We started our morning together as a group with a visit to Priene, stepping into a place rich with history. Standing in the ancient Greek theater, Sam shared insight into how old it is and the significance it once held, which made the moment feel surreal. Shortly after, Adriana led a devotional on Galatians 1:10 that really spoke with me. She talked about how caring too much about what others think can lead to timidity, and reminded us not to focus on human judgment but on the final Judge. It was a powerful reminder that our lives are ultimately in His hands, and that our relationship with Him matters more than anything. Being aware of His presence helps us stay present with others too. From there, we visited the Temple of Athena, the god of wisdom, a strong example of the Hellenistic age and its influence.
Around 12 p.m we made our way to the Temple of Apollo. Even in its state, the size of the structure was overwhelming it’s wild to think how small people must have felt standing inside something so massive. While there, Joey shared a teaching that really hit me: worship costs sacrifice. He connected that idea to Jesus, explaining how His death was the ultimate act of worship because He gave Himself for us. That perspective added a lot of depth to how I think about worship. Afterward, we grabbed lunch, and I had chicken again which has honestly been really good this whole trip. After lunch, we headed to Miletus, continuing the day of exploring ancient places and soaking in both history and truth.
As we arrived, we learned that the Roman theater had been built over an earlier Greek one, a reminder of how layers of history continue to shape what we see today. Standing there, it was amazing to imagine how performances once filled the space, yet now it serves as a place of reflection. Tay B and Syd performed for us and gave us some great entertainment which was fun to watch.
Following the joy Jen talked us through Acts 20:17 and 36–38, remembering how Paul had invested three years building up the church in Ephesus and then made the journey to meet the elders here. His farewell carried deep emotion marked by love, tears, and a strong sense of eternal perspective. It was a powerful picture of what genuine Christian community looks like and we spent some time in silence and solitude together reflecting what the past 9 months have been. It was impactful personally because of the community and staff I got to experience, it was something I never had. In loving one another deeply, expressing gratitude for what God has done, and holding onto faith even in goodbyes.
We ended our day visiting some pottery and seen behind the scenes of how it’s made and the culture behind their talents here is beautiful. Beyond blessed for this opportunity thanks to my family and thank you Jesus.
-Armondo (Current Student)