Celebrating Our Milestone Wedding Anniversary with Our Church Family in Waterloo, Canada

My husband and I have been married for a long time! I first met him at a church youth group meeting when I was a teenager. Though we were separated for a few years after my family moved away, we kept in touch for a few years. He dated a few other women while I also dated other young men throughout my highschool and university years.

  As God has meant for us to be together; we met up again and eventually fell in love and were married. We have been through thick and thin living through serious illnesses, many sunshine, and stormy days. We fought and overcome numerous challenges while successfully juggling two careers and raising a family in Canada. It was no easy task. Our family is still together and could have only done it through God's mercy, grace and divine protection.

  To this end, as our milestone wedding anniversary approached, we decided to celebrate it with our loved ones and church friends. We chose to celebrate in Waterloo where we have been serving in our ministries for years. It is a place where we feel most loved and supported by brothers and sisters from our church.

  As soon as Rev. V. knew that Waterloo was where our anniversary celebration would be held, she volunteered to help us organize the event. She mobilized her church and found a capable professional IT young lay to help us put together a video using many of our pictures from past years and decades to be shown at the celebration service. It helped reduce a lot of stress and pressure from us.

 

Many of our dear friends and family flew and drove in from the U.S. and across Canada to come and share our joy on the day of our celebration. We didn't want to invite all our friends but only close friends and loved ones.

  It was a joy having our families and very close friends at the luncheon held in a restaurant and followed by a church service where we recounted God's blessings and His protective hands on our married and family life for the past many years. We were delighted as this gave us the opportunity when we could witness for God and shared testimonies with our guests.

  It was such a blessed celebration! At the thanksgiving church service, we opened our celebration with our favourite praise and worship songs and followed by sharings from family members. The most surprising part for me and everyone was my husband's sharing. He prepared his part well with slides and a speech. Barely into his speech for 30 seconds, he was so overcome with emotion and gratitude that he started crying! How could he not be emotional after what we have gone through together and the recovery he has made from his serious illness. Holding back his emotions, he was able to continue his stories with our guests. Everyone was deeply touched by his raw emotions and the expression of his honest feeling at this event.

 

Following my husband's heartfelt stories, I shared a message and expressed our thankfulness to God. To conclude our part, my husband and I did a duet - His Eye is On the Sparrow, our love song that brought us together years ago when we first met. E. also shared briefly followed by a video congratulatory message from J. An unexpected surprise at the end of the service came from Rev. V. who arranged some interactive activities where S., me and other members of the congregation were involved. It was a fun experience for all those involved and entertaining for the guests watching as well.

  We ended the celebration with more food and fellowship - an abundant amount of homemade pastries and treats prepared by almost every one of our church families!

  What a glorious event! We felt so blessed to have been surrounded by people who love us so dearly! Dear God and Jesus, thank you for all the blessings, love and grace You have bestowed on me and my family! Who are we to have deserved so much for the past many decades? Thank you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts! May You guide us in the many years to come so that we can live for you and do the things that will serve others and be pleasing to you!

  In Jesus' name we pray, Amen!

  RT, Waterloo, Canada 062026

Everything is Possible with God - Finding the Right Bone Marrow Donor, a New Love and Getting Married in Later Years

We have been known Rev. S. sice the early 2000's when we started attending a new church in Toronto. Our church is a large church with over 1000 people in its weekly Sunday Service attendance. In order for the congregation to be connected, church attendees were divided into cell groups according to their different ages. We were assigned to a group of people around our age group which consisted of ten couples. Pastor S. at the time was new to our church and he was one of the members of our group. He came to the cell group meeting alone and we later learned that his wife had passed away not long ago.

  Though newly widowed, Pastor S. displayed faithfulness, strength and love towards all who came into contact with him. We have liked him from the very beginning. Instead of mired himself in self pity, he threw himself in church ministries and worked hard to help others in need.

  But when it poured, it rained. Just as Pastor S. was recovering from the loss of his wife, his younger son was diagnosed with bone cancer! The only way for his son to have a chance of surviving this illness was to have a bone marrow transplant which required finding a donor matching his son's bone marrow and who would be willing to go through the procedure of donating it.

  Pastor S. worked hard with others and those in church willing to help to raise awareness of this disease and to organize donation campagins to encourage people to register, have their bone marrow tested and find the right matching donor.

  In spite of all these obstacles in his life, Pastor S. kept going - working in our church and serving the congregation faithfully without any complaints. How he had the strength and courage to go through the chellenges in his life at the time was beyond me.

  Thanks to his tireless relentless efforts and determination, after months of searching and bone marrow donating campaigns, a match donor was found for Pastor S. son who received the marrow and went through a successful surgery! Praise God! That was many years back, and his son recovered from his bone cancer and is now happily married and devoting his time to a career serving the public as a police officer in Toronto! Miracles do happen in our life!

  The next piece of good news was something which our church friends and I have been praying for a long time for Rev. S.- finding love for the second time. Being a minister for a sizable church is a challenging and demanding job. We could just imagine the tolls and physical demands they place on a person. Even a minister, God's servant, needs to be comforted and looked after by a loved one.

 

Therefore, imagine the joy we felt learning about our beloved minister in his early 60's falling in love and getting married in June this year! I could not be happier for him, therefore, I volunteered my service to make some treats for the post wedding ceremony reception at our church. I mustered the help of two other sisters who came to our house the day before to do some baking for this joyful event.

  It was fun as we gathered together sharing stories and chopping food and baking together. We worked hard but enjoyed the labour of love and we were proud of what we could put together.

The next day, after bringning our baked treats to the church hall and setting them along with other food, we were able to sit and witness the wedding ceremony. It was a dream came true for Rev.S. and those who loved and prayed for him. I couldn't help wiping away my tears as we witnessed the new couple exchanging their vows in front of a packed church.

May God bless you, Rev. S. and Mrs. S. as you begin a new life and journey together in love!

  RT, Toronto, Canada, 062026

The Best Part of Our Greek Holiday - Discovering Saint Paul's Second Missionary Journey in Greece!

We came to the end of our vacation in Greece. Of all the cities and towns we have visited, I liked Kavala the best as we have learned so much about Greek history as well as tracing Saint Paul's footsteps on his second missionary journey.

During Paul’s second missionary journey, he arrived in Kavala (ancient Neapolis) on his way to Philippi. The Book of Acts (Acts 16:11) states that Paul sailed from Troas and landed at Neapolis.

This is one of the few New Testament travel movements that is geographically precise.

After landing at Neapolis (Kavala), Paul walked from Kavala to Philippi following the Roman Via Egnatia, the main imperial road connecting the Adriatic to Byzantium. The road is still visible today in sections between Kavala and Philippi.

 

The distance of the route is about 16 km (10 miles) and a fit traveler in the 1st century would take 4–5 hours on foot.

  This route matters becasue Paul’s arrival at Neapolis (Kavala) and his walk to Philippi marked: the first recorded entry of Christianity into Europe and the founding of the Philippian church, one of Paul’s closest communities.

Today, people can still walk Paul’s route as it’s one of the best preserved apostolic routes in Greece. We saw the signs of Saint Paul's footsteps everywhere while we were at Kavala.

  For those who are fit and would like to walk this piligrim route, the modern experience starts at Kavala Port (ancient Neapolis landing point).

 

To continue, one can follow the old Via Egnatia path through the hills and arrive at the Philippi archaeological site. Piligrims could continue to Krinides village if desired.

It’s a beautiful, moderate hike with sea views, Roman paving stones, and historical markers.

  We were blessed as we have stumbled upon and visited the place where Paul met Lydia and started the spread of Christianity to Europe and ultimately to the rest of the world! Thank you, Greece, for an unforgettable holiday and a great time!

  RT, Kavala, Greece, 042026

A Review of Hotel Liberty on Aegina Island, Greece

Originally, we only planned to stay on Aegina Island for a night, but we liked it so much that we decided to stay another night. The hotel where we stayed on this lovely island was Hotel Liberty.

Though our room was a little small and dated, the location was excellent. Fronting the water, our room allowed us to have an excellent view of the beach and the water below us.

Hotel guests could dine either in the spacious dining room or on the terrace facing the water. We chose to have our breakfast on the terrace. The view was lovely and unostructed. We couldn't believe we were staying in a hotel room fronting the water on a Greek island!

Breakfast was served to us on the terrace, a traditional one and was good. Looking over the ocean from the terrace and smelling the fresh water, we enjoyed our breakfast tremendously!

It only took us five minutes walking from Hotel Liberty to the town bus stop located at the main street of the village where we saw a few restaurants and a couple of bars. We bought some fruits at a small grocery / convenient store and visited the clothing store and the crafts and gifts shops too. It was conveneint for us to go for coffee in the afternoon at the local bakery shop and had our dinner at one of the restaurants.

The beach, a two minutes's walk from the hotel only! We liked the slower pace of life Aegina Island offered to us and we definitely enjoyed our stay at Hotel Liberty!

  Overall Score - 8 / 10

  RT, Greece

A Hotel Review for Crystal City Hotel - Our Most Favourite Hotel in ATHENS

  Crystal City Hotel in Athens was our most favourite hotel while we were in Greece! It was a little more expensive than all the other ones but the location was absolutely unbeatable! Located right beside the Metro subway, the hotel was easy to locate and we could be resting in our room in minutes after getting off from the bus/ subway from our out of city side trips.

  We liked everything about the Crystal City Hotel - from the spacious hotel lobby with its own cafe and dedicated staff serving snacks, hot and cold drinks throughout the whole day to the nicely decorated restaurant serving a full hot nutritious breakfast with a variety of hot and cold food, it was indeed a pleasure starting our day and enjoying our breakfast there.

While staying at the Crystal Hotel, we were only a stonethrow away from the Hondo Shopping Centre, numerous shops catering to different wallet budget and good restaurants. We were not afraid of walking around the hotel neighborhood late at night as the whole area was brightly lit with many people coming and going and many shops were opened late.

  Another part we liked about staying at the Crystal Hotel was the convenience and close proximity to some nice bakery cafes. There was one right next to the hotel and we could purcahse not only pastries but hot meals and enjoyed them at the patio seating outside the cafe anytime of the day as this bakery cafe opened 24 hours.

This bakery cafe was more than a cafe serving yummy pastires; the hot food choices were incedible! We had coffee and a meal there and enjoyed both tremendously.

  Convenient location, beautiful and clean rooms, spacious lobby and dining room serving a delectable breakfast with abundant choices of food and staffed by a courteous, caring and professional personnel at an affordable price. The Crystal City Hotel provided us with an exceptional value for its service. We couldn't ask for more from a hotel! Overall Score for Crystal Hotel, Athens- 10 / 10

  RT, Athens, Greece, 042026

Hotel Reviews For Our Stay in Athens, Greece

We visited Athens recently and were there for about ten days staying at a few hotels. Here are my reviews for three of them:

  1. Hotel Economy - Our first hotel in Athens, about 20 km from the airport and located right in the central area of the city. Approaching the hotel and looking out from our taxi, we had serious concerns about our choice of this hotel. Our first impression of the area around our hotel was not good at all: the streets were dark with little street lighting, the walls on the buildings were full of graffitti and the streets were quiet with few signs of activities.

Plus, it was drizzling, not a welcoming feeling at all.

  Since we were hungry, we went out looking for food and came upon a small restaurant. The food was good and the people were friendly which made us feel better.

The next morning, we had a good buffet breakfast which included a good choice of hot and cold food items at the hotel's dining room.

  Located in an excellent location, Hotel Economy made it easy for us to explore the neighbourhood on foot and we visited many famous attractions close by such as the Acropolis, City Hall, Meat and Fish Market, and many interesting shops, restaurants and cafes.

However, we only booked for the first two nights there as we were unsure if we liked the hotel. After our first night of stay, we wanted to book for more nights but it was full for the rest of the week therefore, we had to move to another hotel.

  Though the room in Hotel Economy was small and looking a little tired, the breakfast, service and location were excellent; the price was affordable.

  Overall Score for Hotel Economy - 8 / 10

  We moved a few times staying in a number of different hotels while vacationing in Athens. Other hotels we stayed included:

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Alyssa Hotel, Athens

  Alyssa Hotel was one of our most favourite hotel in Athens! We liked the spacious elegantly furnished lobby with big comfy chairs and sofas where guests could sink into and relax while waiting for friends or taxi cabs to arrive.

I also liked the choice of food items available at the buffet breakfast. They even served egg whites! Very healthy food choice indeed!

  Overall Score for Alyssa Hotel, Athens - 9/ 10

  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Hotel Cortal Maltese, Athens

  We were up and were served breakfast in our room. My hubby always makes sure that when booking hotel, our breakfast would always be included as we enjoy our morning coffee and do not wish to run around looking for a place for something to eat in the morning.

Breakfast was brought to our room as there was no dining room in the hotel. This was the first time we had breakfast brought to our room. It was relaxing enjoying a hot drink and breakfast in our comfortable and spacious room.

The best part of this stay for us was the spaciousness of our room. There was a nice sitting area with a good size sofa and enough space so that we could move around comfortably. There was a good size desk where I could do some computer work. The hotel was within easy walking distance to the subway and where we wanted to go. But for some reason it was difficult for us to locate this hotel on our google map and we went around a few times asking people for directions before we finally found it. Overall, for its location, affordablility and and comfort:

  Overall Score for Hotel Cortal Maltese, Athens - 8 / 10

  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RT, Athens, Greece, 042026

Port Piraeus - A Busy and Important Port in Athens, Greece

We had a good day visiting this port city as it is one of the most important and busy port in Greece.

  Port Piraeus, with a population of around 170,000 preople, is the chief sea port of Athens, the largest port in Greece, as well as one of the largest sea port in Europe. It plays a crucial role in Greece's economy and trade, serving as a hub for international shipping and a key transportation link for the country. The port's significance is further highlighted by its capacity to handle millions of passengers and cargo annually, making it a vital asset for Greece's maritime and industrial sectors.

My husband was very interested in visiting this port as it has some ties to Asia. During the Greek debt crisis that began in 2009, Port Piraues struggled with a dire need for funds to remain operational. International creditors pressured Greece to privatize the port as a condition for bailout funding.

COSCO, a Chinese state-owned shipping giant, was the only bidder to submit an offer, as other Western companies were afraid of Greece's financial instabiliIty. Therefore, China played a pivotal role in Port Piraues' rescue and subsequent growth. It was refreshing for us to learn about something positive done by China as most of what we hear and see in the Western media about China has always been negative.

The fun part for me while visiting Port Piraeus was visiting the square right across from the opera house where a few teenagers were hanging out, listening to live music being played in the square. I tipped the band and asked the musicians to play a song which people would dance to. The band did and some teenagers started to dance; I asked one of them to teach me the Greek dance and joined in the dancing too. It was great interacting with some local teenagers and learning the Greek dance!

  A very worthwhile visit for us to have visited this port city in Greece!

  RT, Port Piraeus, Greece 042026