Tiger Athletic Missions Experience Blog

Day 3 Blog
Brooklen Butler (Sr./Chireno, Texas)
Reed McDonald (Sr./McKinney, Texas)
Sunday, January 5, 2020

Sunday's report from the ETBU Cross Country and Track & Field teams TAME trip to Greece is from Senior Brooklen Butler from Chireno, Texas and Senior Reed McDonald from McKinney, Texas.

Brooklen Butler

"Today we hiked the Acropolis, were able to tour the Parthenon, and learned about its history. After seeing the Parthenon, we climbed Mars Hill, where we sang worship songs and saw many bystanders watching and joining in. We read from Act 17:22-31, which is Paul's sermon on Mars Hill, and took communion with fellow believers from Mexico, who we met on the hill. It was incredible to see people from all over the world be captivated and find joy in watching us worship God.
 
The past few days have been amazing.  The group we are working with shows so much hope and love for this community and they do not enter the streets to save everyone, but they simply go out and love everyone. 
 
I met an amazing 10 year old girl, Tabasom, who has encompassed the mission of this organization so well. The first night we were here, I helped her serve hot chocolate and at the end of only a couple hours, she looked at me and said, "I've known you a short time and I love you." I said, "you do?" She says yes, "I look and I love."
 
This week I hope to be like Tabasom, to simply look and love," Butler said.

Reed McDonald

"Our third day in Greece was what I believe will be everyone's favorite when we look back on this trip. The day started out for the guys waking up and enjoying an amazing breakfast with Spyri, our leader from Street Lights, and included some of the best bread, juice, Nutella, and jelly I've ever had. After breakfast we walked to Street Lights, where lunches were so kindly being made for us to take on the walk through the city and the hike up to the Acropolis. 
 
We soon headed out to walk to the bus station to meet the girls, that included another interesting Greek language and political learning session with Spyri. Once we finally got there, we packed into the bus like sardines and after about a 10 minute drive we were walking through the city on the path to the Acropolis. Once it was finally in sight, it was truly breathtaking. We saw it a day before from the stadium, but to be this close to it and just look up at, it was amazing. 
 
Next we met our tour guide, who was welcoming and very knowledgeable and it was so cool how she told us all of the backstory and history behind everything at the Acropolis and the Parthenon. On the path we encountered the Theatre of Dionysus, which is the oldest theatre in the world and fully made of marble. It was so surreal to hear about the stories and think about the joy and laughter of the events once held there. 
 
Next on the path we came across Odeon of Herodes Atticus, which is a theatre still used every summer primarily for music and concerts. After various pictures with the view, we headed up even higher to the top of the Acropolis at The Propylaia (front of the Acropolis), where we could fully see the Parthenon, the Temple of Athena Nike, and more. All of the uses of the Acropolis throughout thousands of years, and we were standing up there together as a group, as a team, was once in a lifetime experience.  
 
We then hiked up onto Mars Hill, where Paul gave his sermon and it was amazing to think about the history of that place and how it was one of the first touching points of Christianity in Europe.  Being able to see firsthand something we have read about in the Bible and actually getting to be at that spot was mind blowing and very humbling. When we were praying as a group the sun came out for the first time all day and shined down on us and then when we were done, it tucked back behind the clouds. The whole trip was humbling, from communion, to singing, and taking more pictures, all while soaking in all the beauty. 
 
Afterward we had a bit of shopping and splitting up in the downtown city center, where we were able to go from store to store buying souvenirs and trying new things. It was great to be a part of the culture in downtown Athens and experience all the history."