Our Next Greece-Refugee Adventure
Read more about our next adventure(s) to Athens, Greece: Sept 22–30 or Sept 29-Oct 7, 2017, where we will continue to pursue development with our Housing Assistance Program!
Adventure: We are going to make friends with Syrian, Afghan, Iraqi, Kurdish, and other refugees. Our refugee friends enjoy meeting and befriending people who love them unconditionally. In this season, their entire lives are controlled by terrible conditions. Most, if not all of the people they have met up to this point view them as a problem or someone to take advantage of. They have been attacked, used, and exploited for years.
During our time in Athens, we will connect with various camps, squats, and organizations living and working on the ground of the refugee crisis. We will eat together, listen and share stories with those we meet, and discover ways to engage the situation. It’s our hope to encourage and love on everyone we encounter.
Oh…and we will also be providing homes for a few vulnerable families through our new housing assistance initiative.
Travel Itinerary
- Sept 22th — Leave for Athens.
- Sept 23th — Arrive in Athens.
- Sept 30th — Leave Athens and arrive back home.
Expenses
- $1,800 due by Sept 1, 2017 — includes lodging, food, transportation, and service project.
- Purchase Flights — currently around $800 from Washington-Dulles
- Insurance (https://www.talent-trust.com/insurance-programs/outreach/)— $40 for one person.
- Total Estimate— $2,500–3,000 (plus personal spending money)
Necessary Reading and Viewing
Suggested Reading
Dress Attire (when in camps or squats)
- Men- No shorts or tank tops/cutoffs.
- Ladies- No shorts or low neck lines. Tops for women should be loose fit and cover the shoulder.
What to Expect in Athens
Team Expectations
- FLEXIBILITY. Expect things to change and not go our way. This is a crisis situation.
- Always let someone know where you are going and return info.
- Never go anywhere alone.
- It’s against the law in Greece and problematic in the squats to share (evangelize) your faith openly. Just keep that in mind.
- No course joking with or around refugees
Daily Itinerary (be flexible)
- 7:00am-9:30am — Breakfast at hotel
- 8:00 — 11:00am — Personal work, sightseeing, etc.
- 11:30am — Team meeting & Lunch
- 12:00pm — leave for squats, camps, or daily activity. Much of our time is highly relational. Games, English lessons, sharing of stories, playing with kids. Some manual labor will include cleaning and picking up in the squats.
- 7:30pm — dinner at a restaurant as a group and occasionally with refugee friends
- 8:30pm — sightseeing or shopping
- 11:30pm — introverts go to bed, extroverts stay up and process :)
Note: With this crisis, it is CRITICAL for us to be flexible. Our itinerary WILL change instantly depending on Greek government, a sudden wave of refugees arriving by boat, a new/more urgent matter, etc.
Tentative Schedule of main events for the week (be very flexble)
- Saturday — Arrive, relax, and visit Mars Hill. Possibly meet Mohammed
- Sunday— Spend the day with Mohammed
- Monday— Visit fifth school and other squats (squat)
- Tuesday— Apartment hunting
- Wednesday— Visit Bridges and Furniture Shopping
- Thursday— Visit and serve Refugees Welcome to Piraeus
- Friday— Visit with friends we have made over the week
- Saturday— Leave
6 Travel Tips for Athens
- Wear comfortable shoes and comfortable clothing.
- Get a padlock for your backpack that you wear around the city.
- Bargain when shopping for souvenirs. Always offer a lower price.
- Call your your cell provider and get to know your overseas options for using your cell phone. Most providers have multiple options. Texting and cell phone bill can skyrocket if you’re not prepared.
- Try to be “one of” the European culture. One particular note, when we are in public, Americans are known for being boisterous and loud. So let’s be mindful of that.
Items for Refugees (pack in checked bag)
- Farsi to English Dictionaries
- Arabic to English Dictionaries
- Diapers & Baby formula (best to purchase there)
- Music instruments (best to purchase there)
- Art supplies
