Water bottle outreach seeing success at Olympics, other outreach planned.

Greece (MNN) — The extreme heat at the Olympic Games in Greece is providing a wonderful opportunity for ministry.

AMG International is partnering with other agencies and local believers to introduce Christ to Greeks and spectators in Athens in a quest called, FLAME 2004. As part of the outreach, AMG’s Fotis Romeos says they’re operating five ‘cool zones’. “We are distributing free cold water with a smile and a Christian testimony to the visitors of the Athens Olympics. We will be distributing more than 100,000 bottles of cold water, trying to reach out (to) people and welcome them (to) Athens and share the Gospel with them,” says Romeos.

The bottles have tracts attached to them to encourage the recipients to order Christian literature, a special Olympic edition New Testament or a JESUS Video. He says many have expressed an interest in these resources.

However, Romeos is very excited about an outreach that’s just gearing up called, Operation Gideon. “300 people have gone to 40 Greek Islands and after three days of fasting and praying, now they’re distributing New Testaments and other Christians literature to different homes all over Greece. They aim to visit 150,000 homes,” he says.

This is an effort to use the Olympics to reach all Greeks with the Gospel. He says local believers seem to be more sensitive and more willing to share their faith because of the Olympics. Romeos says there are already dozens of stories of people coming to Christ.