RIOTING IN ATHENS

Athens weather has turned cool. It is much cooler than when I arrived and the forecast is for it to remain cool for the next 10 days to two weeks. Until now the weather has been mild and very pleasant.

The Greeks have found a way to warm things up – they are rioting, looting and torching buildings and automobiles. Violence has reached such portions that Ron Kretz, director of AIBI, decided to cancel school on Tuesday. A lot of the rioting was occurring in an area not far from where AIBI conducts classes. The greater danger was for those traveling to and from classes. The metro train we ride to school makes a transfer in a station located in one of the most affected areas. Monday, as I walking to school in front of American Embassy, I witnessed police manhandling and arresting a protestor. They were not treating him very kindly. With the exception of his hands cuffed behind him, he was giving as well as he was receiving. I picked up my pace and hurried on my way to school. I was not sure if this action was going to prompt more disturbances.

Today (Tuesday) was expected to see a lot of rioting. All of this activity started when police shot and killed a 15 year old boy. They are conducting the young man’s funeral today and the city is bracing for more unrest. CNN International is devoting a lot of coverage to the carnage. It is the only English station we receive here.

I am in the teacher’s apartment in Glyfada, Greece, a community that is a safe distance from all the violence in downtown Athens. At least I hope it is. The apartment is about an hour’s travel from the affected areas.

In spite of all the distractions school has gone well. On Sunday I will begin my final three days of classes and on Wednesday at 7:05AM I will be flying home. The Lord willing I will arrive back in Alabama about 7:00PM on Wednesday evening. Even though I leave and arrive on the same day there is approximately 24 hours of traveling involved. It has been another good experience Athens and I would be willing to do it again.

JULIANA NEGEDU GRADUATES FROM AIBI

Sunday was a great day at the Evrou Church of Christ. Of course, every Sunday is great when we are gathering with the family of God to worship and praise the Father. This Sunday was a little more special because it included the celebration of the graduation of Juliana Negedu from Athens International Bible Institute. Juliana is a special young lady. She was one of my students when I previously taught in Athens. She caught my attention then because she had played basketball on the 2004 Nigerian National Olympic team. I enjoyed talking with her about the experience of being an Olympian. After the 2004 Olympics she stayed on in Athens and eventually one of the members of the church introduced her to our Lord and eventually to AIBI. Today she is a very dedicated Christian with a tremendous love for the Lord and lost souls. She was asked to again be a part of the 2008 China Olympics but declined because it would have taken her away from the church and her studies at AIBI.

On Saturday Juliana and her husband will be returning to Nigeria. She does so with mixed emotions. She does not know what the future holds for her and her family. Her desire is to serve the Lord wherever He leads her; if that is in Nigeria, it is okay with her; if it is some where else in the world that will be okay too. Nigeria is experiencing unrest and some of it is religiously motivated. It is the same unrest that pelages the rest of the world; the Muslim aggressiveness. But because of people like Juliana the Lord’s church is alive and well.

The pictures I have included are of Juliana and some of the members of the Evrou congregation. The church in Athens truly has an international flavor.