The SY Genevieve Challenge is painted and now we’re in the last of the preparations to receive our students for Impact Training 2009!  We look ahead with anticipation as we’ll be living in close quarters with a group of people we do not yet know over the next six weeks.

Meanwhile our papers finally came through just days before we left Skopelos island, – to say we’re now recognized by the authorities as a non-profit organization, however too late to go through with the purchase of the land we had our eye on.  We’re now looking into a second piece of land that interested us, but will not pursue this till the end of our sailing season for lack of time.

To help facilitate things we’ve rented an apartment in the port city of Volos which is our base of operations for the summer months.  This will give us a place to store extra stuff as well as give us a chance to get away for a couple of days between groups to recuperate as well as provides facilities for laundry and freezer as we stock up at the start of the season.  We’ll also make the apartment available to friends that would like to stay a few days as they pass through or even come to sight see in the Peleon area, if interested write us an email!

Finally the generator is fixed and we leave Volos for our winter haven on Skopelos island.  Still a mile off shore on our approach to Panormos bay, we breathed deeply the fresh scented pines .  We  anchored up  and sat in the stillness of the bay in the warming afternoon sun and listened again to the shrill twittering of the kingfishers that flit about the anchored boats and wooded foreshore and were glad to be back.

With the excuse of Christmas we enjoyed visiting and partying with friends nearly every other day especially in the latter half of December, till finally on the first of 2009 we could look ahead and begin to plan for the work we’ll need to do in preparation for the coming season, which includes some plumbing to make more use of seawater for washing up and also maintenance on the electrical systems, as for the  indoor jobs, and repainting the deck and hull.

We’ve now all our paper work to set up Torchbearers as a non – profit organization in Greece and as things begin to normalize after all the celebrations they should be processed by the Greek authorities and so enable us to proceed with the purchase of land possibly by Spring.

Meanwhile Impact Training is full and 12 students are now eagerly preparing to come over for what we trust will be a life changing experience (see “comments” for testimonials given by some of last years students).

Looking back to the last update I’m shocked that it was a whole summer ago!  So many have come and gone aboard the ship and hence in and out of our lives.  It was certainly busy and we’re very much looking forward to the break but also a great and enjoyable summer season.

The Spring discipleship training school on board was certainly a highlight of the season.  12 students having an experience of a lifetime! imagine studying and standing in the place where Paul the apostle stood, gazing out upon a landscape he would have seen, hearing the language which he spoke!  It was a joy to live aboard together as a community and grow together as the Holy Spirit worked on transforming lives.  The 2009 course is already full and the demand indicates that maybe we need to offer a second course, possibly in the Fall???

Gladly this summer season with Greek Sailaways we had each program full with participants however a couple of the “closed group” bookings were cancelled.  We’re still in the “black” financially however only just hanging in there.  Unfortunately with the rising cost of living we need much more to operate which will be reflected in the following years suggested contributions.

This summer we also had Steve a video production guy to help put together a promo dvd.  This October it should be ready for viewing.  You’ll see a button on this website when the video goes live where you’ll be able to view it.

Just this morning we submitted still more paper work to our solicitor for the purpose of establishing Torchbearers in Greece and hence giving us the possibility to pursue the purchase of property as a non-profit organization.  We’re still hoping that that piece of land we spotted in the Spring will be ours to buy, and possibly be ours by the end of this year!

After a most enjoyable winter on Skopelos island, having the pleasure of meeting many locals and building friendships we took off in early April to come to Volos where we got busy with preparations for our first Impact Training Course to be run aboard starting 1st May.

The biggest project was the installation of a new generator, which went in without a hitch however three weeks later we’re still waiting on one of the parts to fire her up!  Orthodox Easter (late April) put much on hold.

Just before leaving Skopelos Island we found a piece of land 8,600 sqm of gently sloping olive grove which we are now in the process of buying. This will become our shore base and later Torchbearers Greece center.

We have just enough money to buy the land and fix a small cottage to become our winter accommodation.  Then we hope in the near future to raise funds for the main building project.

What a lovely summer season, with pleasant winds to enjoy sailing and lovely people with which to share life.  following are excerpts from a couple of people that wrote back to say thanks;

“Dear Sandra, dear Theo, before I’ll leave my office to start my weekend I finally want to drop you a quick note and to tell you: the time together with you on Genevieve Challenge was one of my most beautiful vacations. I think about it very often and I’m so thankful to God that I got to enjoy a vacation like this”.

“I loved my experience. The food was amazing, the culture was fun to explore, I was challenged in my faith and encouraged and learned a little about sailing.  Thank you for the opportunity. I have  suggested it to many people. So maybe you will see me and my friends again”.

Technically the season went quite smoothly aside of a generator problem which lead to batteries needing to be replaced.  Thankfully with all the sailing we did as opposed to motoring we were able to save the money to cover the damages.

we have now settled in for the winter in Panormos bay on the island of Skopelos.  Our goal here aside of the usual maintenance on the boat, is to explore the possibility of purchasing land to build a shore base that will in time become a ministry center.

Already we’ve been able to meet a number of people in our neighborhood and more generally on the island who have made us feel very welcome here.  We look forward to our relationships growing, and becoming more so a part of this island community.

The warmth of summer is already upon us and our first Sailaway is over.  We had beautiful weather and fresh breezes carrying us out to the outlying Sporades islands giving us such a sense freedom.  Places are still available on most of the Sailaways.

While visiting Skopelos island we once again wondered what God had for us in this place in terms of a land base.  We’ve put off the hunt for property till the Autumn when we’ll return to the island and spend possibly the winter to take a good look at what’s available.

Preparations are now underway for Impact Training, our 6 week discipleship school aboard the “Genevieve Challenge”.  There has been a flood of interest and we look for wisdom in selecting those that will participate.

There is great interest shown by the Orthodox bishop to allow us to be involved in providing resources and activities for their children and teens camps in the Volos area.  However we must proceed slowly as there is a sector within the Orthodox ranks that greatly opposes any protestant involvement and expressed as much with a street demonstration recently when the Evangelical pastor of Volos was to speak by invitation of the Bishop at an Orthodox conference in Volos.

The week following this demonstration the Bishop was a guest speaker at an Evangelical Christian Doctor’s conference in Volos.  We hope bridges will be built enabling us to freely express the love of God and present the message of hope to the people of Greece.

We’re on the look out for a dean of students to work with us on Impact.  We hope the right person will soon apply.

Genevieve Challenge becomes a live aboard!

This Winter Sandra and I continued with maintenance and upgrade project whilst living aboard as we enjoyed one of the mildest winters of recent history.  However it became clear we need a shore base for future operations.

New shore base on Skopelos island!

It has been agreed that we should pursue the purchase of a property on Skopelos island that would provide storage and accommodation for the crew as well as be able to service our operational needs during the summer with re-provisioning and admin support as well as rent rooms to help with financing.

We trust people will rise up to help establish this facility either by personal contribution in skills and expertise and/or finance.

Impact Training scheduled for 2008!

After the overwhelming response to our “Impact Training” program, we’ve decided to launch this aboard “Genevieve Challenge” in April of 2008.  By May 2007 details will be posted on this website for those interested.

The Roaring 40′s!

A new sailing adventure for men only to be held in October.  Particularly suited for men in Christian ministry desiring the experience of comradery with others in similar circumstances and in pursuit of God’s heart and purposes. see www.livingjourney.net for details.

Decision for the long haul

This season afloat the “Genevieve Challenge” for Sandra and I is just about over, confirming our desire to continue with a renewed long term commitment to this ministry.  We’re already looking forward to the upcoming maintenance season being the first time winter long work has been done on the boat.  We plan to live aboard year round assuming this winter shows that it will be possible.

Support

We continue to look to supporters who may wish to donate on a monthly or one time basis to help meet financial needs of the crew.  See Donations under other links if you desire to help or just write to me at theo@torchbearers.gr

Impact Training

We’ve had an overwhelming response to the new Spring training program “Impact training!” with over a hundred preliminary applications for a program a year away.  Usually it is only now that we get applications for our Winter schools.  However we feel we’ll not be ready to offer the quality program we’d like to run for 2007 and so will postpone till May 2008.  Course details will be posted by May 2007.

Crew

After a season of various crew longer and short term with varied degrees of experience, we’ve decided to take on two deck hands each season, one male to help with the heavier deck work and a female to help Sandra with the domestic work.  Pass the word around for willing workers to come join us for the season or at least half of.  Experience not necessary! just a right spirit and willingness to work hard and long with cheerful attitude.

Yours in His Service

Theo

Since my last update Sandra and I have been tossed back & forth in our decisions as to the future.  My mom who had the heart surgery has recovered well.  Our offer to stay with her in Australia to provide long term care, at this point isn’t desired by her and so new possibilities have opened up for us again.

During this time of soul searching we were awakened to the need to plan for our long term financial needs such as provision for a pension and medical cover.  Further we’ve been considering our present lifestyle (many weeks apart in the last years) and the needs we have as a couple, also the desire to develop relationships with our families and friends and the need to get away from the constant demands here to do just that.  Already provision is being made in every aspect of the above over the last weeks giving us the confidence to press on into a new stage of ministry here in Greece.

With the restricted use of the camp facility we are presently using we’ve decided to pull out by April 2006 having run our last winter school, also canceling High Impact Training & Greek Getaways and Halcyon Days retreat programs in 2006.

We were considering the creation of our own center and had explored the possibilities in Halkidiki (1hr east of Thessaloniki) and Skopelos island in the north Aegean Sea and were encouraged by what we found.  However it became clear that we should consolidate and develop that which we already have, for the time being, – the ministry based on the sailing ship “Genevieve Challenge”.

In the Spring of 2006 Sandra and I plan to move full time onto the sailing ship “Genevieve Challenge” making it our home.  Our goal is to create and run discipleship training programs, evangelize & continue to offer Christian retreats.  After the spring maintenance we’ll start our sailing season 1st June and go till the end of September being a shorter season than usual with the intention to have a more restful season helping us to recover after these last years of rather intense activity.

As for our staff;  Marita who’s served so well and faithfully will return to Austria and is in the process of looking for an apartment and job, Renata continues enthusiastically to serve with the Greek Evangelical Church in Katerini serving among the teenagers, those on the periphery of society and gypsy families.  Tim & Pat promise yet another year to provide shore based support for the boat ministry.  All other staff such as Ross & Christine (cook & admin), Dave (RA & Maintenance) Rebecca (cook’s assist.) will continue to the end of March and then leave us to pursue other ministry opportunities.

In some ways it’s sad saying goodbye to all that has been going on at Leptokarya with the many camps, retreats, training programs that have been such a positive influence in the lives of so many.  However we’re getting excited about moving ahead with more narrowed areas of responsibility, serving in our unique way.  Having learnt so much in over 20 years of missionary service we feel we must not stop now.  God we believe has still much to do through us and most certainly in us too.   We look forward to what God would do in this next stage of our lives, also to seeing you all again,

Come sail with us in 2006!  Theo

New training program “High Impact!” was launched this Spring with two two-week courses.  We’ll need to move the program just a little later into Spring to minimize the possibilities of blizzard like conditions that we encountered this year on Mt Olympus.  Each of the two weeks were very different, with more extreme mountaineering situations in the first, to a variety of sports from rock climbing, rafting and  paragliding in the second as we toured across spectacular regions of northern Greece.  During these weeks our desire was to motivate each one to embrace our Lord Jesus Christ and be a people after God’s own heart.

New Discipleship Training School was run with YWAM this Spring for the first time aboard our sailing ship the “Genevieve Challenge” The students lived aboard for a total of 10 weeks sailing in the steps of Paul the apostle to the Gentiles.  They visited biblical sites & cities such as Thessaloniki, Athens, Corinth, Philippi as well as Ephesus and Istanbul in Turkey.  Anchoring in remote coves for lectures, learning to live in close quarters, sail and navigate as well as reaching out to the sailing community as they travel among the islands and coastal ports of Greece and Turkey.

New co-operation agreement currently being negotiated proposes two new building projects being a staff and office building and upgrading of a large dinning room making it useful for year round use.  This will lead of course to the need for building teams and finances to complete the projects.

New staff joining our team.  Tim & Pat Mcknight (operational managers for boat ministry).  Jamie & Carrie Farnell (boat crew) arrive in June.  Ross & Christine Tasche and baby daughter (cook & admin) arrive also in June.  Tim Irvine (Resident Assistant) for our training programs purposes to keep coming each Winter and also some past students are planning to come short term.

Pray

For the new team as they adjust.

For a suitable co-operation agreement with the camp owners.

For safety in all our activities both on the mountain and sea.

For ways to reach out with God’s love in our local community.

For God to reveal Himself and that we have eyes to see Him.

For Greek speakers to join our team.

For the means to support our staff & projects.