An Atypical “Day on the Road” – ALL across Europe!
After Midnight in Costa del Sol, Spain
by Clay Quarterman, April 8th, 2008

As I flew over Paris tonight, I looked straight down on the Eiffel Tower, shining and sparkling in the center of “the City of Lights”. All around the city were clouds, but Paris had clear skies, as an oasis in the darkness. I could only think, though, of all those who live there in spiritual darkness, without knowing God personally—in spite of all the religion and beauty that surrounds them. Pray for France.

But it struck me how similar was the group with which I traveled – shining as lights in a dark world (Philippians 2:15). Let me explain.

I spent the day today waiting in airports—mostly in Paris—with Ukrainian leaders and missionaries. I left home at 7 a.m. from Odessa with Pastor George Kadyan and my teammate Bob Burnham. We flew to Kyiv and found the only “Mr. Donut” in Ukraine for breakfast and coffee. YUM! Eric Huber, Mel Pike, and Dutch missionary Cor Harryvan joined us, and we flew to Paris. After waiting 6 hours there, we flew on to Spain, but we had to wait there an extra hour for 2 Greek pastors flying in from Athens. So we had a snack and visited once again. What a LOOONG Day!

On the shuttle ride, we spoke with the Greek men of their work, the Greek commentaries they were writing, the pupils they are teaching, and we discovered we had a friend in common—my next-door neighbor from Jackson, MS, Van Rusling.

It was a day of interesting conversation, evaluating, reminiscing, dreaming together, planning. It was a work day, but pleasant and strange. At one point, we thought, Wow! In this place and at this moment, we are ALL foreigners! How refreshing to be on equal ground. That’s a lot like the Church of Jesus Christ – we are all Pilgrims!

But it was also a day of Light. How refreshing to serve with such men—even as pilgrims traveling around Europe in order to find new ways we can cooperate with others to spread this Light of the Gospel further. Our church has matured, but our job is not done. So SHINE!