GREECE

Central Baptist enjoyed thE visit OF CBF missionaries, Bob and Janice Newell, serving in Athens, Greece TO THE OVER 500,000 aLBANIAN IMMIGRANTS LIVING THERE.   They were our featured guest at our 2009 Missions Fair.  During the fair, we exhibited the Porta traveling art exhibit which contained pictures of the albanians "at work, worship, and play".  This EXHIBIT gave us a wonderful visual of the ministry that Bob and JaNICE ARE INVOLVED WITH AT THE pORTA CULTURAL CENTER IN ATHENS.

tHE NEWELLS PROVIDE COMPUTER INSTRUCTION, AS WELL AS ALBANIAN LANGUAGE FOR CHILDREN, ART EXHIBITS, A LENDING LIBRARY, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY ENRICHMENT, CHILDREN'S MINISTRY, AND PERSONAL DISCIPLESHIP FOR THE ALBANIAN IMMIGRANTS LIVING IN ATHENS.  tHE pORTA CULTURAL CENTER WAS OPENED IN 2007 BY THE NEWELLS AS A MEANS TO WELCOME THE ALBANIANS, AFFIRM THEIR ETHNIC IDENTITY, PROVIDE A WARM, TRUSTWORTHY SETTING IN WHICH THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT cHRIST AND HIS CHURCH, RECEIVE PRACTICAL CARE, BUILD RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH GREEKS, AS WELL AS NETWORK TO ENHANCE THEIR EXPERIENCES  IN THE NEW SETTING.

aLBANIA WAS A COMMUNIST COUNTRY WITH ATHEISM WRITTEN INTO ITS CONSTITUTION FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS.  fEW ALBANIANS KNOW OF JESUS' LOVE.
eXTREME POVERTY AND LACK OF OPPORTUNITY DRIVE THEM FROM THEIR HOMELAND. cENTURIES OF HOSTILITY WITH GREEKS HAVE SEPARATED THEM SO THE ALBANIANS IN ATHENS FACE SEVERE DISCRIMINATION.  MANY ARE PAID BELOW LIVING WAGES RESULTING IN POVERTY, EVEN WITH BOTH SPOUSES WORKING.   tHEIR MARRIAGES SUFFER FROM STRESS WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF EXTENDED FAMILIES. 
aLBANIAN CHRISTIANS ARE FIRST-GENERATION BELIEVERS WITH FEW ROLE MODELS OF FAITH.  aLBANIAN BELIEVERS BECOME THE BEST WITNESSES TO OTHER ALBANIANS AND NEED TO BE EQUIPPED TO SHARE THEIR FAITH.

bOB AND JANICE HAVE EXTENDED AN INVITATION FOR A GROUP FROM CENTRAL TO COME AND DO A VBS THERE IN ATHENS.  tHE DIRECT GLOBAL MISSIONS COMMITTEE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN AND WOULD BE GLAD TO ASSIST ANYONE FEELING THAT CALL TO SERVE.

jOIN US IN PRAYING FOR THE ALBANIAN IMMIGRANTS LIVING IN ATHENS.  pRAY THAT THE PORTA CULTURAL CENTER CAN BE THE PLACE IT WAS DESIGNED TO BE AND THAT MARRIAGES WILL BE ENRICHED AND STRENGTHED, CHILDREN CAN LEARN THE LANGUAGE OF THEIR GRANDPARENTS, RECONCILIATION BETWEEN ALBANIANS AND GREEKS WILL TAKE PLACE, AND THAT BELIEVERS WILL BE ENCOURAGED IN THEIR SPIRITUAL GROWTH.