IN THE LAND OF THE MANY
ministry in a land of many gods, many peoples
HI, I'M SAMANTHA WELLS, AND I SERVE IN REFUGEE MINISTRY WITH ONE COLLECTIVE. I HAVE PREVIOUSLY WORKED IN CLARKSTON, GA, AND AM NOW ON MY WAY TO ATHENS, GREECE!
WHERE IT BEGAN...
When I was just seven months old, my parents went on their first mission trip to Albania. Though they had planned to stay longer, we only stayed two months. The seed was planted, however, and we returned when I was nine, this time with my three younger siblings in tow as well. We lived there for two years. Growing up in a third world country fundamentally changed the way I look at the world. As soon as I turned eighteen, I started going on mission trips with my church, with YWAM, and even by myself. I wanted to be God's hands and feet in the places where people hurt the most. It was my trips to Greece that opened my eyes to the needs of refugees, and to the incredible stories they have to tell. My passion is for refugees to feel free, at home, and safe, not only physically, but also spiritually, by finding a home in the loving arms of God. In order to pursue that passion, I joined One Collective in 2018, and since then have gone on two vision trips with them, as well as serving with them for a year in the refugee communities of Clarkston, GA.
WHERE IT'S GOING...
My most recent vision trip with One Collective was to a team in Athens, Greece, which works with refugees as well as the homeless and the trafficked. I have since been accepted onto this team, and am fundraising within the year of 2022 to be able to go and serve there long term! My main focus on this team with be refugee women and girls.
While on the vision trip, I helped with an art class for refugee teenage girls from Afghanistan and Iran, and with a homeless ministry based out of one of the local Greek churches. When I move there, I will be doing more of this work, as well as taking Greek language lessons, and taking time to do my own personal ministry, such as home visits.
“NO ONE PUTS THEIR CHILDREN IN A BOAT UNLESS THE WATER IS SAFER THAN THE LAND.” - WARSAN SHIRE
GOD HAS CALLED ME TO BE A NEIGHBOR TO THE LOST, AND THIS IS HOW I DO IT: I MOVE IN NEXT TO THEM! TO THE DISENFRANCHISED, TO THE SHOVED ASIDE, TO THE UNWELCOME, TO THOSE LOST IN THE DARK - I BRING THE PRESENCE OF GOD, RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO THEM. WILL YOU JOIN ME IN BRINGING THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD TO REFUGEES IN ATHENS, GREECE?
