We needed a Maricle, and got three

October 7 - Our days as empty-nesters has come to a close.  Erica is back from Armenia Special Meetings, and today we received two more helpers from Athens, Alexandra and Anna.  Alexandra has been diagnosed with cancer, and will stay with us until she can get the surgery scheduled.  That can take awhile in Greece.  I am told that if you want things to happen quickly, the doctor in charge will work a lot more efficiently if they are provided with a little personal "incentive." (It is a state-run system).  Alexandra would remind you of a Greek Jean Larson.  Outgoing and gregarious, she has a huge heart for people and loves the Truth of God deeply.

We will also be taking care of an old Greek sister, Anna.  We took the big, clunky table out of the living room, our Greek friends brought over a spare bed, and she now has a very comfortable bedroom.  

Last night, we found out that we have been harboring felons.  Yes, both of our two Greek sisters, so proper and innocent looking, have been behind bars!  In fact, most of the older workers here have been imprisoned for the Gospel's sake; one for as long as eight years.  It all sounds like ancient history, tyranny from a bygone age, but they have seen it and lived it.  To profess in those days meant reduced job prospects, rejection and ridicule.  It was the same for the Jews who accepted Christ in New Testament days.  After they were kicked out of the synagogues, they were ostracized by the community, and no one would buy or sell from them. (See Hebrews 10:32-34)

Cindy Maricle called from Crete, and she and her two daughters will be arriving on Samos next Wednesday.  We would love the company, but as I thought about it, the reality sank in.  Right now, it is just me and four ladies.  I'm pretty outnumbered, right.  But come Wednesday, it's going to be me against seven ladies.  Is it possible to drown in a sea of estrogen?

Denita and our three sisters

Cindy, Mandy, Emily, and Denita at the Temple of Hera in Pythagorio.  

The Maricles with the Temple of Doom in the background.  

The ladies at the Pythagorian Cave, engaged, no doubt, in some secret fertility ritual.

This picture shows the southern end of the 5th century BC city of Pythagorio.  Remnants of the old wall can be seen on the left coming down the hillside.  What makes it interesting is that you can see where the 2/3rds mile long tunnel described by Heroditus on the opening page of the Blog exits.  It looks like a rock pile, just about in the middle of the picture.  The tunnel was dug from both ends, and met in the middle with an error of about 2'.  It brought water from a spring on the other side of the mountain safely inside the city.

I'm not going to lie: Emily took this picture.  The mountains of Turkey can be seen in the background.

We walked to the island of Kassonissi, separated from Samos by about 100 yards of sea and sand.  It was only about 4' deep.

Cindy read the Butterfly Effect to us at the sea between the two islands.  I suspect the Maricle sisters had heard it all before, but we enjoyed it.