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Cyprus

1980

It was a great joy to carry the cross on Cyprus with my two sons, Joel fourteen and Joshua nine years old. The summertime heat was intense but we had a great crosswalk.

We flew into the airport at Larnaca and rented a car. I drove to the capital of Nicosia to begin the walk with the cross. We carried the cross from Nicosia to Limassol and on to Paphos.

The people were friendly and welcoming.

I will never forget arriving at a roadside store and bar with the cross. I went in to get cold a drink. There were several men and women inside who saw me arrive with the cross. As I stood drinking my coke an elderly lady came up to me and told me to pick a number. I forget now what the range of choices was, but a bit confused and surprised I said a number. Then I tried to speak to her about Jesus but she rushed away. There was a cheer and she came rushing back with the other people all asking me to say a number. I refused and asked what this was about. It was some kind of gambling game where you pick a number, pay for it and they punch the number out of a board. The number I gave was the winning number! Now they thought that the ‘holy man’ with the cross, had a direct line to God and He was telling me the correct number! Ha!

They were angry when I refused to give them more numbers. I left with them shouting at me in Greek!

However almost everyone else was interested in the message of Jesus and the cross. We had a glorious, hot walk with the cross and a wonderful time in Cyprus.

Pilgrim followers of Jesus,

Arthur and Denise Blessitt
Luke 18:1