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Dodecanese Islands

1983

I carried the cross on three of the Dodecanese Islands, Patmos, Kos and Rhodes. It was a wonderful and glorious time. My son Joshua was with me on this crosswalk. He was about 13 years old at this time

Dodecanese3Patmos
Joshua and I based out of a small hotel in Skala on the island of Patmos. We had a wonderful time carrying the cross on this historic island, rich in Biblical history concerning the apostle John in the New Testament. Here John was imprisoned in the first century and in the prison he received the ‘Revelation’ the last book in the Holy Bible. John was one of Jesus original 12 disciples.

Of course the first place we carried the cross to was the ‘Cave of the Apocalypse’! I will never forget seeing the cave and the place John was chained. You could see the stones worn down from his constant kneeling in prayer.

This is one of the places that one can be sure it correctly identified. I felt such a mighty revelation there myself. I had studied he Book of Revelation for years but had difficulty understanding it. Jesus spoke to me and told me to read the Book of Revelation backwards! Read the last verse and then the next to the last etc. While on the island I started reading it backwards and I could see the truths so clearly. I have written a paper that I have never shown anyone about what I have learned about this glorious book.

It was a powerful time as we carried the cross. It was a witness to the fact that the message of Jesus is a living message. Not just ancient history but Jesus is alive in me today! Glory.

Joshua and I carried the cross on almost all the island. The people were wonderful and welcoming. We led several people to Jesus, to know and follow Him.

We carried the cross to the Monastery of St. John and most of the historic spots.

It was in the month of March and the weather was very cold. I can only imagine how cold John must have been in the winter and how hot it must have been for him in the summer.

Yet the Book of Revelation records his words, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.”

Kos
Joshua and I took a ferryboat to Kos. The New Testament tells us The Apostle Paul stayed here one night and that is what Joshua and I did. We carried the cross into the city and around the port area. We had a good witness and then took the boat onto the Rhodes.

Rhodes
We had a very great walk with the cross on this wonderful island. Joshua and I got to know many people. The local people were welcoming to the cross and we saw many come to know and follow Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Two very wonderful friends from Washington DC came to spend two weeks carrying the cross with Joshua and I in Greece. They arrived in Rhodes about half way through the walk here. They are two brothers, David and John Coe. Young men in their early and mid twenties. This is one of the few times I have had people from the U.S. join us on a crosswalk. These are two special and Godly men and I felt the Lord Jesus tell me it was what should be done. We had glorious fellowship and they were good cross walkers too.

We carried the cross along the seacoast highway through Afantou and Archangelos and on to Lindos.

The fellowship with Joshua and John and David was a rich treasure to me.

It is so wonderful to see the wave of the future so committed to Jesus and in love with people.

We left Rhodes by sea to continue the crosswalk in Greece.

Pilgrim followers of Jesus,

Arthur and Denise Blessitt
Luke 18:1