God at Work Among the Displaced in Europe
January 15, 2025
Amir lived in Syria for most of his life. His country, governed by strict Islamic rule, was rife with war, persecution, and violence. Internal conflict, arbitrary arrests, a crippling economic crisis, and international sanctions threatened civilian’s livelihoods led to the forced displacement of millions of Syrians.
After his house had been bombed, his brother killed, and a tortuous arrest, Amir fled from Syria to Turkey. He hoped to find asylum in the bordering country. After many harrowing experiences, he found himself on a boat headed to Greece. In Athens he met a team of believers who offered to help him find the ultimate asylum—a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Dustin and Michelle Johnson, Greater Europe Mission workers in Greece, had just welcomed a short-term team from Virginia. Primed and eager to spend a week serving alongside the Athens Birthday Project, the team partnered with a non-profit ministry center focused on serving refugees. Offering unique skills and a willingness to help, the team assisted the Athens Birthday Project in reaching out to refugees and people in need within the neighborhood. Together they produced several discipleship sessions, times of fellowship to learn about Jesus, and even a birthday party for refugee children, which was no easy feat!
Early in the week, the team crossed paths with a man who had recently arrived from Syria and was desperately seeking answers: Amir.
Gathered in the ministry center for an evening of fellowship and discussion about Jesus, Amir listened intently when the gospel was shared. At the night’s end, he asked to return the next day to learn more. He returned and brought three more people with him.
Due to the strict Islamic rule in Syria, Amir never felt safe to ask the questions about Christianity that he had on his heart. Once he reached Greece, he finally had the freedom to do so. God’s hand guided him into just the right community of believers who could answer those questions and support him along his faith journey.
The next several afternoons were spent sharing and discussing what following Jesus might look like. By the end of the week, Amir became a follower of Jesus and was baptized. That heartfelt moment in the Aegean Sea was truly a celebration of God’s grace working through Amir’s heart and the hands of the team and local ministry.
Some Muslim communities reject those who deny Islam and change religions, so Amir’s new reality will be one of pursuing his relationship with Christ while potentially experiencing severe pushback from his former community and friends.
Support from his new family of believers will be critical in Amir’s burgeoning walk with the Lord. But just as God provided for Amir before he arrived in Greece, and even while he was in Athens, He will provide for Amir as he continues to grow in his faith.
While the short-term team’s time in Greece ends, their impact on Amir’s life certainly does not. The collaboration between the team’s willingness to serve and the local ministry’s expertise in cultural context not only allowed for an effective gospel presentation, but also the continued discipleship of Amir and other refugees.
Consecrated partnerships like this possess a profound capability make an eternal impact on the lives of those in Europe and around the world.
*Some details have been changed.
Click here to learn more about short term teams in Europe.
About the author: Sarah Hillson is an intern teaching English to refugees in Athens, Greece. Photographs by Dustin Johnson.