It’s All Greek to Me

“We want to make Jesus famous here. This is our goal. We want people to see this place as a place of refuge. As a place where they can find family. As a place where they can find Jesus, or peace in the midst of the storm.”

Elias and Melina left their home in Argentina and moved to the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. They became Adventist volunteers and now manage a Global Mission Urban Center of Influence, called Meeting Point.

“When you are in Christ, you are born as a missionary. That’s why we decided to take this challenge of being missionaries.”

“We are trying to give all we have learned to serve others.”

“I think it’s important to have the same method that Jesus had. First, He related to the person, saw their needs, and then preached. It’s basically what we’re trying to do...use this method.”

Following Christ’s method of ministry, Elias and Melina go door to door to find out what kind of programs their neighbors are interested in. Then they can tailor their work to fit the needs of the community.

After just a few months in Cyprus, the volunteers have started a variety of programs at Meeting Point.

“I give nutrition advice, therapeutic massage, facial treatments, and things to help me grow a little closer to the people.”

These health programs give Elias and Melina the opportunity to connect with people who otherwise probably wouldn’t walk into an Adventist church.

Although many people on the island speak English, Greek is even more widely spoken.

“The greatest challenge here is the language. That’s why we’re looking forward to learning Greek as quickly as possible, in order to communicate better with people.”

They’ve found creative ways to communicate with the Greek-speaking visitors, like using translation apps on their phones or learning common Greek phrases.

When someone comes to Meeting Point, they are greeted by a warm atmosphere, refreshments, and books as they wait for their health assessment. After the assessment, visitors receive an evaluation with lifestyle suggestions and are encouraged to visit again to follow up on their progress.

Meeting Point is also a place kids love. Elias and Melina host a fun activity each week and plan to expand the programs.

“It will be a program for kids where they will make crafts. We will make crafts, follow recipes, and play games. There’s a fun part and a part where they learn something.”

Today’s activity involves painting positive messages onto stones. The kids love doing crafts like this, but the real fun comes when they give their creations away to strangers on the street. People love receiving these precious gifts. The kids go home knowing that they’ve spread some joy in the community.

“We are sure that God is blessing these activities because we see the happiness on their faces. We are sure that with time, patience, love, and trying to show Jesus to them, we will see many results, many people saved by these activities. This is something that makes us really happy.”

Each Sabbath, Elias and Melina lead the worship service for the church plant that gathers in Meeting Point. Some of the people here attend regularly, while others are just visiting. Your prayers and mission offerings have played a key role in making this happen.

“I want to give our gratitude to the worldwide church. With your support, help, tithes, and offerings, we are making a difference here.”

Thank you for supporting the Seventh-day Adventist Church and helping Adventist volunteers like Elias and Melina spread the love of Jesus to the world.