Newsletters

Our mission is to reunite broken people living on the Cycladic Islands of Greece

—people who have been
separated from God by culture, authority, and tradition;
traumatized, afraid, or abused;
rejected, ashamed, or forgotten;
sorrowful, grieving, or hopeless—

with the One who truly loves them by releasing hope and healing in the name of Jesus.

December 23, 2025
“But He’s A Priest!”

I cringed when I heard Βεα describe the countenance of the only Catholic priest on Paros Island. Nervous to sing her first solo

December 16, 2025
Ministering Beyond Paros

The Small Cyclades, an island complex southeast of Paros, offer a unique opportunity for meaningful Christian

December 9, 2025
Connecting with God

“Hey Leslie. I wonder if you were sent to me,” said English Αμπη, a woman with whom I sat At the Table several times.

December 2, 2025
“Can You Help Me?”

With all her gaudy jewelry and bright red hair, Λουλου reminds me of an older version of a paper doll cutout. She spread herself

November 25, 2025
“Pray for Χαίντι”

“You pray. Pray for Χαίντι,” said American Ηαβα about our mutual friend. She unexpectedly invited me to lunch where an

November 18, 2025
Michigan Tables

We all sang off key just moments before cutting into the delicious red velvet cake. I count celebrating another year with my

November 11, 2025
Investing in Relationships

Imagine those times you found yourself sitting At the Table with Jesus—reading through the words he once said, having a

November 4, 2025
Behind the Whitewash

Sprinkled in between the picturesque whitewash buildings, for which the Greek Cycladic islands are known, lie several

October 28, 2025
“What’s Your Sign?”

When Ρονιτ asked, “What’s your sign?”, a common question on this island, I quickly asked the Lord how to respond. My

October 21, 2025
“My Son has a New Pronoun”

“Λουλου, you’re back!” I exclaimed while passing through the Old Town streets of Parikia. Λουλου lives in Dawson City, Yukon

October 14, 2025
Solo Footsteps Tour

Our small group of six quickly fell apart leaving one very determined guest. Arriving on Samos after two weeks of touring Italy,

October 7, 2025
Ministry Update

In a world aching with loneliness, brokenness, and spiritual emptiness, one of the most powerful gifts we can offer is

September 30, 2025
“I’ve Never Told Anyone”

A car waited just outside the gate alleviating the climb that would surely aggravate my cough. This cold has been

September 23, 2025
The Tsampouna

Our small group of culture enthusiasts boarded the ferry that glided across the narrow strait between Paros and Antiparos,

September 16, 2025
“I Left Him!”

“I left him!” tumbled out of her mouth even before we said hello to one another. “His health has gotten so bad,” she said, “all

September 9, 2025
A Persuasive Life

Over the past few weeks, we explored a compelling question in our private Facebook group: What truly influences pre-

September 2, 2025
Relaxing and Peaceful

“When will you have a free evening to play Yahtzee?” she wrote. She sought Christ in me for a reprieve from all her own health

August 26, 2025
Falling Up Stairs

The sound of glass breaking and skittering across marble and stone brought every nearby male to her rescue. The lone

August 19, 2025
More Than Just a Table

“When will my feelings of sadness go away?” she asked more than 2 years ago after losing her husband and learning of my

August 12, 2025
Two Lesbians and …

She spotted the African boy playing in the sand and assumed, for a common lack of black-skinned people on Paros, he must

August 6, 2025
Stateside Tables

My aunt rolled into my driveway the morning after I arrived in the States, our embrace long overdue. I found my heart

July 7, 2025
Safe Places

She often expresses great discomfort over the expectation that she share her sacred space with friends who pass through

July 1, 2025
At this Very Moment

Two large glass bottles of olive oil, harvested in part by yours truly, situate themselves nicely inside my carryon

June 24, 2025
Little Old Lady in Tears

Somewhere inside this little mountain village and under a stubby needled tree sits a rickety wooden chair. Upon it, a frail

June 17, 2025
“I’ll Just Kill Myself”

“I’m not coming tonight,” she announced from the other end of the phone. “Something really serious happened.”

June 10, 2025
“I Don’t Know Anyone…”

I absentmindedly flew around the corner and nearly plowed her over. Appearing disheveled and unfocused, her giant black

June 3, 2025
“Can You Milk the Cow?”

An emergency trip to the hospital in Athens left Αντωνης calling for help, “Can you milk the cow while I’m gone?” An unexpected

May 27, 2025
Cinderella Turns 14

The smell of grilled meat and the sounds of merrymaking met my senses before the gathering came into view. Set up along the

May 20, 2025
“My Auntie Died”

Nibbling away at some kind of crispy Greek cookie with a maraschino cherry on top, she unloaded not only her grief for

May 13, 2025
Coming Home

We seldom realize how much of our lives move to some kind of rhythm. Not only eating and sleeping schedules or school

May 6, 2025
“What Did I Do Wrong?”

“I’ve been missing my son,” she began. “It is a huge hole in my life.” Having left the island a week ago, she reached out via

April 29, 2025
“I Can’t Believe It!”

She wrung her hands as we sat across from one another At the Table in a little café on the waterfront. We’d just come from our

April 22, 2025
Easter Excuses

Our Day-Before-Easter dinner began by watching the descending sun transform our seaside village from a bright white to an

April 15, 2025
Footsteps of Paul Tour

Let the pages of Scripture come to life as you explore the Footsteps of Paul through Greece. Step into archaeological sites and

April 8, 2025
Fishermen At the Table

A walk to the harbor where fishermen gather provided a unique opportunity to sit on a rickety chair around a sunburned

April 1, 2025
What Did the Doctor Say?

“What did the doctor say?” we asked almost in unison. Gathered around the computer screen, we five welcomed three more on a

March 25, 2025
Spring Sing Along

“This place could be a piano bar,” said Καρεν, referring to the acoustics in the gallery that is my new home. Καρεν first came to Greece

March 18, 2025
Hope Today

A photo of two wrinkled hands joined together inspired my writing that evening, as each women selected the photo most

March 11, 2025
Footsteps of Paul Tour

Let the pages of Scripture come to life as you explore the Footsteps of Paul through Greece. Step into archaeological sites and

February 25, 2025
She said, “Yes!”

Sitting alone in a crowd of people, Λιν shared the deep grief she’d been experiencing over the rejection of her eldest

February 18, 2025
New Living-Ministry Space

Despite that the Lord miraculously provided our current living-ministry space in alignment with a vision he gave me during

February 11, 2025
Mykonos: Faith Demands

As I prepared for this assignment, the Lord gave me a vision of a crack beginning in the boulders. Small stones rushing downhill.

February 4, 2025
Mykonos: Prayer Walk

During the 1960s, Greek shipping tycoon, Aristotle Onassis, once anchored his yacht in the Mykonos harbor transforming that

January 28, 2025
Annual Report

Each story inside the pages of this report describes a single moment that represents, in most cases, a much fuller relationship.

January 21, 2025
Thrice Ministering

The Σταφανοβ family moved from Bulgaria to plant an evangelical church in Athens. In this country where less than half of one percent

January 15, 2025
Themes Emerge

The end of each year and the beginning of the next brings with it unavoidable administrative activities including:

January 7, 2025
“Now THIS is Winter”

The sound of a tin can blowing through the square brings to mind the old Westerns I used to watch with my grandpa where a

December 30, 2024
I’m Praying for You

Predictions of strong winds and heavy rains moved me out of the house this morning to enjoy the last bit of sunshine before the

December 23, 2024
“Jesus is Just Like Buddha”

Gathered at the Conservatory to celebrate a successful pair of Christmas concerts, the table held my rather large tray of leftover

December 17, 2024
Greek Choir

Gathered in the center of Parikia under the full moon, our first concert venue in Μαντω Μαυρογενους square hosted kiosks filled

December 10, 2024
Stateside Whirlwind

Amidst rough seas and cancelled ferries, my little airplane wobbled off from Paros Island beginning the long journey home.

November 26, 2024
“Will You Pray?”

Determined to enjoy another village on our tiny island, Κολετ and I set off on the bus for Piso Livadi. The weather promised rain and

November 19, 2024
Rejection

“I don’t really believe in this stuff, but…” began a conversation with Ζεφι while seated at Cosa for brunch. We’d just

November 12, 2024
Ministry Musings

Darkness settled over our tiny island as I prayer-walked toward home. I paused to sit on the little stone bench… (Video link Inside)

November 5, 2024
Two Witnesses

“Babylonian.” That’s how Φυλυδα described my story. Our Bell, Book, and Candle writing theme for this month, proposed by the

October 29, 2024
The Harvest

Woven into the fabric of Mediterranean culture, olive harvesting season brings friends and families together. Invited to

October 22, 2024
Home Visit

Returning from the Footsteps of Paul tour, I found the island settling in for the winter season. Tourists have become scarce. At

October 8, 2024
Footsteps of Paul: At the Table

Each day overflowed with profound experiences as we walked in the footsteps of Paul. A quiet moment imagining his

September 17, 2024
“You’ll Have to Go to Athens.”

“You’ll have to go to Athens,” is the common doctoral directive for people with little more than a scraped knee. Given that island

September 10, 2024
“Thanks for Letting me Unload.”

“Can we sit by the sea and have a sweet?” Her world is full of chaos, and she had reached her limit. She needed to unload.

September 3, 2024
Girls At the Table

Χριστινα’s home shows that she spent a big part of her life earning a living based on her ability to create beautiful pieces of art.

August 27, 2024
“She Really Needs You!”

“I told Άμπι she really needs to talk to you,” Κολετ exclaimed on the phone. Flattered at the recommendation for such an apparently

August 20, 2024
The Wobbly Old Man

Covid came to Κυριε Σωτηρης and, with his weak heart and smoker’s lungs, he was given a free ride on the bright orange

August 13, 2024
“I was Raised a Strict Atheist…”

“When I went inside that church something happened in my spirit.” He went on to describe this 11^th century church,

August 6, 2024
Threading the Vein

Go here, don’t go there. Go now, don’t go now. As much as they might frustrate us—turning yellow just when we’re in a hurry

July 30, 2024
“You are Coming, Right?”

The popping corn-like sound of tap shoes travels down the cobblestone alleyway announcing the adult tap-dancing class.

July 23, 2024
Girls’ Night Out

Our dinner date began with loads of laughter as sat At the Table and shared two truths and a lie in an attempt to outsmart

July 16, 2024
“I Wanted to Ask You”

The conversation began with, “I wanted to ask you.” I get so angry about the injustices going on here, a friend commented, with

July 9, 2024
Ζεφι and Her Mum

Market street converges at a delicious ice cream shop where everyone recognized Vincent (I call him Steve), Ζεφι’s poodle.

June 24, 2024
“I was a Poor Pupil”

“What is the Sunday-Monday holiday for?” I asked. “Something about the Holy Spirit, but I really don’t know what,” was his reply.

June 18, 2024
Let’s Be Honest

My desire to be self-reliant even in sickness creates a barrier to ministry. My thinking that others see me as a burden creates a barrier

May 21, 2024
Authority in the Stars

“I can still interpret the stars,” Χαιντι commented enthusiastically despite having not practiced for many years. All the hairs

May 14, 2024
Open the Door

Surrounded by asphalt at the port of Pounta, where visitors exchange their cars for the ferry that connects Paros to

May 7, 2024
Easter, Peace, and Prayer

Decorated with only the most beautiful and fragrant blossoms from top to bottom, the bier carrying the symbolic coffin of Christ

April 30, 2024
Footsteps and Fundraising

Broaden your understanding of one of the oldest and most important geographical areas in biblical history, raise your

April 23, 2024
Prayer Walk in Parikia

Tables and chairs with their brightly colored cushions emerge from inside once-closed cafes like butterflies from their cocoons.

April 16, 2024
“Why Did I Just Tell You That?”

The sun sank into the water and spread a warm orange hue across the horizon. “Why did I just tell you all that?” commented an

April 9, 2024
At the Table in Grand Rapids

The fire crackled as a small group of women listened carefully to how ministering At the Table connects with

March 26, 2024
A Saint, a Table, and an…

Born in Sinope, Turkey in 303 AD, Saint Phokas cultivated his garden with great diligence. Though his income from that

March 19, 2024
Bougainvillea, Haphazard or…

The beauty of the Cycladic islands no doubt arises from the blue domed churches and the bright pink bougainvillea standing in

March 12, 2024
A BibleWorks Surprise

Because of the two faithful leaders who actively pursued opportunities to continue this ministry, 43 villages throughout coastal

March 5, 2024
I Can Hear Their Cries

You know the physical tension or constriction you feel during times of high emotion? Your chest and throat grow rigid

February 20, 2024
Coffee at Your Place

“Here I am inviting other people to your house for coffee,” Κολετ said as she looked at me with a laugh. Since our last newsletter

February 13, 2024
No One Greeted Me

“You won’t catch me dead there,” a Protestant woman commented with distaste after learning of my attendance at

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reunite broken people
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