A Week in Athens: Ministry, Friendship, and Transformation
This October, we had the privilege of sending three women to serve alongside our global partner, Community House Damaris in Athens, Greece.
Damaris is a ministry dedicated to walking alongside women who have survived exploitation and trafficking, helping them rebuild their lives with hope, dignity, and freedom. Through their programs, from life skills training to mentoring and community support, Damaris empowers women to heal, grow, and thrive. In the blog below, Vicki shares the inspiring stories and moments from our team’s week-long experience, showing firsthand how God is at work through this incredible ministry.
The following blog was written by Orangewood member and Community House Damaris Ambassador, Vicki Taylor.
This October, I returned to Athens with my Damaris teammates, Mary Beth Morgan, and Amy Lein, for a week full of ministry, fellowship, and meaningful moments. Our first days were spent settling in, gathering supplies, and preparing for the activities we would lead with the women in the Day Recovery Program.
Our team!
Early in the week, Amy began to feel the symptoms of an upper respiratory virus. We soon realized she would need to stay back at the apartment and rest for a day or two. While sad to stay behind, she was grateful for the chance to rest.
Throughout the week, we led a variety of activities with the women. On Tuesday, we taught them to create beautiful paper flowers with tissue paper. They quickly mastered the skill and used their creations to decorate the wedding hall for E, one of our program graduates. By the end of the day, we had made 42 small flowers, five extra-large flowers for a wall bouquet, and seven medium flowers to fill out the arrangements.
Some of the paper flower creations!
Some paper flowers at the wedding!
On Wednesday, Mary Beth and I scouted the wedding venue, planning how to set up the room for both the ceremony and reception. We returned to the apartment in the afternoon to prepare groceries and care for Amy, who was slowly feeling better. Thursday, we focused on skill development with the women, including sewing clutches and bags. It was inspiring to see B, a program graduate, patiently teaching the women — a beautiful example of giving back and mentoring others in the program.
Friday’s lesson focused on boundaries, using the semi-permeable membrane of a human cell as a teaching tool. We discussed what healthy boundaries are, practiced role-playing different situations, and then followed up with an art activity in which the women set boundaries for themselves in relationships. The discussions were engaging, thoughtful, and meaningful, giving the women tools for both personal growth and spiritual development.
Our week culminated in E’s wedding on Saturday. The day was filled with cleaning and decorating the hall and ended with joy, music, dancing, and fellowship. Seeing the women dressed beautifully, smiling confidently, and celebrating together was an overwhelming reminder of God’s transformative power. I had not seen E in three years and wasn’t sure if she would recognize me. As she made her rounds at the tables, our eyes met, and she rushed over, giving me a huge hug. With tears in her eyes, she whispered, “Oh Vicki, I’m so happy to see you again and that you are here for my wedding. I knew you when I was broken, hurting, afraid, and unsure that my life would ever look different. But look at me now. Look what God can do!”
Our ladies at E’s wedding!
Vicki and E sharing a moment together
Her words and radiant joy were a powerful testimony to God’s healing and restoration. From frightened and broken to confident and radiant, E’s transformation is a living example of the hope, dignity, and new beginnings that God brings through the work of Damaris. Our ministry verse at Damaris is Micah 6:8: He has shown you, O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you. To do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God. I saw this verse lived out by the staff at Damaris and my teammates throughout the week, as we sought to serve these precious survivors and show them the love of Jesus. Participating in her wedding and seeing the culmination of these women’s progress in recovery was deeply inspiring, evoking gratitude in our hearts for the opportunity to serve alongside this beautiful ministry.
Vicki’s story beautifully reflects our value of Neighbors Near & Far: “We labor alongside our partners, cultivating deep relationships as we seek to bring Christ’s kingdom to earth as it is in heaven.”
Through our team’s time in Athens, we see what it means to labor alongside our partners, cultivating deep, Christ-centered relationships that bring glimpses of His kingdom to earth as it is in heaven. The ministry of Community House Damaris reminds us that God’s work is not confined by distance or culture. Whether across the street or across the ocean, we are united in the same calling: to love, serve, and walk alongside our neighbors as God restores hope and dignity in every heart.
See additional photos from the trip below!
We saw M and his daughter A!
So wonderful to see our ministry partners Tim and Cynthia Coomar. Tim is the assistant director of City to City Europe.
We enjoyed Pastor Giotis’s message on Ezekiel via translator.
In Damaris Skill Development classes the women learn many useful skills— this day was sewing, taught by B, a graduate of Damaris, who now serves as an instructor in Skill Development.
We served delicious Greek food at the reception!