When I was sixteen, I could count my troubles on one hand. More and more Afghan teenagers, however, due to the sheer desperation and violence that continues to haunt their homeland, resort to a dangerous journey through deserts, over seas, and into nameless, foreign cities. Please take five minutes to let BBC news walk you [...]
Posts Tagged as ‘Refugees’
February 22, 2010
Within a Yard of Hell
I don’t beg much, but PLEASE read this eye-opening reflection about the situation in Athens from our friends Tim and Rachel (who are now serving in Rome) after a recent visit to our ministry center.
Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a [...]
January 25, 2010
Courage and Faith
Here’s an update from Athens, written by our teammate Myrna:
Please pray from some of the men who have become Christians. This can be dangerous for them because some of the more radical Muslims don’t take this lightly. One of the men who was recently baptized has been receiving threats. Pray for protection and courage for these men. [...]
January 13, 2010
What’s Your Cause?
As you read this post, the Sanner family is probably… er, hopefully… okay, maybe… somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean. We’re excited to be back in the States and reconnect with YOU – our family, friends, and ministry partners! Until then, check out this video from World Relief, a Christian relief agency that seeks to empower [...]
December 28, 2009
Jesus as Refugee: The Hope of Christmas
Today – 2000 years after the birth of Jesus – Christmas celebrations are extravagant events, full of food and drink, gifts and decorations, laughter and merriment. We travel great distances to gather with family and friends. We reflect on God’s grace in our lives, and His grace revealed in the tender flesh of a baby, [...]
November 30, 2009
When You Can’t Leave…
Despite the lack of resources for refugees in Athens, they are often the lucky ones. They are not in Afghanistan. They got out. They had savings to spend, or perhaps a house to sell, in order to afford the costs of travel. Here’s a revealing video clip on the situation of [...]
November 25, 2009
A Few Friends
Would you take a minute to pray for a few of our friends here in Athens?
- “A” is a mother of three, a loving wife, and one of the most resilient people that I know. She’s a fighter! She led her family from Afghanistan, through Iran and Turkey, to Greece. She tells of leaving all [...]
November 23, 2009
A Daily Drama
There was a great article about the continuing flood of migrants coming into Greece in last week’s New York Times. Read it HERE – it’s well worth the five minutes!
“Stop the boat! Stop the boat now!” the captain of the Greek Coast Guard patrol vessel yelled over the bullhorn, turning a spotlight on the flimsy [...]
November 11, 2009
The New Patra
In July the makeshift refugee camps in and around Patra were dismantled by the Greek authorities. Despite the governments most ardent desires, these refugees (hundreds, maybe thousands in Patra alone) have not just disappeared. Enter, Igoumenitsa (photo above).
Igoumenitsa, the new Patras
Thousands of migrants moved from Patras (northern Peloponnesus) to Igoumenitsa (western Greece), after the demolition [...]
October 26, 2009
Where is the Church?
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (or UNHCR – the UN refugee agency) recently sent a delegation to visit the migrant detention centers on the Greek island of Lesvos (see here or here for some context). The conditions were appalling:
Both men [the UNHCR representative and a Greek government official] condemned the poor conditions, which [...]
October 24, 2009
News Review
God is at work here in Athens! He is changing lives and drawing people to Himself. Refugees from Afghanistan, Iran, Palestine, and Somalia (most of whom have never known a Christian personally) are seeing God’s love in Jesus through acts of gospel demonstration (giving food, clothing, and friendship) and gospel proclamation (friendship evangelism, Bible studies, [...]
October 5, 2009
Elections
The leader of PASOK, George Papandreou
First, let me be honest, I don’t know much about Greek politics. Really. I won’t pretend to understand. I do know that there was an election on Sunday. And I know that PASOK (Panhellenic Socialist Movement) has won. I don’t know if this is good or bad; I don’t know [...]
September 7, 2009
1 Day, 500 Migrants
Do you remember the “reception centers” on the Greek island of Lesvos? If not, here is a reminder. Below is a follow-up article in the local paper (ekathimerini.com). The bottom line: 500 of these migrants were put on a ferry and left to fend for themselves in Athens. By the way, Piraeus (mentioned below) is [...]
September 2, 2009
Lost Boys of Afghanistan
An asylum seeker sleeping under a bridge in Athens (photo from the New York Times – more here)
Last week, the New York Times had a great article about the “Lost Boys of Afghanistan” – a phrase referring to the thousands of Afghan boys (“unaccompanied minors,” mostly teenagers) who are traversing through Europe in search of [...]
August 28, 2009
Friday Photos – 28/08/09
Happy Friday! We hope that you’re enjoying the last few weeks of summer. Despite the recent fires (which have been subdued), it’s been a beautiful summer here in Greece. Good times! What’s your favorite memory from this summer?
Here are some faces that we love from our ministry center. Enjoy!
A sweet little Afghan girl who we’ve [...]
