Day 5: Mykonos (via cruise)

Friday, May 30, 2025

Mykonos, the island of windmills

“For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭95‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

We boarded our ship this morning and headed for the Greek island of Mykonos. We did not have any official excursions planned for our arrival but our guide wanted to take us on foot to see various things. 

Mykonos is know for its ancient windmills on the coast that were built in the 1500s. While there are no longer any blades on the windmills, they stand strong as ever. 

Mykonos is also a place where people come to party. As I overhead one of the tour guides this afternoon, it has no Biblical significance. Yet it is a beautiful island. 

Unfortunately the winds and waves were too high for us to risk taking boats to the dock. So we were not allowed to go ashore. This next picture is a little sad because the passenger boat is leaving us to go back home without us. 

So instead we ate dinner in the fancy restaurant on the ship. I’m not exactly sure what possessed me to get the seafood etouffee but…. I ate it all except for the creepy, bug-eyed red crustacean who got shuffled over to another plate and covered up. 

We had a fun night at the show on board and did a little karaoke. 

LORD, thank you for giving wisdom to those in charge of making decisions on the ship. I wish we could have gone onto Mykonos. But we had such a good time tonight laughing and resting. Thank you for your provisions. Amen. 

Day 4: Metéora

Thursday, May 29, 2025

‬A long time ago (800 AD), in a land far, far away (northwestern Greece), a bunch of monks settled in the crevices and caves of some vertical rock pillars, living lives of solitude and peace. Eventually (about 500-700 years later), they had grown in number to the point that they decided to build monasteries. In the 1300s, in order to seek protection from the invading Turks, they began building about 1200 feet up on the precipices of huge, rocky cliffs. Initially there were 24 monasteries, all built by hoisting supplies with ropes to the top. In the 1920s, stairs were carved into the mountain for easier access. And now we were able to get there by road. 

Today, six Eastern Orthodox monasteries remain in a cluster called Metéora. 

Four of the six remaining monasteries are visible in this picture. The only one I’m sure of is the Monastery of the Great Metéoron on the far right.

Monastery of Great Metéoron

This is the largest of the surviving six monasteries and was built in 1356. It is perched on Broad Rock about 1224 feet up. 

Monastery of Varlaam

This is the second largest of the Metéora monasteries and is also a museum. It was built in the 1500s at 1223 feet. I’m not sure how accessible to the public these are but apparently a finger of St. John and a shoulderblade of St. Andrew are preserved here. (stock photo)

Monastery of Roussanou

Initially built in 1545 for monks, it is now a nunnery. 

Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapausas

This one might have been built as early as the 1300s but maybe as late as the 1500s. 

Monastery of St. Stephen

This is the only surviving monastery visible from the town below. I can imagine that in the evening when some of its lights are shining, the compound might truly look like it is suspended in the darkness. 

Monastery of the Holy Trinity

This one is 1312 feet from the valley floor. “For Your Eyes Only” had some scenes filmed here. 

If you look very closely, suspended to the left of the monastery is a cable car of sorts.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭121‬:‭1‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV

LORD, Thank you for coming to take away our sins. Thank you for your grace. Thank you for reminding us today that we are secure in your hands if we believe in you and call you Lord. You alone are our help. Amen. 

Day 3: Part II

Wednesday, May 27, 2025 continued

From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. Acts 16:11

Today the city is known as Kavala. 

From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. Acts 16:12. 

This is a portion of the ancient Roman road built in the second century BC. It was 20 feet wide, stretched for 700 miles and took 20 years to complete. We are looking down at it from an overpass. 

On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. Acts 16:13-14

This is the river where it is said that Paul encountered Lydia. 

Ryan took the opportunity to discuss the scripture and David sang a hymn. It was a beautiful spot.


When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us. Acts 16:14

Lydia is considered to be the first convert to Christianity in Asia. At the site of the river is also a church dedicated to her.

Paul and Silas continued to share the gospel in Philippi but eventually landed themselves in prison. Acts 16:16-24

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. 

Tradition suggests that this little room is where Paul and Silas were imprisoned. Studies indicate that it was actually a cistern. 

At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 

But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” 

The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. Acts 16:25-34

These are some of the ruins of Philippi. 

Like most cities of the day, Philippi had a theater. Initially they used it for education of the people and in its heyday it held 8000. Later in the second or third century AD it was converted to an arena specifically for “beast fights.” Today it is sometimes used in special occasions for theatrical productions. 


Basilica A: The tall pieces of building in the background of this photo are of a Philippian basilica. 

Basilica B: Our guide helped us to envision the footprint of this church. That helped tremendously. Even with all the missing pieces of the structure, it was amazing to see the complexity of the construction. 

This concludes our travels from Wednesday. It was fascinating and this post really only scratches the surface. 

My next post will cover our going to some monasteries in the mountains on Thursday. 

Welcome to Greece

Day 2

Tuesday, May 27, 2025

In preparation for our trip, I have been studying Greek for about 8 months. Today I got to try it out in the airport where, by the way, everybody in the shops spoke perfect English. 

For lunch I ordered a spinach pie, very slowly reading aloud to the clerk the two words on the food label. It looked delicious. It was a flaky pastry full of cheese and spinach. I gathered my “Coke Light” and orange Fanta and paid the girl. I thanked her, I thought, in Greek to which she said, “Next!” and looked to the customer behind me. 

At the table I opened my bag, eager to enjoy the spinach delight. Eight months of studying Greek scored me plain cheese — which, by the way, was quite tasty. 

The last step of our journey was a one hour plane ride to Thessaloniki. After settling into our hotel, we had a delicious dinner and then retired for the night. 

Tomorrow we will explore Thessaloniki, Philippi and Kavala. 

LORD, Thank you for our safety as we have traversed the globe. And thank you for our  guide, Anthula. We look forward to the fascinating things you have to show us tomorrow. May we be a blessing to Anthula and others throughout the day. 

 

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Bill was unable to come with us this time. So we will think about him all along the way. 

This is the Athens airport. 

Bon Voyage

May 26, 2025

Our team has departed the Bluegrass State on our way to Thessaloniki, Greece. And what a good-looking group we are! 

We fly to Chicago then to Athens then to today’s final destination. It should take us approximately 15 hours to reach our hotel and we will get there tomorrow at about 7:00pm Eastern European Summer Time (noon Eastern Time).

We are all excited to see some really old stuff. 

Happy Memorial Day!

LORD, Thank you for all the fine men and women who work in the airports and on the planes to keep us safe as we travel. Please bless them today with passengers who are kind and patient. Amen. 

Paul’s Letters

Paul traveled over 10,000 miles on three different missionary journeys. He established Christian churches across Asia and into Europe. He often sent letters to these congregations instructing and encouraging them. Thirteen of these letters made their way into the New Testament. When did he write them and in what order? 

It is widely considered that four of his letters were written from prison:

• To the church at Ephesus
• To the church at Philippi
• To the church at Colossae
• To Philemon

And the order we find them in the New Testament is most likely not chronological:

1. Galatians, 48 AD
2. I Thessalonians, 49-50 AD
3. II Thessalonians, 50-51 AD
4. I Corinthians, 52-54 AD
5. II Corinthians, 55-56 AD
6. Romans, 55-57 AD
7. Ephesians, 61-62 AD
8. Philippians, 57-62
9. Colossians, 61-62 AD
10. Philemon, 61 AD
11. I Timothy, 62-63 AD
12. Titus, 62-64 AD
13. II Timothy, 65 AD

Because Paul was raised and educated in the Jewish tradition, he sought to reach out to fellow Jews in order to show them that Jesus was, indeed, the Messiah. Many of his letters present the plan of salvation as a free gift and not a result of actions. 

He taught Christian theology. He pointed out immorality. He addressed conflict within congregations. He encouraged reconciliation, grace and spiritual maturity. He emphasized brotherly love, caring for the less fortunate and standing firm in faith. 

I find it amazing that Paul did so much in such a short period of time without the use of modern technology and transportation. We really don’t have any good excuses. We should do the same. 

LORD, It is with humility that we acknowledge our shortcomings with regard to evangelizing, teaching and encouraging the people around us. Show us an opportunity today to speak up for you. Give us the courage to do it. 

Crazy Cardinal

Based on highly scientific data, I've decided that cardinals are crazy.

For about two months, a male cardinal has been pecking at my garage window. He does it countless times a day. You would think that he might eventually figure out that the cardinal he sees in the reflection actually poses no threat to him or that the other guy is not afraid of him and his antics.

And because of this one bird, I've come to the conclusion that ALL cardinals are nuts.

You and I think that WE have problems.

May 24, 2025

I did a little research to see what I could find regarding some of the issues Paul had after his conversion. Goodness. 

• He was let down in a basket over the Damascus city wall to escape the riotous mob. Acts 9:23-25
• He fled from Pisidian Antioch. Acts 13:50
• He fled from Thessalonika. Acts 17:5-10
• They ran him out of Berea. Acts 17:13-14
• He was slapped in the mouth before the High Priest. Acts 23:2
• He was arrested at least seven times. Acts 16:16-24, II Timothy 3:12, I Peter 4:16 etc 
• During one imprisonment while being transported from one place to another, he was shipwrecked. The guards came very close to killing all of the prisoners so that they could not escape. Acts 27:42
• Three times he was beaten with rods. II Corinthians 11:25
• Five times he was whipped to within an inch of his life. II Corinthians 11:24
• He was stoned twice and left for dead. Acts 14:2, 5, 19

But even during all these hardships, Paul continued to praise the Lord and to write letters to many of the region’s churches. 

I’ve heard it said that “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.” My personal favorite is that “when the going gets tough, the tough — go shopping!” Regardless, the reality for many of us is that when we get knocked down, we curl up in a ball and complain. 

Paul didn’t give in or give up. He took advantage of every situation to tell people — jailers, prisoners, religious leaders — about his Savior. What about us? 

LORD, Thank you for Paul’s example to us. May we be willing to tell others about you no matter what our circumstances.

Paul and Barnabas

May 23, 2025

After Paul’s conversion to Christianity, he returned to Jerusalem assuming that he could join in the work of the Apostles there. Understandably they were skeptical of his intentions and refused to let him in. 

One of the guys who was considered to be among the disciples was Joseph of Cyprus or Barnabas (which means encourager). He came across Paul and listened to his most amazing story. Convinced that Paul’s conversion was real, Barnabas took him personally to meet all the boys. The two formed a strong and wonderful bond and went on to spend many years spreading the Gospel together. 

Paul’s first missionary journey is recorded in Acts chapters 13 and 14. The trip, which covered two years, took Paul and Barnabas from Antioch to Galatia and back again, where they spread the Gospel along the way. John Mark, cousin to Barnabas, initially set out with them, only getting as far as Pamphylia before deciding to return home. 

About a year later, Paul, Barnabas and Silas prepared for another lengthy journey. This time John Mark, with Barnabas’ encouragement, wanted to travel with them again. Paul’s opposition was so strong that he and Barnabas ended up going separate ways over it — Silas and Paul went to Syria and Cilicia while John Mark and Barnabas went to Cyprus. 

A third missionary journey lasting four years took Paul from Antioch to Ephesus to Philippi to Thessalonica to Corinth and on to Jerusalem. Apparently John Mark, Barnabas and Paul reconciled their differences as is reflected in II Timothy 4:11, I Corinthians 9:6 and Colossians 4:10. (“My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.”)

Paul found a friend and co-laborer in Barnabas when he initially went back to Jerusalem. They were very much like us — they agreed on some things and not on others. But the fact that Paul heartily encouraged the church in Colossae to receive Mark indicates that things were eventually all good between them. 

Are there any people in your life that you need to encourage?

Are there any people with whom you need to reconcile?

LORD, Thank you for the encouragers in our lives. Thank you for working through us and in spite of us. May we encourage freely and take the first step to making things right when necessary.

Saul and Ananias

May 22, 2025

“The Lord said to Ananias,  “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.””

‭‭Acts‬ ‭9‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I can hear Ananias’ response now. “Wait, Lord, what? Do you realize who this dude is? He’s trying to wipe us out! He’s one bad human, Lord. Are you sure? Really? You want me to touch him with tenderness to restore his vision? Why do I feel like I’d be caressing a cobra?”

To be sure, Ananias would have had many things like this rolling around in his mind. Yet, he knew God’s voice, too, and trusted that He really did know what he was doing. So he did as he was told. 

Immediately the veil was removed and Saul could once again see. I’m thinking that he probably gave Ananias a huge bear hug and began praising God for his healing. And I see Ananias speechless in Saul’s embrace. 

I think this interaction took a lot of courage from both men. Saul was helpless and at Ananias’ mercy. He could have easily slit his throat and taken credit for neutralizing the zealot. Ananias, on the other hand, ran the risk that once Saul’s faculties were restored, he would take him to prison. 

According to Acts 9, Saul immediately took a crash course in the life and ministry of Jesus. And he, himself, began to preach Jesus as the Messiah to the Jews of Damascus. He started to cause a bit of an uproar and ultimately escaped from Damascus with his life. This was the first time he had to flee from the Jews. But it would not be his last. 

Blinded by the Light

May 21, 2025

As the story of Saul continues, we find him on his way to Damascus. He had obtained the legal documents necessary to seek out Christians there and to prosecute them for blasphemy. 

“As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?””

‭‭Acts‬ ‭9‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I think that got his attention. 

The others around him were confused by what happened because they were not allowed to see and hear everything as Saul did. 

For Saul, it was unmistakable. He was confronted by Jesus, himself. (Acts 9:3-7)

Immediately following his encounter with Jesus, Saul realized that he could see nothing. He was blind. Helpless in this state, this powerful man had to be led by the hand the rest of the way into Damascus. Everything he had clung to in the past had left him in total darkness, vulnerable and helpless. 

He did not eat for three days. He searched his heart as Jesus’ words to him echoed there. He had been righteously punishing the wrongdoers but Jesus had said he was actually persecuting HIM. This was new. He needed more information. Had the people been right? Was this Jesus actually the Messiah?

LORD, Your words to us can cut to the quick. Help us to listen so that we may clearly hear. Help us to respond in faith. 

Saul of Tarsus

May 20, 2025

I am preparing to leave for Greece next week. Our travel agency, Imagine Tours, is taking us to see many of the locations where Paul preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So before we leave, I want to explore a little bit about this man, Paul. 

Who was he?

Where did he come from?

How did he come to believe that Christ was, indeed, the Messiah promised from God?

How did he spread the Gospel?

His original name was Saul. 

He was born in Tarsus, Turkey to a Jewish family from the tribe of Benjamin. 

He learned the Hebrew Law (in our Old Testament) while studying in Jerusalem under Rabbi Gamaliel, a highly respected legal scholar, Pharisee, and member of the Sanhedrin. (Acts 22:3)

As a young man, Saul was a Pharisee respected for his knowledge of the Law and his commitment to protecting it. He was the overseer in the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58) he removed Christ-followers from their homes and imprisoned them (Acts 8:3), and he asked for permission to flush out the Christian heretics in Damascus so as to bring them to trial for blasphemy. (Acts 9:1-2) He defended the Law. From his perspective, this man, Jesus, whom they called the Christ, was NOT the Messiah and all who proclaimed him as such must be punished severely. 

Here is his description of himself:

“circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Acts 9:13 indicates that Saul’s reputation for persecuting the church was well-known. He was feared among the believers. 

Of course the story does not end here. But it is important to understand Saul’s determination to expose the Christians. Because that will help us relate to their skepticism about him that we will look into tomorrow. 

LORD, Help us to relate to the humanity we will see in this man, Paul. Help us to understand the importance of his Hebrew upbringing as an instrument of your work. May we allow you to use us, as well. 

Disaster in Kentucky

Monday, May 19, 2025

Friday night in Central Kentucky was pretty raucous. The National Weather Service has confirmed that tornadoes classified as EF2 and EF3 affected Russell, Pulaski and Laurel Counties causing who knows how much property damage and unfathomable injury and loss of life. 

Bill and I had just recently watched a documentary about a tornado in Missouri so a lot of that footages played out in my mind Friday night. I can’t imagine the fear, the uncertainty or the mourning that gripped the communities involved. 

What can we do now to help our fellow Kentuckians? I strongly suggest donating to the Kentucky Baptist Convention Disaster Relief Program. They are SO good at what they do. 

Bill tells about being at a natural disaster scene years ago when a box truck drove up. Kind-hearted people from many miles away had filled the truck with cleaning supplies, drinking water, non-perishable foods and clothing. 

At first blush that sounds great but here’s the problem. They already had enough cleaners — what they needed was buckets and mops. A company had already donated pallets of water and there wasn’t any room to store any more. The food pantry was already heavily stocked with macaroni and cheese and pinto beans but the people didn’t have a way to cook them. 

And then there was the clothing. It arrived in boxes and in garbage bags. For the most part the items were old, worn, stained and pretty useless. Interestingly, someone had sent a very sentimental piece of clothing — a wedding dress. Although the gesture was sincere, there was no use for such an item and there was no where to store it for later. 

The point of this story is simple. The people affected by the tornadoes last week need lots of things. The KY Disaster Relief team assesses the situation and provides accordingly. The meals they serve are hot and ready-to-eat. The clothing they provide is new and sized to fit. The cleaning supplies are appropriate for the site. 

So please give generously to help our communities. https://www.kybaptist.org/flood/

And pray for the victims and for the disaster relief team. 

LORD, Our hearts break for those who have been affected by the tornadoes in Kentucky. It is so very sad. Thank you for the KY Disaster Relief team— for their commitment, love and hard work. Thank you for the lives who will be impacted for your kingdom. May you be glorified through their boots on the ground today. 

Something Special is on the Horizon

May 18, 2025

I will be traveling to Greece, Turkey and Italy in a few days with a group from Somerset First Baptist Church via Imagine Tours. This is the same tour company that we had when Bill and I went to Israel a few years ago. We are getting really excited about our trip!

Our excursion will take us to various destinations mentioned in the New Testament that are sites of  Paul’s missionary journeys. We will see magnificent things, I’m sure. 

Please follow along with us from May 26 to June 7 as we explore. I intend to post something every day so I hope you enjoy the ride. 

LORD, As this amazing trip awaits us, I pray for your protection on our group and for all the people who will be guiding us along the way. May we be your beacons everywhere we go so that others may know you and that you will be glorified. 

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Johnson: Part VI

May 17, 2025

How can Johnson achieve his dream?

I honestly think the first step is going to have to be getting employment. 

If he were able to get a job in Haiti, that would give him some experience and perhaps allow him to save some money for school. It might also help him to obtain a visa for another country if he had work ties in Haiti. 

He has applied for a job with Royal Caribbean. With them he could polish his English, make lots of friends from around the world and perhaps find an education pathway through them. 

If he could learn English better, he could perhaps apply for a work visa in the US as a translator for Haitian immigrants. That would especially be cool if such a job could be in the medical field. (One of the requirements for a work visa is that the applicant has to have a skill or trade that is needed here — like translating English into Haitian Creole.)

I don’t know the answer. But I know the One who does. And I trust that He will take care of this fine young man. 

LORD, you have provided for Johnson for years now. And according to the New Testament, that is your plan — to provide for him. Thank you. 

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Johnson: Part V

May 16, 2025

Where is Johnson now?

After the big disappointment in Jamaica, Johnson flew back home to Haiti. He is living in the same house as his brother, Phylipe, pictured here. 

Johnson and I communicate regularly through a communications app. He is doing okay but this whole ordeal has been so hard on him. Jobs in Haiti are virtually non-existent. He really needs experience in a paid position so that he can use that on applications. But he can’t get a job to get experience. 

We have looked at a medical school in the Caribbean but he would need a passport from France. There is no French Embassy in Haiti now so that would be an ordeal to obtain. 

We have explored his immigrating to Brazil because they are allowing Haitians into that country. So if he goes there he will have to learn Portuguese. 

We continue to research other possibilities for him and are reminded that God has a special plan for him. So we continue to move forward. 

LORD, thank you for your watchcare over Johnson. Thank you for his family. They all help each other the best way they can. Father, you know Johnson’s heart. Bless him, Lord. Bless his family. Bless his future. Amen. 

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Johnson: Part IV

May 15, 2025

How close did Johnson get to coming to the US.?

I am a proponent of people immigrating to the US. Many of us would not be here had that not been the case. But I want them to come legally. And I was determined for Johnson to come here the right way. 

I had worked with another international student a few years ago as she navigated through our immigration system. We had to go step by step and follow all the directives specifically. So I kind of knew what I was getting into with Johnson. 

At one point I had thought I should pursue humanitarian parole for him but that just didn’t seem to be the way. Now, it turns out, if he had come under that umbrella, he would most likely be getting deported.  So I thank God that I did not settle for a quick but non-permanent solution. 

I couldn’t get him here under a work visa because I was not in a position to hire him myself. And I didn’t feel comfortable asking any of my friends to fork over the sponsorship fees to bring him here to work for them. And if he were here on a work visa, there’s a possibility he couldn’t go to school. 

I could sponsor him as a non-immigrant — one who would come here for an education, for instance, who would subsequently return home after graduation. Based on his dream, that is the avenue I chose. 

I went through ten thousand and one steps (more or less) to help him apply to language school at UK, to fill out all the student and immigration documents that started with letters and ended in numbers (whew), and to secure flights and housing for his visa hearing. 

As it turned out, the US Embassy in Haiti was closed due to all the unrest in Port au Prince. He couldn’t go to the Embassy in neighboring Dominican Republic because Haitians were still not allowed to cross the border into that country. So he had to travel to another Caribbean country to appear before the US Embassy there. Because of their quick turnaround time, we chose Jamaica. 

Johnson was all set to fly. I had researched the visa requirements for Jamaica and was shocked to learn at the last minute that he really did need one. So our plans got delayed while I spent hours/days getting that document ready. Meanwhile the UK clock was ticking for his start date at school. 

Flying to Jamaica was expensive. Staying in a hotel that wasn’t a flea-bag was expensive. Eating was expensive. Navigating within the country was expensive. Goodness. Money just flew away. 

Johnson appeared before the US Embassy and he looked so nice. He presented all his documents and tried his best to communicate with them in his low-intermediate English. They decided very quickly that he was not a good candidate for a non-immigrant visa to the US. Period. End of discussion. 

He was devastated. 

I can’t say that I was terribly surprised by their conclusion. It just seemed like a quick decision which lumped all Haitians into one characterization and did not take Johnson’s dream and grit into account. 

I reached out to Congressman Andy Barr’s office and they contacted the Embassy on our behalf. The response from the Embassy made perfect sense. The burden of proof lies with the applicant to assure the Embassy of their intent to return home after graduation. Johnson had no property in Haiti. He had no wife and children to return to. There was nothing but an elusive “dream” for him to hang on to. 

So Johnson had to go home, again incurring another large expense. And we had to cancel his admission to UK. 

By this time, the thousands of dollars that I had raised on Johnson’s behalf were gone. There was nothing left. Nothing. We were both wiped out. 

LORD, I am saddened as I record this part of Johnson’s story. We were both so sure that we were doing what you were directing us to do. And I still think that. But I admit that I don’t understand why things turned out the way they did. I don’t know what you would have us to learn from this. But I do know that you love Johnson more than anything and that you want him to be okay. We trust you. We trust your heart. 

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Day 11: Rome

Thursday, June 5, 2025

Today in Rome we walked well over 5 miles in the “old” part of town. Among other points of interest, we spent some time in these places: 

• St. Peter in Chains Basilica
• The Colosseum
• The Paletine Hill
• The Constantine Arch
• The Forum

The post for today, though, will concentrate on the Colosseum. It was built when Jesus was but a boy. It stands 164 feet high.  I’m pretty sure we could spend multiple days here and just scratch the surface. 

First of all, I was surprised to find that the arena itself is an oval and not a circle. I also had no idea that the arena floor was made of wood and that it sat upon the walls of rooms and corridors in the level below it. 

When reconstruction originally began, the arena floor was full of weeds, grasses and trees which had to be removed. Herders had kept their goats and sheep in this overgrown area. And many families made their homes in one of the 80 large archways of the outer wall. 

The reconstruction of the Colosseum has flooring on about a fourth of the arena so that visitors can see the “basement” and can visualize how the full floor might have looked.

Here you can see the white floor covering part of the basement. On the right you can see some white and grey risers one level up from the floor. This is a reconstruction of the “steps” where the men sat. (Women were only allowed on the top level.) There may have been as many as four levels of seats and the colosseum may have seated 50-80,000 people. 

The basement would have held prisoners and beasts to be used for sport. It would have been a bloody event, to be sure. 

This hill is what is left of the stairs going between different levels. It is pretty incredible. 

These metal braces are used to stabilize the walls now. 

Imagine that the arena floor was surrounded by four oval corridors. Here you can see the two innermost ones. They would not have been open to the elements but most likely would have had ceilings of wood and/or stone. 

The two outer corridors were used to channel onlookers to and from the seats on the various levels. 

This would have been the outermost corridor with its 80 arched entrances. 

This was the second corridor from the outside. Notice all the places where chunks of stone are missing. Back in the day, there were decorative pieces attached to the walls with metal. At one point, when the Colosseum was out of use, people took many things from it to be used in construction projects elsewhere. The removal of the metal from the walls caused these big gaps in the stone. 

On the left in this picture you can see the three levels of the outer two corridors. Starting in the 500s AD, the large stone exterior began to be harvested, along with other items, for the materials needed for other constructions. 

I learned today that the floor of the arena could be decorated or changed in some way depending on the sport. They would use sets of trees and other vegetation ‬when animals were to be hunted (elephants, lions and other wild beasts). They would seal the floor with stone and fill the arena with water for the reenactment of naval battles. 

I found it interesting, though, that when placing this rock here for us to see and touch, they did not consider its orientation. It is upside down. 

This diagram from the Internet is helpful to see how the Colosseum might have looked. Seeing the ruins today helps me understand this passage of scripture in a new light. 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭35‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I shudder to think how I would have responded to persecution in those days. Would I have stood up for my Lord or would I have cowered under the threat of torture or death? 

LORD, Very rarely are we in the position where we are asked to risk it all for you. May we act and speak courageously for you today and every day. For you love us more than anything and we should tell the world. 

Day 10: Rome, Ostia Antica, Appian Way

June 4, 2025

Our flight from Athens to Rome was uneventful. But I have to say that getting up at 3:30am, flying for two hours and immediately touring and walking for 6 hours really took its toll on me before the day was over. I will only cover a portion of what we did today. The rest will show up on my blog after we get home. 

We spent a few hours in the ancient city of Ostia which was really cool. It’s the first time I’ve seen the use of clay bricks in architecture from thousands of years ago. 

Later we drove down the Appian Way which was quite lovely. 

But today I want to show some photos of the Basilica of St Paul. We are following his missionary journeys and I find it appropriate that our tour will end in the same city where he lost his life. 

The outer garden of the Basilica of St. Paul is beautiful. 

Statue of St. Peter, considered to be the first Pope of the Catholic Church. 

Statue of St. Paul, for whom the basilica is named. 

The inlaid gold reflects light, giving everything a fastastic glow. Notice above the arches are gold circles.

The golden medallions depict all of the catholic popes, starting here with St. Peter.

 

Illuminated on the row of medallions is the place where the new pope’s image will be. 

These murals depict the stoning of Stephen, the blinding light from God on Saul and the restoration of Paul’s sight.

Interestingly, the majority of the church was destroyed by fire in 1823 and then reconstructed in all its glory. 

LORD, thank you for showing us today some of the amazing things in Rome. We are reminded that you are always with us when you live in our hearts. Amen