Fashions for Greece in July

The list includes these advisories:

Women - Cover your arms and most of your legs.
Most refugees will be Muslim, and their dress is conservative. Extremely so.

Pants - with lots of zippers.
Pickpockets abound and will unzip bags while we are looking elsewhere.

RIFD for credit cards.
Yes, stealing credit card info is alive ind well in most European cities.

Cotton underwear.
Dale recommends that if you like cold and wet underwear. Otherwise, nylon.

Hats.
Sunshine is brilliant. Prepare for rain.

High protein bars.
Dale says we may go without meals. He can be sure I ain't sharing mine with him!

Handles.
On the Appalachian Trail, where Dale has hung out, through trekkers have trail names. A 100 year-old friend in Heathsville has given me mine--"Bread."

Backpacks.
Pulling two-wheeled suitcases over the ancient streets of Athens is a bad joke.

Imodium.
'Nuf said.

Campsuds.
Good for shaving and washing. Haven't used them since traveling with Dale in Nepal. On one of those trips we used iodine for water purifying along with powdered Gatorade--for brushing our teeth. Nasty. Still remember.

Lesbos

Our first site of refugees will be the island of Lesbos. (I think the locals spell it Lesvos. Whatever.)

It is a beautiful island. Recently we bought some olive oil from Greeks here in Richmond. The wife of one of them is from one of the cities on the island. He spoke of the beauty of the island but also of the impact of the invasion of refugees.

This island is 4.1 miles from the shores of Turkey and is the closest access point for refugees escaping to Europe. Those landing there number in the hundreds of thousands. Here is a link to an Oscar-nominated documentary on the island and its refuge:
http://www.pappaspost.com/watch-complete-documentary-4-1-miles-coast-guard-captain-small-greek-island-suddenly-charged-saving-thousands-lives/

Our first refugee site visit will be there on Lesbos, visiting the workers with Bridges. The conditions for the refugees have become deplorable with violence and unsanitary conditions. Dale tells us that Bridges has been able to secure separate housing for the two groups that have been causing violence at the camp.

One of the paintings that Constance has done is of a boat landing at Lesbos.
ArtByCdeb.com

Next -- Packing instructions from Dale. (Hint - It will be hot in Greece, but refugees will not be wearing US-style shorts...)


Full disclosure--Actually Lesbos will be our second site. The first will be a few days for the two of us in Athens where the artist of us will have a couple of days to appreciate the art of the Golden Age of Athens. The legacy of that era of art, theatre, and philosophy continues today. So I am told.

Our immigration policy

After consulting the Republicans and the Democrats, Federal policies and think tank papers, we have finally settled on our policy towards the refugees we will meet:

If they are hungry, we will feed them.

If they are thirsty, we will give them water.

If they are in jail, we will visit them.

If they are naked, we will find them clothes.

And as we have opportunity:

We will also feed them the Bread of Life.

We will point them to the Living Water.

We will declare to them that "their sad days are over and their sins are pardoned" (Isa. 40:1).

We will show them how to be clothed with Christ's righteousness.

All about Dale, our guide

Let me introduce Dale Berry, our inspiration for this trip, our guide, our travel consultant, our contact for the sites we will visit, and our friend for over 30 years and for travels to three countries.

Dale came to Richmond with this wife, Mary Beth, and three children in about 1985. He was here to earn his PhD--which he did get--in counseling. I don't know if he is any good at that or not.

He does like to hike, and of that he is pretty good.

Dale used to take moms and kids and dads and kids for weekend hike in the Appalachian Trail. One time on a hike with me and Channing, we needed water. We were on Old Rag and needed water. Our map showed a tiny little squiggle that indicated a spring near the summit. Sure enough, Dale triangulated, walked over to the spot, and found water. Not bad.

More stories about Dale. He went with me to Nepal one time to meet some missionaries. On our way back we swung by Thailand. Dale, who went to the caving capital of the East, Sewanee, wanted to go into some caves. I went along. We were not permitted to the king of all caves. No persuasion, no bribes, no running past the guards--no admittance. Finally they told us why: Cobras. Dens of cobras.

So, spotting a waterfall Dale said that we could climb that. No problem. Up we went, crawling, sludging, hand over hand, through the waterfall and around it. When it came time to descend, Dale looked very severe and said to me, "Tad, I cannot go on with you in those filthy pants you are wearing!" Such fastidiousness shocked me, especially in the circumstance. Nothing would do but for me to get into and under the waterfall and get my Royal Robbins shorts so the blue would show through.

Dale and family have moved to Knoxville where he has a counseling center. In the past couple of years he has become an advocate for Bridges, a network of Christian workers in Europe who assist refugees. This assistance covers food, welcome, and shelter when they get off the boats; making contacts for papers; finding transport to cities further inside Europe; prayer and Bible studies; discipleship times; and even for some, baptism.

It is to give counsel, encouragement, and prayer for the workers.

Next--itinerary and schedule.

Don't go away!

You have come to the right place if you want to trace Connie and Tad as they meander around Europe with their sidekicks, Dale and Mary Beth Berry.

As you may have read, I haven't posted here in five years, and it has taken me a lot of tweaking to get to this screen.

But more to come!

Here are the topics I will be adding in a week from today:

• CW's art. That CW would be Constance Williams, and you can get a preview of her art at www.ArtByCdeb.com
• Pictures and stories about Dale Berry. His slogan used to be "High adventure, low risk." I will post some stories that will challenge that slogan.
• Bridges. That is the network of Christian workers with refugees throughout Europe. Dale has sent some stories that I will post. These tell insights about refugees and also ways God is deeply involved in the lives of many of them. The love and prayers of the workers have been heard!
• Our itinerary, naturally. The short version is Athens, Lesbos, Athens, Prague, Stuttgart, and Berlin. Details will be added. (We leave on July 5th and return on the 20th. I preach at St. Matthew's on the 22nd. If I don't have illustrations for that sermon, I am a real dunce!
• What I anticipate on the trip. (Laughter comes later.)
• Some references in the Bible about refugees, the poor, and Mother Theresa. 
• Some sweet and censored thoughts on this trip on the occasion of our 50th anniversary.

I see that I can add pictures. we'll see about that. Just went to REI. bought Campsuds, high protein bars, and a first aid kit. Oh, and Dale's recommendation of nylon underwear. Really!

So don't go away! I'll be back on Saturday.