23/8 Day 33: Greece - Athens to Thessaloniki

(Written at an internet cafe in Thessaloniki)

The general drama continued through the very very hot night and when I got up at 5 am all the booths and shops were still open and the traffic was just a little less. The hotel manager had told me the night before that if I had to be at the station at 9am I had better leave at 6. So at 6:15 I waited for the bus that would take me into town, and after some more adventure in this city without a propper core I found the station.

When I agreed to come on this trip with the Lord as my only companion I knew I was signed-up for a school in trust. Its day 33 and I'm still failing the tests.... After standing in a long line to get my seat reservation I was told there was no seats on the train left. I could travel, but I was given a standing place. Standing or sitting on the floor for 6 hours did not sound that great, but OK if thats what I have to do its OK.

So when the train came I got into the last truck where the 2nd class compartments are also some little fold out seats in the hall. I felt the Lord challenge to seek Him for better, so I got out and walked to the other end of the train where first class is. (My Eurail is firstclass, so if there was space that was where I would have been traveling. As I made my way allong the platform I spoke to every one I could find with a uniform. They all confered that I should get into first class and move when chased. The actual conductor even showed me to a seat. I was thankful but stressed - waiting for the person whose seat I was on to come and chase me. The Lord asked me to trust Him - I tried but I couldn't. Only after 3 hours did I start to see that there was really no-one that was going to chase me away. He had given me a nice seat and all He wanted was for me to rest in Him and enjoy it.

I sat on that seat the whole way! When we pray 'Lord make me better' we never know what the nature of the refining fire will be... who would think that relaxing about a firstclass seat could become the battlefield of the soul!

My Crocks have started scathing me blisters since I came to Italy. I think it must be the dry heat and dust combination, because they are not new and have never done this before. So when I put them on this morning I made my request known to the Lord - I need thin socks.

On arrival here in Thessaloniki I had a smooth-enough time to get my ticket on the night train to Istanbul. From there I came in search of an internet cafe and noticed that almost all the shops are closed. Then I reallised that its Saturday adternoon. But there was one foorwaer shop open and it had two pairs of thin socks for sale. So I bought a pair. The gentle shopkeeper made me sit on a chair when he realised that I was going to put them on right away, and he was so concerned about the blisters I almost cried.

This has been my experience of many of the people I came accross in Greece: we can not understand each other's languages, but there is a deep resonance and heart connection. With all there high drama and emotion and enigmatic transport systems they are very dear people with big hearts.

I'm going back to the station now to look for a place to read Revelations. Tomorrow I wake up in Turkey.