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In December, one of our participants got married!
She welcomed the New Year having a loving husband after all the tribulations she has been through, in a safe home of her own! Our hearts are overflowing with joy! Our bride, R., was referred to us in 2018, following some difficult experiences that she had gone through from her homeland, Africa -one of them was being trafficked to Turkey, until she met Damaris Family. After graduating from CHD Program, she started taking life in her own hands, trying to work and live independently. The groom is a Christian African man, working at a University in the UK. R. never forgot Damaris Community, and for one of the happiest days of her life she asked my husband, as a pastor, to officiate the ceremony, and deliver her to the groom as a father. I was also asked to help her prepare and dress for her special day, and she invited everyone at Damaris to the wedding; as bridesmaids,
guests, the little ones as flower girls etc. According to her traditions, as she said “it’s important for me to also have a wedding here with my Greek family.” What a great reward for this ministry which adds a positive sign to Damaris House mission:- the empowerment of women and their children, who have been sexually exploited and trafficked, with the opportunity for recovery, restoration, and reintegration!
More News
In September 2021 House Damaris opened a second Safe House, a two-floor house with a capacity of hosting up to 9 more beneficiaries and their babies. Given the fact that according to a recent press release of the Athens-Macedonian News Agency, from the beginning of 2020 until mid-November 2021, the services of the Greek Council for Refugees received requests for support from 1,461 people registered as homeless and / or occupants of squatting, including women and victims of human trafficking, we’ve decided to offer through this Safe House an opportunity of a short-term front line housing which includes purpose-built classes and services provided exclusively by CHD Day Center. Currently, after making some needed repairs and furniture additions, this front-line House has started to welcome one-by-one its new CHD Residents! Many other women are waiting to be welcomed to Damaris Second Safe House, with the opportunity to experience a family-style community with a lot of diversities, languages, cultures, backgrounds, but united under the common goal of a meaningful independent living in the frame of integration, with the freedom of the Gospel. In the midst of a great refugee crisis in Greece, God keeps providing richly. We continue with what we have, praying and looking with faith at what will come out of His hand. Thank you so much for your consideration and prayers.
Love in Christ,
Dina Petrou – Founder and Director