but in the sort of “life is not easy” way.  Just.  For anyone who is worried/hopeful that this means I will be returning  to the States.  I’m just complaining, nothing more!

Complaining, but honestly?  This week was pretty okay!  It’s just overwhelming (oh man, this post is going to be so one-note emotional, I apologize if that is not your jam).  Continue reading →

One Night Visiting the Streets

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Last week, I went downtown to an area where “hotel” is code for “brothel,” and policemen watch men solicit women on the street without caring.

HD partners with an organization that works in two particular blocks – an organization that is mostly one woman.  Olivia (not her real name) has been working and praying in these streets for two and a half years.  She offers daily programs to prostitutes and gives away baby formula, diapers, and food.  She takes women to the hospital when they have been beaten severely or contracted an STD.  She knows and is known by all the prostitutes, pimps, and madams in the area.  She has been trained by Scotland Yard, and she continually impressed me by confidently going wherever she wanted, cooing, “Oh, I just love the girls and I want to help them however I can!” in a sing-songy helpless little girl voice before getting in the car and growling to us, “I wanted to punch him in the face!”

Why was I experiencing this?

Dina has started going downtown with Olivia weekly so that she can get to know the women on the street.  She told the rest of our staff that we would each join her at least once so that we could see where our participants are coming from.  The first to participate, I can whole-heartedly affirm that this was a wonderful idea.  Although nothing unexpected happened, it was still such a shock to my system to realize that this was REAL LIFE to these men and women.  Their everyday experience was walking the streets, propositioning and being propositioned, wondering if someone was going to bash your head against the wall, and dodging the woman with the stick.   Continue reading →

She Stood in Front of a Room

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13226690_857414189742_3629267896197706555_nby Mallory Huber

She stood in front of a room of mostly familiar faces as she explained to them the journey that God has brought her on in a single month. “Fairy tales are real, not in that they show you the existence of dragons but in that they show you your dragons can be defeated.” Her words echo in my soul even 9 days later as I try to encapsulate a trip of experience and beauty into sufficient words. The picture of her fruit tree resonates in my heart as I attempt to explain the depth of what she has learned and how much deeper she can and will go.

She stood in front of a room with her art project, a tree with a trunk of blue and top of pink. Each fruit different but meaningful. A lemon, hanging next to the strawberry, representing “Light” as this past month she has learned that to bring her fears into the light and to understand them is a good thing because everyone has fears and to know them is a part of the healing process. Pumpkins next to cherries, and apples next to watermelons, each exemplifying her healing process.

She stood in front of a room as an act of defiance against her past and that which tries to keep her bound. She stood there as an act of redemption. The first girl to enter the program, known as “A.” Perhaps more than just because her name starts with an “A.” Perhaps because she is first, but more will come after her. She is alpha pointing to the true Alpha and Omega, who has and will truly bring redemption to her.

She stood in front of a room at HD, and she let me partake in the beginnings of a new ritual for them. A ritual that time does not get to control. Yes, it was this celebration of a graduation of one month down, but time will not dictate when the journey is ended. Healing and redemption and the great Author of the Faith will dictate this.

She stood in front of a room as a symbol of the journey. She stood as a symbol that seemingly began with 7 years of prayer. This journey started many years ago with a vision and prayer, and she stands as fruition of that. No, time does not get to dictate. He is only a supporting character in this story. Each lady who walks through that door will be there because it is a part of her story of healing, stories written by One who perfects and orders time itself. She stood in front of a room, and all I could do was be in awe.

Mallory is a dear friend, and I’m so grateful she visited, sharing both her silliness and her wisdom.  Referenced here was her participation in HD’s first Celebration Week.

A Week in Greece #21: NEW ROOMMATE, NEW SOCIAL LIFE, OLD INTROVERSION

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Monday

Natasha moved in!  Technically she moved in Sunday, but I’ll talk about it all here.  It’s so nice to have a roommate, especially one who speaks English as their native language.  On Sunday night we talked and talked, and I showed her around the neighborhood.  On Monday I left work for a while to take her to the laiki – street market – that we have in the area every week.  She would whisper to me, “Listen to what they say,” when the sellers gave the price, and it was super weird to be in a position of knowledge.  Sometimes knowledge.  Good enough knowledge!

Anthi took me to Jumbo after work (the Greek version of Walmart), and I bought a bunch of kitten supplies!!  Kendra texted me that she petted my little stray kitten, so hopefully within a week or so, it will be person-friendly enough to be caught.  I’ve been reading up on how to domesticate a wild kitten, and I’m super excited.  Also nervous, because he or she is a little beat up, BUT.  My theology of animals demands that I give love where it is needed, not where it is convenient.  I’ve been brainstorming names.  I cannot wait to have a little bundle of fur in my home again!

Tuesday

Tuesday was stressful!  I got up early to finish some work before work actually began, because I spent the day going back and forth to my house as minor construction projects got finished.  The day got considerably less stressful when some Texan college boys came to HD, and I commandeered them into helping me move a bed and construct a garment rack for Natasha.

I love boys!  I love American boys!  I love their dumb need to impress, to tease each other for their mistakes, to laugh at my jokes.  I love when they smile up at me before intentionally making a mistake, and I love bonding over things we miss in America.

Flirting.  That’s what I mean.  I love flirting.  Continue reading →