Greece (AMG/MNN) ― Greek state workers, angry over austerity plans, launched another general strike Thursday in central Athens.
Protests are mounting against government plans to cut jobs and wages to meet conditions for international loans. The Federation of Finance Ministry Unions plans a nine-day strike beginning Oct. 17. The work stoppages will affect government services, transportation, hospitals, schools and tourist sites.
Next week's Parliament vote on the plan is slated for October 19. The months-long upheaval has taken its toll on the work of AMG International in Greece.
The country's financial distress has had a severe impact on AMG International's ministry hospital, St. Luke's in Thessaloniki. Since most of the country's workers are insured by the government, the bills for treatment have either been delayed or unpaid.
Fotis Romeos is the AMG Coordinator of Eastern European Ministries, Evangelism, and the Cosmovision Center. He says earlier strikes made transportation an issue for one of their project teams that was hosting coworkers from 18 different countries.
However, the greatest challenge now facing the ministry is not the upheaval, but the trial of a believer who has been accused of proselytism. Romeos writes, "Damavolitis Emmanuel, an evangelical Christian and the father of six children from age 30 to 11-years-old, was charged with a violation of the Greek anti-proselytizing law. He was found guilty after a trial and sentenced to four months in prison and 840 Euros fine."
The Court of Appeals of Rethymno in Crete convicted Mr. Emmanuel and sentenced him to four months in prison and a fine of 840 Euros for allegedly proselytizing another man between 2004 and 2006, convincing him to become an evangelical believer.
Romeos is concerned because "the Greek courts are busy to control the religious beliefs... This is why we do believe that our crisis is not merely financial, but it is primarily moral."
Pray for Greece. This week is very crucial for a series of decisions which are being developed at European level leadership concerning more severe measurements regarding financial crisis. Pray that AMG will faithfully continue to convey the message of hope to Greece.
