As some of you know, for the last couple of weeks I've been in

Thessaloniki, Greece where my son-in-law is serving. He was in the states

and I was filling in for him at the church. Along with a mixture of Greeks,

Swedes, an Honduran, a Nigerian, etc., there has been an influx of Iranian

refugees. The preaching service had me speaking in English, then a Greek

interpreter, followed by a Farsi translator. So a forty-five minute message

is basically fifteen minutes times three.

What I'm writing about today, however, is the plight of the Iranians. Let

me emphasize that these Iranians, whom I've met, are wonderful people.

Many came from the underground or "secret" church and some have

gotten saved since arriving in Greece. Charlie has led three to the Lord.

A young Iranian couple in the church communicated to me about their

trip to Greece. They fled from Iran to Turkey. From Turkey they had to

cross the Aegean Sea. There were 65 of them in an inflatable raft. They

wore a backpack for some stuff and another bag which had to be floated

alongside the raft. They said the worst part was after they reached the

Greek coast around 3am and had to walk three hours to the camp.

The original camp was run by the UN and had about 10,000 refugees from

various places, the vast majority being muslim. This couple was not afraid

to admit they were Christian but it cost them some suffering. During

Ramadan, when muslims fast for a month (during the day), this couple

was not allowed any food. Then when food was passed out, they didn't get

any because they were Christians. The longest period they went without

food was two weeks. They did get food at the church. Eventually this camp

was broken up and several smaller camps were started. Apparently the UN

has handed over the camps to private charities to run. Since these

charities were primarily Christian (generically speaking), the muslims in

the camp rejected them and demanded that they leave. So now the food

that is available is pasta. Not very nutritional nor fulfilling. Another

problem we heard about at the camp was that an Arab baby was stolen

one night by masked men and most likely will be used for harvesting body

parts. They said there were only two police officers for 1,000 people.

This couple, along with other refugees, chose to leave the camp. They

found an abandoned orphanage outside of Thessaloniki and so they

moved in there. When the church found out that they didn’t have food

there (since they never ask), the church bought a refrigerator and stocked

it with food. The refugees were given a key so they could have access to

food when they needed it. When the Greek government found out

refugees were in the orphanage, they were ordered out immediately and

the orphanage was bulldozed to the ground. Some had no time to even

get there belongings.

By the grace of God, a Christian family has chosen to pay the rent for this

couple and they now have an apartment in a city about twenty minutes

from Thessaloniki. They are able to ride the bus back and forth to church,

along with the others from the refugee camp.

Unfortunately there are no jobs in Greece so the future isn't bright in that

respect. Neither is it any better in Germany or other parts of Europe. On

top of that, once they've applied for asylum and get there papers, they

cannot leave Greece. At least until they get more official paperwork which

can take over five years. When some left Iran they sold their possessions

and brought the cash with them to live on but that will run out eventually.

I could tell you more stories about what the others had to endure.

I guess the point I’m trying to make as we approach another Thanksgiving

season in America is this, “Be Thankful!” Be thankful for freedom, for

living in prosperity, for safety (for the most part), for being born in

America, and for salvation through Jesus Christ. Be thankful that we are

not part of the underground or “secret church” and that Islam is not the

dominant religion here as it is in Iran and other such nations. I know this

can change in America and probably will but it hasn’t yet. This

Thanksgiving there still is a free America that’s presently reaping the

blessings of what the founders and the founders’ God implemented.