Autumn: Diminishing fruit? Or something else…?

In Greek the word for autumn means ‘diminishing fruits’. However that is certainly not what I see in the world I live in Athens.

Let me begin by saying thank you for your regular support and prayers. I appreciate each one of you deeply and I am so glad that you are in my life at this particular season.

Here’s a brief update on what has been happening.

Summer in Northern Ireland: it may seem long ago already, but I want to share how grateful I was that Anna J and I had the opportunity to share in a number of churches and gatherings about the work of Nea Zoi (“new life”) and the anti-trafficking movement in Athens.

Our seminar at the World Wide Bangor Conference was well attended, and it was encouraging to see a growing interest in this particular topic.

Nea Zoi: the weekly visits to the brothels on Monday nights continue to be a challenge: we are engaging with the spiritual powers of darkness first hand. Sometimes there are minor breakthroughs when we can pray into the lives of some of these women in-between their encounters with clients. At other times they are too ashamed to be prayed for in such a setting.

There is also an ongoing court case, supported by Nea Zoi, brought by victim A. against her trafficker – this is very rare. It has been distressing for A as she relives her trauma each time she comes to court. The case finally started on November 14th after many months of delay, and will continue with another hearing on December 8th. It has been a learning experience for me, sitting in a Greek court and observing the proceedings.

Pray: for the success of this court case. Thank the Lord for gifts received to pay for the ongoing legals costs. I am so grateful for many who have supported this through your giving and prayers.

Urdu Fellowship: Instead of diminished fruits, there is now some fresh stability in this fellowship, with a growing core group attending regularly. Pastor Iftikhar has worked hard to establish this core group and I continue to teach at the Sunday services twice a month. I do enjoy teaching and the counter cultural experience of teaching Pakistani men only!

Pray: for that the monthly rental costs (£220) as the Pakistani men earn very little and their giving reflects this reality.

Portugal Visit: In October I returned to Lisbon after 5 years to visit the churches that Peter and I had been involved in planting and to meet many of our friends over the 12 year period that we were there. It was a bittersweet experience: being in the places we served together, I felt the loss of Peter so much more, but on the other hand it was so moving to see old friends, and people whose lives the Lord had transformed through our work there.

It was also encouraging to visit the Park of the Nations church, which now has a dynamic young pastor to lead it into the next phase. Some of you may remember the children’s programme we started, called “Lusitos’? Well, I was thrilled to meet two young people from “Lusitos” who were recently baptised and made a strong commitment to follow Christ. What a joy to see real fruit!

Thank you for your commitment to pray and give during our time in Lisbon. Far from being ‘diminished fruit’, I witnessed instead an abundant harvest from those prayers!

Prayer requests:
• Please continue to pray for the other ministries I am involved in: Threads of Hope, The Petalouda Education Centre, the Kypseli church and the many opportunities I have to pray, listen, and be a sounding board for people I meet and interact with at the OpenHouse (where I live).
• Please pray for my residence permit, which expires in mid-March, and for me as I prepare the documentation needed to extend this permit because I have a British passport.
• Pray for my second daughter Sharon and her family as they move to Paris in January.

Thank you for praying for my house in Coleraine and for the help I received.

Meeting up: I will be in Coleraine from 2nd – 13th January and will be sharing at two ladies meeting at First Coleraine and the Congregational church. Christmas will be spent in Athens with my Open House family – a first for me!

My phone number is : 07536 398565

Many thanks,

Anna

My mailing address is
15 Somerset Park
Coleraine
BT51 3LH
N. Ireland
Phone Number
+ 44 7536398565