July 18, 2017
Today, we bought 30 gorgeous flowers using the funds that people donated to us through our GoFundMe. Similar to the water bottles, we had written out notes in Greek that said “This flower is from Jesus. He loves you and He sees you.” We went out on the streets today with a specific vision to spread love and joy to the women of Thessaloniki. Some of us felt specifically called to older women, some to mothers with strollers, and some to the ladies who stand on the corners and hand out signs. We walked, prayed, and interacted with more than 30 incredible women throughout the afternoon. Before we left our apartment for the morning, we made sure that we knew how to say the word “free” in Greek, because many people here struggle to understand that something is actually being given to them at no cost. To quote my teammate Abby, “It is difficult for the people here, and for most of us, I would argue, to accept something that is costless or free. We always think there’s a catch when offered something ‘free,’ that something is then owed or to be earned. Amazingly in Christ, this isn’t so. He has paid the highest price of laying down His own life for us so that we may be forgiven, rescued, and brought into relationship with Him that we were created for. This grace is a free gift to be accepted from the merciful hand of God. We pray these women felt noticed and valued today and were able to better grasp how purposefully made, beautiful, and important they are to us and their Creator.”
