Chios, Greece

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Kelly and I are, literally, having the time of our lives. You can see where we've been by clicking here. Every day has some new blessing for us as we see sights we never thought we would see and experience things we never could have imagined we would experience. God has poured out His blessings upon us through the people we have met, the places we have gone and the things He is showing us day by day.

We were visiting Kavala (left, known in Scripture as Neapolis - Acts 16:11) yesterday, an ancient but modern city that was heavily fortified as the primary port of entry for Philippi. I was sitting near the town square (kentro), sipping on an iced instant coffee (right) "...with milk, please. No sugar!" (they call them frappes but there is nothing like them in the USA) and realized that I keep on expecting to wake up and find out this has all been one long, extended and detailed dream. I am well rested, energized and so thankful for this down time, never realizing how much I needed it until it was upon us.

But the time away has had blessings for both of us as well. Being in a foreign land has done wonders and provided innumerable blessings for our relationship. Kelly and I have had, for many years now, a fantastic and blessed relationship (Prov 5:18) and I truly cherish what God has given us (Prov 31:10). But , our time in Greece has brought us even closer together. It's just like God to show us, just when we thought we had it right, that He has so much more for us than we ever thought possible. What a blessing to receive so unexpectedly and so profoundly!

This Friday, we will leave for Chios, the island my grandfather grew up on.


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Chios is a large Greek island much closer to Turkey than Greece and noted, from ancient times, for producing a type of resin used in certain wines, chewing gums and other things.

This will be very special for me.

Since we've been over here, I have had vivid memories of my grand dad. I've seen the echoes of his walk, his gentle demeanor and his kind voice in so many of the older Greek men who have randomly crossed our paths. My grand father helped raise me and I was very close to him. He would tell me stories of "The Old Country" and vividly describe his childhood and his family, making me want to go with him whenever he went "back home". When he did go, he would bring back captivatingly beautiful photos of crystal clear waters and quiet little mountain villages identical to the ones we have seen in our travels.

He was an expert gardener who also had the capability to produce stunning, award winning roses. I can see where his talents originated in the small gardens and beautifully detailed landscaping of the homes around us.

He was fiercely proud of his country and justifiably so. It's not until you walk among towns and remnants of towns, like Philippi to the right, that are not just centuries old...but eons, that you realize how rich and deep the history of this country and its people is and how they have influenced the world for thousands of years.

So, now we will go to his island and, by the grace of God, find his village and walk where he walked. Visiting the sites that Paul visited has been very special and has given me an all new perspective on Paul, his writings and how he lived and ministered. Visiting this ancient place my grand father grew up in will give me an all new perspective on what God has done in my life since those days my grand father would take me by the hand and say, "Let me tell you about your people."

We leave for Chios on Friday, will travel from there to Turkey where we will see Ephesus (another place I'm really looking forward to seeing) and then back to Chios for a few days, returning to Keramoti by Wednesday next week.