Last weekend there was a special visitor passing through our area. Her name is Athena Papadopoulos from the Port Richey area. The first notice of her pending arrival came as her pastor from the Port Richey First Baptist Church telephoned the pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, Roland Rabon, and informed him of this young woman's project.
It seems that Athena spent time doing humanitarian work for "World Vision" in Kenya, Africa. This is the international organization which is involved in drilling wells and improving the quality of life for unfortunates in developing nations. She was deeply touched by the ongoing plight of the citizens of Kenya, and dedicated herself to increasing awareness of their needs. Thus, she had a "vision" of her own.
This brave, dedicated Christian woman has pledged to run across the entire width of the United States, from Jacksonville, Florida to San Diego, California, in her effort to help those struggling people in Africa by increasing public awareness of their plight. She left Jacksonville on January 3, and arrived in Marianna on January 21. She was welcomed by the members of our Trinity Baptist Church as she told her story to the Congregation on Sunday. Members of the church arranged for her free lodging in Chipley for Monday evening and Bonifay on Tuesday evening, as she left Monday morning, heading west.
While she was in Jackson County she stayed with Dianne and Eric Parker, who live south of Marianna on Highway 73. They were very impressed by her kind spirit and devotion to the tremendous task which lies before her. She hopes to arrive in San Diego in mid-June.
May God bless her on her journey.
