Do you have a heart for refugees? Join our team in Thessaloniki who have opportunities to bless and assist those seeking refuge in Europe, most of whom have left everything behind including family and support network.

Many are from Muslim backgrounds from many nationalities, and numbers fluctuate. Show them hospitality, listen to their stories, build relationships, pray with them, and share the Good News in word and deed.

You will have opportunities to mentor and teach them in creative ways, minister peace in their upheaval, encourage and direct them in the next steps to give them a future and a hope.

Qualities & Gifts Sought

You will take opportunities to learn basic Greek, but you will minister mainly in English, but some Arabic or Farsi would also be useful skills. You love the Lord Jesus and enjoy sharing your faith.

You are happy to work with our local church and network closely with Christian and other like-minded organizations. You are able to be flexible and eager to adjust to the many refugees God sends us.

Visas are easiest for EU citizens, otherwise you will need to be financially well-supported.

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About Greece

Greece is in Southern Europe, and has a population of approximately 11 million. Athens is the capital and largest city, followed by Thessaloniki.

Situated on the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula, Greece shares land borders with Albania to the west, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to the east.

The Aegean Sea lies to the east of the mainland, the Ionian Sea to the west, the Cretan Sea and the Mediterranean to the south. Greece has the longest coastline on the Mediterranean Basin at 13,676 km (8,498 mi) in length, because it has a large number of islands of which 227 are inhabited. 80% of Greece is mountainous, with Mount Olympus being the highest peak at 2,918 metres (9,573 ft).

History

Greece is considered the cradle of Western civilization, being the birthplace of Western philosophy, democracy, the Olympic Games, European literature and drama, historiography, political science, major scientific and mathematical principles.

Philip of Macedon united most of the Greek mainland in the 4th century BC. He and his son Alexander the Great rapidly conquered much of the ancient world, spreading Greek culture and science from the eastern Mediterranean to India.

Greece was annexed by Rome in the 2nd century BC, and became part of the Roman Empire and its successor, the Byzantine Empire, and Greek language and culture were dominant.

After Ottoman dominion in the mid-15th century, the modern nation state of Greece emerged in 1830 following a war of independence.

Greece's rich historical legacy is reflected by its 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.  

Theatre

Theatre in its western form was born in Greece. Classical Athens institutionalised theatre to honour the god Dionysus. Tragedy (late 6th century BC), comedy (486 BC), and the satyr play (tragicomedy) were the three dramatic genres to emerge there.  

Sport

Greece is the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games, first recorded in 776 BC in Olympia. Greece has hosted the modern Olympic Games twice, the inaugural 1896 Summer Olympics and the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Religion

In ancient Greek religion 12 Olympians are the major deities of the Greek pantheon: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Hermes, and Dionysus.  

Most western philosophical traditions began in Ancient Greece in the 6th century BC.  Notable ancient Greek philosophers are Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Notable schools of Greek philosophy are Stoicism, Epicureanism, Skepticism and Neoplatonism.  

The New Testament book of Acts records St Paul reasoning with Stoics and Epicureans as he introduces them to the Lord Jesus.

Christianity’s early leaders and writers (notably St Paul) were mostly Greek-speaking. The New Testament was written in Greek, and some of the Epistles (1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, Philippians, and Revelation  - when St John was on Patmos) attest to the importance of churches in Greece in early Christianity. Greek-speaking communities were also instrumental in the spread of early Christianity in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.    

The Greek Orthodox Church has profoundly shaped modern Greek identity. and restricted evangelical Christianity.

Agriculture, shipping and tourism  

Greece is a large producer of cotton, pistachios, rice, olives, figs, almonds, tomatoes, watermelons and tobacco Agriculture employs 12.4% of the country’s labour force.

The shipping industry has been a key element of Greek economic activity since ancient times. Shipping remains one of the country’s most important industries employing 4% of the workforce.  

In 2016 Greece welcomed 28 million visitors and tourism accounts for 18% of GDP. 

[Source: Wiipedia. Read more about Greece here]

Pray with us for:
a turning to the Lord
spiritual renewal and reformation
recovery from the recent economic meltdown
courage and wisdom to outreach & witness
the 150 islands with no evangelical witness
the large Greek diaspora
[Source: Operation World, 2010]  

Pray too using these online resources: Operation World and Prayercast

More about WEC in Europe