Thousands of refugees are coming to Greece every day. First to the Islands: by boat,on foot, by swimming, and sometimes by jet ski.
Refugee Diaspora
For many, the Greek coastline is the first time they have seen the sea, and since January, the Greek coast guard has rescued 80,000 people. Around 500,000 people have already passed through Greece, and another one million are expected to pour in from the coast of Turkey. This August alone, 108,000 people came to Greece.
There are families with small children and babies, single men and married men, and people in general who are looking for better future, who carry with them a dream for them or their family.
They are moving very fast. They stay in Athens maybe one or two days, and then continue their trip to the borders and on to Europe. People who have money catch a bus to the country of FYROM (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), north of Greece, then on to Europe. These are unique years. Muslim people are coming to us – not us to them – and we have to seize the day.
Refugee Outreach
We continue our main program at the Crossroads Center, but also go with our Christian refugee brothers to the new arrivals. We give them tea – distributing 90 cups in less than 30 seconds – and we talk with them, handing out Christian leaflets and asking how we can pray for them. We can’t afford to give them much, but we do our best. We don’t have much time with them, but we have enough time to plant a seed and show them Jesus’ love. This last week was particularly difficult. We experienced very heavy rains, so heavy we could not see six feet in front of us. Everywhere was chaotic: these people could not protect themselves, and even the Greeks suffered from the blast.
Refugee Children
Another developing situation is families who are abandoning their children. They don’t have money to pay for their papers, so they are leaving them behind with other people. Also, organized crime brings children to Europe with evil intent: some for sexual abuse, some for human organ trade, and everything else we can imagine. One Greek non-profit organization, Praxis, mentions the route of this kind of crime has changed and is now coming to Europe. They try to rescue these children but the Greek government isn’t prepared, and there is no place for them to stay.
We are here in Greece, with a call to work for His Kingdom. Some rich people of the world are playing the “Game of Thrones,” but as children of the Mighty Lord of the universe, we are working for the “Lord’s Throne.”
We need you. Would you partner with us in this unique time in history? We need your prayers every day! Also, should God prompt you to help us reach even more people, donations may be made through Fellowship International Mission (https://fim.org). Please designate funds to Crossroads Refugee Center.
Thank you for your continued prayers, and may God pour out His blessings upon you.
Eirini & Efthemes
Sioukiouroglou
For any donation mail to our mission indicating
if it is personal or for Crossroads Center, thank you.
Fellowship International Mission
555 South 24th Street
Allentown, PA 18104-6666
Mission tel: 610-435-9099