A couple Greek churches and their AMAZING impact

Back in September of this year, I had the chance to go on a vision trip to Athens and the island of Lesvos to check out the different refugee ministries that GEM partners with.

Athens in relation to Lesvos

In total, I visited five different ministries, but two particular ones in Athens caught my eye. This is a true testament to churches pouring themselves into reaching a people in need...

The first one is called Faros.  Faros, in Greek, means "lighthouse".  This ministry sprang up from a small church plant in the Exarchia neighborhood in Athens, and has grown tremendously! They focus mainly on refugee women and unaccompanied minors.  They run a day center for women to come and receive services and resources as they are living in Athens. Women can take language classes, get care for their toddlers/infants, shower, and speak to a number of different representatives from other organizations, including Doctors without Boarders.

Another facet of their ministry focuses on unaccompanied minors.  They have a shelter that can house up to 22 boys between the ages of 10-16 as they seek to reunite them with their family.  A vocational center sprung out of the shelter to meet the needs of these boys.  Through it, they teach young boys vocational skills they can take with them anywhere.  They have caught the eye of MIT, who is now partnering with them as volunteers teach crucial skills such as: carpentry, science/technology, tailoring/sewing, language lessons, etc. They are also hoping to open up the 2nd floor of the building for women, and build a similar program.  I am most excited about this center! I'd love to put my background as a teacher to good use! I know I'm not meant to put my teacher self in a box on a high shelf, it will always be a part of me, but it's going to take a different form.  I can't wait to see what that form is!

Bunk in the shelter

Sewing room in the Vocational Center

 Further evidence that the Exarchia church is investing everything into refugee ministry is shown through their actual church building.  They converted their church offices into temporary apartments for refugee families while the families work on integration and assimilation into Greek life.  Through their integration program, the families work with a social worker to get proper documentation so they can find stable work and their own housing.

The second ministry is a family integration home, called At Home Project, started by a church in Glafada, a town just south of Athens.  The purpose of this home is to assist refugee families as they integrate into Greek life.  This integration home is very similar to the one run by Faros, only At Home Project has the capacity to house more families and allow them to stay longer.  Refugee families are given about a year of living in a shared apartment with other families as they begin the integration process.  The apartment also has a small library and a clothing/baby supply distribution room to assist the families while they are living there.  Although a Greek social worker helps the families with all the official paperwork that needs to be processed, the Glafada church needs someone to be in the home regularly to build strong relationships with them, and help advise/encourage the family through the process.  They would also like someone to teach English to the families (which is right up my alley!).

One thing is clear with both ministries: they reach out by forming genuine relationships with those they are serving.  I do not speak Greek or Farsi.  I cannot assist with any legal documentation.  But both churches seek to form strong bonds with these families and build trust.  It is only through these relationships can Christ's love be shared.  It is not about proselytizing; preying on the vulnerable in their time of need. It is about reflecting the love of Christ. It is about sharing hope and light in a place plagued by darkness and hopelessness.