Together with other volunteers and staff, the students helped renovate an entire zone of the camp (home to about 50 families) by tearing down old, moldy, and unsafe tents, spreading over 30 truckloads of gravel, rebuilding tent platforms out of pallets and plywood, and installing new UNHCR-donated tents. Additionally, students were able to find housing in the camp for about 100 new arrivals, all of which made the harrowing journey across the sea from Turkey by rubber boat during the students’ time there. Other ministries included giving out vaccination tickets, supplies, diapers, and the students’ favorite—giving refugees their tickets to Athens.
At their debrief, local camp staff encouraged the students that their “preaching without words” was truly part of an incredible evangelism surge happening in the Muslim world. They learned there have been over 1,200 refugees baptized in Athens, most of which credit the testimony of believers coming to serve them in this refugee camp. The Cairn team was honored to play a small part in this big story God is writing.
Stephanie Bernotas is the coordinator of student ministries at Cairn University and was the trip leader to Moria in 2018 and 2019. She can be reached at [email protected].